Dallas County v. Duvall

Issue: (1) Whether a claim by a pretrial detainee is established under the Due Process Clause as a matter of law by the presence of staph-infection-causing bacteria in a county jail and the fact that no legitimate, governmental purpose is served by the presence of such bacteria; (2) whether the lower court's application of Bell v. Wolfish (1979), which focuses on whether a “condition of confinement” constitutes punishment, can be reconciled with Daniels v. Williams (1986) and Davidson v. Cannon (1986), which rejected negligence as actionable under the Due Process Clause; and (3) whether the “deliberate indifference” standard for claims brought by convicted inmates should also be the applicable standard when a pretrial detainee challenges conditions of confinement that may put the health of both categories of inmates at risk.

Briefs and Documents

Certiorari-stage documents

• Opinion below (5th Cir.)
• Petition for certiorari
• Brief in opposition