The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Indiana has filed a federal class-action lawsuit against Monroe County officials, citing chronic overcrowding, collapsing infrastructure, and unsafe living conditions at the county’s aging jail facility.

Background of the Lawsuit

The lawsuit, filed on July 10, 2026, comes after nearly two decades of litigation and failed promises by county leaders to resolve the facility’s ongoing issues. The legal action names the Monroe County Council, Monroe County Commissioners, and the Monroe County Sheriff as defendants.

According to the lawsuit, the more than 40-year-old facility routinely holds significantly more people than it can safely accommodate. Between June 2 and July 3, 2026, the jail held an average of nearly 260 people daily, exceeding its functional capacity of approximately 229.

The ACLU argues that this persistent overcrowding creates volatile tensions that lead directly to inmate violence. Furthermore, the lawsuit details severe infrastructure failures within the jail, including extreme internal temperatures, widespread mold, broken plumbing, and failing sanitation systems.

Response from the ACLU

Ken Falk, Legal Director at the ACLU of Indiana, stated that Monroe County officials have known for years that the jail is overcrowded, unsafe, and falling apart. Falk emphasized that the community’s sheriff has long acknowledged the facility’s extensive flaws but lacks the funding authority under state law to fix them.

The federal lawsuit seeks a court order forcing Monroe County to finally address the structural deficiencies and bring inmate populations down to constitutional and safe standards.

Original reporting: 93.1 WIBC (Indianapolis) — read the source article.