In the case of Walton v. Lackawanna County, No. 3:25-CV-02461-MEM (M.D. Pa. July 7, 2026 Mannion, J.), the court denied a municipality’s Motion to Dismiss a former prisoner Plaintiff’s civil rights claims.
According to the Opinion, the Plaintiff was pursuing §1983 civil rights claims, along with other disability claims, relative to allegations that, during a period of incarceration at the Lackawanna County Prison, the Plaintiff was prevented from securing the small plunger-like devices he allegedly required to remove his scleral contact lenses each day for his condition of keratoconus. The Plaintiff alleged that, due to the fact that he was allegedly prevented from securing the plunger devices, he could not remove his scleral contact lenses, and suffered injuries to his eyes as a result.
After the filing of the Complaint, the municipality filed a Motion to Dismiss the Plaintiff’s various claims, including claims of municipal liability, deliberate indifference claims, and claims of liability under various disability laws.
After reviewing the record before him and applying the allegations against the standard of review, Federal Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion found that the Plaintiff had stated plausible causes of action in all respects. As such, the Defendant’s Motion was denied and the case was allowed to proceed.
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