Court Sees Former Prisoner Plaintiff's Civil Rights Claims as Plausible and Allows Them to Proceed Forward

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.

Anyone wishing to review a copy of this decision may click this LINK.

Student Suicide Case Allowed to Proceed Under Rehabilitation Act and ADA Claims

In the case of Beam v. Western Wayne School District, No. 3:15-CV-01126 (M.D. Pa. 2018 Caputo, J.), the Federal Middle District Court of Pennsylvania denied a Defendant school district’s motion for summary judgment relative to claims filed by parents following their son's suicide.

In this case, the Plaintiffs alleged that the school district failed to properly implement an educational plan under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the ADA on behalf of a disabled student who had ADHD.  According to the allegations, the student committed suicide on the last day of school allegedly as a result of academic failures stemming from the failures of the school to implement the educational plan.  The parents asserted that the school was responsible for their son's suicide because officials failed to notify them that their son was struggling academically, which was allegedly required under the education plan.

Judge A. Richard Caputo
M.D. Pa.

In a previous ruling in this case, Judge Caputo had dismissed a failure to prevent suicide claim presented by the Plaintiffs.

The defense asserted that the Plaintiff's were attempting to recast a failure to prevent suicide claim as a violation of the Section 504 and the ADA.  The Court rejected this defense and noted that issues of fact compelled the Court to deny the school district's request for summary judgment on the claims presented.

Anyone wishing to review a copy of this decision may click this LINK.  The Court's companion Order can be viewed HERE.