In the News · Court case · Michigan
Federal appeals court lets Michigan women's prison mold suit go forward
What happened
A divided panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit ruled on October 15 that a proposed class-action lawsuit over mold at the Women's Huron Valley Correctional Facility can go forward against nine Michigan corrections officials, according to the Michigan Advance and Law360.
In the 2-1 decision, the court dismissed five other defendants, finding the evidence did not show enough that they knew about the alleged mold and failed to act. This is a ruling on whether the case can proceed, not a verdict or settlement. The Michigan Department of Corrections has disputed claims that testing found widespread toxic mold.
What it means for homeowners
- Courts look closely at who knew about a mold problem and what they did after learning of it.
- Written complaints and dated records are often what establishes that knowledge.
- Mold in institutional buildings (prisons, schools, barracks) is drawing more lawsuits.
Reporting
Our summary of published reporting. Read the original coverage for the full story.