City of Fairfield Civil Rights $1.2M Class Action Settlement

Individuals whom City of Fairfield police officers arrested without a warrant between Feb. 1, 2017, and Feb. 28, 2019, and held at the Butler County Jail for more than 48 hours before a judge determined probable cause may be eligible to claim a cash payment from a class action settlement.

The City of Fairfield, Judge Joyce Campbell and the Butler County Sheriff agreed to pay $1.2 million to resolve a class action lawsuit alleging violations of constitutional rights related to warrantless arrests and over-detention without a prompt judicial probable cause determination.

Who can file a claim?

Individuals are considered class members if they meet all of the following criteria:

• City of Fairfield police officers arrested them without a warrant between Feb. 1, 2017, and Feb. 28, 2019.
• The Butler County Sheriff’s office held them for more than 48 hours on charges pending in the Fairfield Municipal Court.
• They did not receive a post-arrest probable cause determination by a judicial officer within 48 hours of arrest.
• The City of Fairfield did not otherwise lawfully detain them for reasons unrelated to the warrantless arrest.

The settlement administrator identified class members using records from the Fairfield Municipal Court, the Butler County Sheriff and other databases. It then mailed notices to last known addresses.

How much can class members get?

Every class member who submits a valid claim form will receive a base payment of $500. After deductions for attorney fees, administration costs and service awards, the settlement administrator will calculate additional compensation based on the number of hours the City of Fairfield detained each claimant beyond the initial 48-hour period before receiving a judicial probable cause determination.

If the city released the claimant on their own recognizance at their first court appearance, the settlement administrator will multiply the number of hours it over-detained them by three for the purposes of the payment calculation.

After the claim period closes, it will send each eligible claimant a letter estimating their recovery amount.

How to claim a class action payment

Class members can download, print and complete the PDF claim form and mail it to the settlement administrator.

Settlement administrator's mailing address: Fairfield Class Action Settlement Administrator, c/o Rust Consulting Inc. - 9130, PO Box 2599, Faribault, MN 55021-9599

Class members must postmark the claim form by March 13, 2026.

What proof or documentation is required to submit a claim?

Claimants must provide specific details about their arrest, including:

• Date of arrest
• Charge for which they were arrested
• Number of days spent in jail prior to court
• Fairfield Municipal Court case number(s)

Claimants must also provide their contact information and sign the claim form. The claims administrator will verify eligibility using the information provided and official records.

Payout options

The settlement administrator will mail checks to valid claimants at the address provided on the claim form.

$1.2 million settlement fund breakdown

The $1,215,000 settlement fund covers:

• Settlement administration costs: Up to $25,000
• Attorneys' fees: Up to $405,000
• Attorneys' costs and expenses: To be determined
• Service awards to class representatives: Up to $20,000 for one representative and $10,000 for another
• Payments to eligible class members: The remainder of the fund

Important dates

• Deadline to file a claim: March 13, 2026
• Exclusion (opt-out) deadline: March 13, 2026
• Final approval hearing: June 11, 2026

When is the Caddell v Campbell payout date?

The settlement administrator will mail payments to class members approximately 90 days after the court grants final approval of the settlement.

Why is there a class action settlement?

This class action lawsuit alleged City of Fairfield police officers arrested individuals without a warrant and held them in jail for more than 48 hours without a prompt judicial probable cause determination. The plaintiffs claimed this practice may violate constitutional rights.

The defendants deny any wrongdoing but agreed to the settlement to avoid the risks and costs associated with ongoing litigation.

Sources

1. Class notice
2. Claim form
3. Settlement agreement
4. Settlement FAQ