Johnson City, Tenn., $4.2M Sexual Assault Report Settlement

Johnson City, Tennessee

Women who reported sexual assault to the Johnson City Police Department in Johnson City, Tennessee, between Jan. 1, 2018, and Dec. 31, 2022, may qualify to receive an estimated $7,000 from a class action settlement.

Johnson City agreed to pay $4.2 million to settle a class action lawsuit alleging the police department engaged in discriminatory practices when responding to reports of sexual assault, violating the constitutional rights of women who reported such crimes.

Who are the class members?

Class members are women, including minors, who reported sexual assault to the Johnson City Police Department between Jan. 1, 2018, and Dec. 31, 2022.

Class membership is determined by incident numbers in the JCPD records management system for sex-related crimes. These crimes include:

Rape
Sodomy
Sexual assault with an object
Forcible fondling
Incest
Statutory rape

The settlement administrator identified each class member using JCPD records and assigned them a unique ID number. Those who received a notice with a unique ID and confirmation number are an identified class member.

How much can class members get?

Each eligible class member is entitled to an equal share of the net settlement fund. The estimated payment is approximately $7,000 per class member, but the final amount may vary depending on the number of valid claims and deductions for administrative costs, attorneys’ fees and service awards.

If there are unclaimed funds, the settlement administrator may redistribute them among claimants or, if the amount is too small to redistribute, donate them to a cy pres recipient.

No claim form needed to receive payment

Identified class members do not need to file a traditional claim form to receive compensation. Instead, they can confirm their contact information, provide their Social Security number for tax purposes and select a payment method online via the settlement website or by mailing them to the settlement administrator.

To submit the information online, class members must enter the unique ID and confirmation number provided on their settlement notice.

Settlement administrator’s mailing address: JCPD Settlement, c/o JND Legal Administration, P.O. Box 91238, Seattle, WA 98111

Class members will receive a check mailed to the address on file or provided on the website.

$4.2 million settlement fund breakdown

The $4,200,000 settlement fund includes:

Settlement administration costs: Up to $95,000
Attorneys’ fees: Up to $1,400,000
Attorneys’ expenses: Up to $20,000
Service award to class representative: Up to $20,000
Payments to eligible class members: Approximately $2,645,000

Important dates

Exclusion deadline: Sept. 22, 2025
Deadline to verify information and select payment method: Nov. 20, 2025
Fairness hearing: Jan. 6, 2026

When is the JCPD settlement payout date?

The settlement administrator will send payments after the court grants final approval of the settlement and resolves any appeals.

Why did this class action settlement happen?

The class action lawsuit alleged the Johnson City Police Department engaged in a pattern of discriminatory conduct against women who reported sexual assault. The plaintiffs claimed the department failed to take appropriate investigative steps, discouraged participation in investigations and closed cases prematurely, violating the constitutional rights of the victims.

The city denied all allegations but agreed to the settlement to avoid the costs and risks of continued litigation.