King County $1.6M Jail Detention Class Action Settlement

Individuals whom police arrested without a warrant and held at the King County Jail for more than 48 hours without a probable cause hearing between Jan. 2, 2021, and April 23, 2025, may qualify to claim $150 or at least $1,500 from a class action settlement.

King County agreed to pay $1.6 million to resolve a class action lawsuit alleging its practice of detaining individuals at the King County Jail for more than 48 hours without a prompt probable cause determination violated the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

Who can file a claim?

Class members must meet the following criteria:

• Police arrested them without a warrant.
• Police detained them at the King County Jail for more than 48 hours without a probable cause hearing.
• The above occurred between Jan. 2, 2021, and April 23, 2025.

The settlement administrator will use the county’s records to determine eligibility.

How much can class members get?

The settlement provides two main award tiers:

• Individuals who had no warrants at the time of their arrest are eligible for a minimum payment of $1,500. They will also receive $57.81 for each hour of detainment beyond the 48-hour window without a probable cause determination.
• Individuals who had one or more warrants at the time of their arrest are eligible for a flat payment of $150.

How to claim a settlement payment

Class members can file a claim online. There is currently no PDF claim form. The claim deadline is Sept. 1, 2026.

Settlement administrator's mailing address: Tucker v King County, c/o Settlement Administrator, PO Box 23680 Jacksonville, FL 32241

Necessary information

To file an online claim, class members must provide the notice ID and PIN located on the settlement notice they received.

Payout options

• Paper check

$1.6 million settlement fund breakdown

The $1,600,000 settlement fund includes:

• Settlement administration costs: $50,000
• Service awards to class representatives: $10,000
• Attorneys' fees and costs: $440,000
• Payments to eligible class members: $1,100,000

Important dates

• Opt-out deadline: Oct. 20, 2025
• Final fairness hearing: Dec. 5, 2025
• Deadline to file a claim: Sept. 1, 2026

When is the Tucker v. King County payout date?

The settlement administrator will issue payments after the court grants final approval of the settlement and processes all claims.

Why did this class action settlement happen?

The class action lawsuit alleged King County detained individuals at the King County Jail for more than 48 hours without a prompt probable cause determination following a warrantless arrest. The plaintiffs claimed this practice violated the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

King County denies any wrongdoing but agreed to settle the lawsuit to avoid further litigation and provide compensation to affected individuals.

Sources

1. Class notice
2. Settlement agreement
3. Settlement FAQ