(St. Louis, MO) – After over eight years of litigation in the jail conditions lawsuit, James Cody, et al. v. City of St. Louis, the federal court has issued preliminary approval of a $4 million settlement to be distributed to more than 16,000 people who were jailed amidst inhumane conditions between 2012 and 2022 in St. Louis’ Medium Security Institution, also known as the Workhouse.
“In 2017, our clients took on a fight to expose the horrors of the Workhouse and to demand recovery for themselves and others who suffered within its cages. Today, the Workhouse is no more and thousands of people have a chance to recover something for their suffering,” said Blake Strode, Executive Director of ArchCity Defenders. “The courage and perseverance that our clients have shown through the years is nothing short of amazing, and we are so proud to have been by their side.”
“I was flabbergasted to the point of disbelief,” said plaintiff Callion Barnes. “Never could I imagine that they would shut [the Workhouse] down, let alone demolish it… For it to be demolished, that was just a dream come true.”
Read the full court order here.
Individuals who were jailed at the Workhouse for three or more consecutive days between November 13, 2012, until the jail closure on June 30, 2022, may be eligible to file a claim to receive money. The settlement funds will be divided by how many days each class member was in the Workhouse.
Individuals who may believe they are eligible are strongly encouraged to contact Atticus, the settlement claims administrator, and file a claim, by visiting their website or calling 1-800-591-0732.
The settlement also requires St. Louis to never again house pre-trial or post-conviction detainees in the Workhouse. The City fulfilled this term by demolishing the jail in May 2025.
ArchCity Defenders filed the Workhouse case, James Cody, et al. v. City of St. Louis (No. 4:17-cv-2707), on November 13, 2017. For decades, the facility was plagued with insects, rodents, mold, broken plumbing fixtures, sewage backup, and non-existent or inadequate heating and cooling. In summer months, temperatures inside reached triple digits. In July 2017, people were heard from inside the Workhouse pleading for relief. ArchCity Defenders and Action St. Louis responded by raising money and working with community volunteers to post bail for about 20people. Those individuals shared their experiences with ArchCity Defenders, which became the basis for the lawsuit.
Throughout the course of the litigation, plaintiffs overcame numerous roadblocks: discovery was withheld for extended periods, and thousands of pages of documents were scattered inside of a moldy storage container. Defendants made several appeals, causing years-long delays. Following an appellate challenge to the case’s class action status in 2023, about 50 community members joined plaintiffs and attorneys at the oral argument in 2024 to demonstrate to the appellate panel the significance of this matter to the local community.
In addition to the litigation, plaintiffs inspired the launch of the Close the Workhouse (CTW) campaign in April 2018, which resulted in widespread engagement, mobilization, and a series of successes. In 2021, the city defunded the annual operating cost of the jail and stopped detaining people in the Workhouse in 2022. The jail remained empty until it was demolished in 2025.
Prompted by the campaign, a 2024 report, “Re-envisioning the Workhouse” outlined community recommendations for transforming the former jail site and re-distributing the jail’s annual budget into services and resources.
A documentary about the former Workhouse jail, produced by HLK Agency in partnership with the campaign, is forthcoming and set to premiere in St. Louis in March 2026.
To learn more about the settlement, or to learn about your rights to make a claim, opt out or object to the lawsuit, please visit the website and look for the Longform Notice: www.stlmediumsecurityinstitutionclassaction.com or call or 1-800-591-0732.
ArchCity Defenders has details about the status of all of our class actions here: www.stlclassactions.com.
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In the past sixteen years, ArchCity Defenders, a holistic legal advocacy organization, has grown from its three founders volunteering part-time to a full-time staff of 36 that provides direct services to people entangled by the legal system while also challenging its inherent injustice through resource provision, representation, litigation, media and policy advocacy, and community organizing. Visit www.archcitydefenders.org to learn more and follow ACD on social media for regular updates.
Media Contact:
Johnny Wu Gabbert, Deputy Director of Communications, ArchCity Defenders
(314) 891-5210 | jgabbert@archcitydefeners.org