Los Angeles County Jails Lawsuit | Police Brutality Center

Content Last Updated: March 5, 2026

Los Angeles County’s eight jails house roughly 14,000 inmates on a daily basis. Although the L.A. County Sheriff has repeatedly asserted that his department provides constitutional and humane treatment to inmates, data and lawsuits tell a different story.

LA County jails have been the subject of numerous suits alleging abuse and misconduct by guards and staff. Meanwhile, deaths in L.A. County jails increased by almost 50% to 46 deaths from 2024 to 2025, marking the second-deadliest year for in-custody deaths in the county in two decades.

Part of this increase in fatalities has been attributed to the passage of Proposition 36, which increased penalties for drug crimes and theft, funneling more people into an already overcrowded jail system in desperate need of reform.

How To File a Civil Lawsuit Against a Los Angeles County Jail

The L.A. County Sheriff’s Department, or LASD, operates the county’s jails. After experiencing abuse or misconduct in a county jail, you have several options for seeking accountability: you can file an internal complaint with LASD or the Office of Inspector General, and you may be eligible to pursue a civil lawsuit.

Before filing any complaint for prison abuse in L.A. County, it’s crucial to seek out an experienced civil rights attorney to guide you through the legal process. If you wish to file an internal complaint, your attorney can also assist with that process. Complaints can be made to the LASD or the Office of Inspector General online, over the phone, or in person. After filing an internal complaint, your attorney can provide assistance in filing a civil lawsuit against the county, the sheriff’s department, and potentially individual corrections officers.

Connect With an Experienced Attorney

Police Brutality Center is proud to partner with Alex Straus, Chair of the Civil Rights Department at Milberg LLC, to help victims of civil rights abuses. Throughout his career, Mr. Straus has represented clients across the country in cases involving police misconduct, racial discrimination, and abuse in correctional facilities.

List of L.A. County Jails

L.A. County has eight jails, each operated by the Custody Operations department of the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department. The department is responsible for the care, custody, security, and rehabilitation of all inmates within the following facilities:

Century Regional Detention Facility
Men’s Central Jail
Twin Towers Correctional Facility
Inmate Reception Center
Pitchess Detention Center – North
Pitchess Detention Center – South
North County Correctional Facility
PDC Inmate Firefighters

Statute of Limitations for California Prison Abuse Lawsuits

Before suing a government agency like a county or sheriff’s department in California, the California Government Claims Act requires you to file an administrative claim within six months of the incident. The government then has 45 days to respond. If it fails to respond or denies your claim, you have six months to file a prison abuse lawsuit in court. Because these deadlines are short, it’s critical to act quickly after experiencing prison abuse or misconduct.

Notable Los Angeles County Jail Lawsuits

The Attorney General’s Lawsuit Against L.A. County Jails – 2025

In September 2025, California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a lawsuit against L.A. County, the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department, and County Correctional Health Services over unconstitutional and inhumane conditions at L.A. County jails.

The lawsuit followed an investigation launched in 2021 into the Sheriff’s Department’s policing practices. The probe found significant ongoing constitutional violations at L.A. County jails, including a rise in in-custody deaths, uninhabitable and overcrowded facilities, and a failure to provide adequate medical and mental health care to inmates.

According to the investigation, poor living conditions and lack of access to care have contributed to the rate of preventable in-custody deaths, including suicides. Bonta’s office estimated that more than a third of all deaths in L.A. County jails over the past decade were preventable.

Bonta also said the county and the Sheriff’s Department have been aware of the unconstitutional conditions in their jails for decades, but instead of implementing meaningful reforms, have just paid to defend and settle lawsuits.

“Los Angeles operates the largest jail system in the United States – and one of the most problematic,” Bonta said in a press release. “When we’re talking about feces smeared on the walls and medical care denied to those in need, we’re talking about a disrespect for basic dignity of our fellow humans and a violation of their most fundamental constitutional rights.”

Parents Sue After Son Dies by Suicide in L.A. County Jail – 2025

In October 2025, the parents of a man who died by suicide after being detained in an L.A. County jail said they recently obtained documents and video recordings purportedly showing deputies failing to check on their son, instead watching internet videos and eating. The family originally filed a civil rights and negligence lawsuit against L.A. County in June 2024.

The video, recorded on September 22, 2023, reportedly showed the deputies watching videos and eating around the same time that 22-year-old Maxwell Aguirre attempted to hang himself in his cell. Aguirre’s injuries led to his death in the hospital a week later.

ACLU Sues L.A. Sheriff’s Office for Excessive Force – 2023

The American Civil Liberties Union sued the LASD in 2012 for routinely using excessive force in L.A. County jails. In 2015, a judge approved a settlement agreement requiring the department to reform its use-of-force policies and practices. In 2023, the ACLU filed a motion arguing that LASD has failed to comply with the agreement, stating that deputies hit prisoners in the head at least 52 times in 2022. The LASD disagreed.

Your Legal Rights If You’ve Been Harmed at a Los Angeles County Jail

In California and across the United States, inmates and detainees have many of the same Constitutional rights and protections as others. These include the right to be free from excessive force, the right to proper medical care, the right to safe conditions, and the right to report abuse and misconduct.

The Eighth Amendment protects detainees from cruel and unusual punishment, and the Fourteenth Amendment guarantees the right to due process and equal protection of the law.

How Police Brutality Center Can Help

If you have experienced prison guard abuse firsthand or have lost a loved one due to prison misconduct, Police Brutality Center may be able to connect you with a civil rights lawyer to help you pursue justice. An experienced attorney can assist you with gathering and preserving evidence, filing a lawsuit, negotiating a settlement, and litigating your case in court if necessary.

With over 50 years of combined experience, Police Brutality Center’s legal partners have the skills and knowledge to meet your legal needs. Our goal is to provide meaningful legal pathways that not only help individuals seek accountability but also drive greater awareness and systemic change around the issue of police brutality.