Up to $475 Per Detention: NYC Central Booking Settlement

What happened

Class period: April 8, 2017 through December 27, 2019 for Brooklyn Central Booking, and February 3, 2020 through March 1, 2023 for all Central Booking locations.

• Three class action lawsuits were filed against the City of New York in April 2019, April 2020, and November 2021 over the conditions inside the city's Central Booking facilities
• The lawsuits claim the city held people in unconstitutional conditions, which violated their rights under the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment
• The cases are Capobianco et al. v. The City of New York et al., Brennan et al. v. The City of New York et al., and Aboubakar et al. v. The City of New York et al., Case Nos. 1:21-CV-06125, 1:19-CV-2054, and 1:20-CV-01716, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York
• In May 2026, both sides agreed to settle. The City of New York denies doing anything wrong, and the court has not ruled in favor of either side
• The city agreed to pay up to $21,500,000 into a settlement fund
• People received a notice because New York City Department of Correction records show they were held at a Central Booking facility during one of the class periods

What you can get

Key dates

Who may qualify

• You were detained at Brooklyn Central Booking between April 8, 2017 and December 27, 2019
• Or you were detained at any New York City Central Booking facility between February 3, 2020 and March 1, 2023
• There is a Central Booking facility in each borough of New York City
• You received a notice, because New York City Department of Correction records show you were held during one of those periods
• If you are not sure whether you are covered, or how many detentions the city has on record for you, contact the Settlement Administrator

How to file

1. Go to https://centralbookingsettlement.com/submit-claim and complete the Claim Form
2. Or file by mail. A mailed Claim Form must be postmarked no later than October 19, 2026
3. Choose how you want to be paid. A check is the default. You can select PayPal, Venmo, or Zelle on the Claim Form instead
4. Filing a claim is the only way to get paid. If you do nothing, you get no money and you are still bound by the settlement
5. If you think the city undercounted your detentions, contact the Settlement Administrator before you finalize your claim

Proof required

• No documents are required. Your payment is based on New York City Department of Correction records
• You do need to file a Claim Form. Records alone will not trigger a payment
• If you disagree with the number of detentions on record, contact the Settlement Administrator. They will check with both sides and give you a final count
• If you still disagree with that final count, your remaining options are to object or opt out by October 5, 2026

Payment timing

Payments go out after the court grants final approval, likely by the end of 2026. The default method is a check in the mail. You may choose PayPal, Venmo, or Zelle on the Claim Form instead.

Important links

• Official website
• Claim form
• Important dates
• FAQs
• Documents

Contact

Extra details

• Two different deadlines apply. Opt-out and objection letters must be postmarked by October 5, 2026. Claim Forms are due October 19, 2026. If you are weighing your options, work to the earlier October 5 date
• If you stay in the settlement, you release your claims. That means you cannot start, continue, or join any other lawsuit against the City of New York over the conditions raised in these cases
• Opting out is the only way to keep the right to bring your own case. If you opt out, you get no payment and you cannot object
• You can challenge your payment amount and still receive a payment. Objecting also does not block your payment. Only opting out does
• Opt-out and objection letters must be signed and must include your full name, address, phone number, and email address. Objections must also state your reasons and say whether you plan to appear at the hearing
• Your lawyers are Oren Giskan and Catherine Anderson of Giskan Solotaroff & Anderson LLP, Richard Cardinale, Stephen Bergstein, and Scott Korenbaum. You will not pay them directly. They will ask the court to approve up to $2,950,000 in fees and costs, paid by the defendants, not out of the class fund
• Class Counsel will also ask the court to approve payments of $8,750 to $15,000 to the 67 class representatives
• Settlement administration costs are paid by the defendants, not out of the class fund
• Use only the official site. No real administrator will charge you a fee to file a claim

FAQ

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