Frequently Asked Questions

About The Notice

1. Why did I get a notice?

The notice is to tell you about the settlement of a class action lawsuit, Herrera v. County of Los Angeles brought on behalf of persons who were held in a LA County Juvenile Hall or Juvenile Camp.

You received a copy of the notice because you may be a member of the group of people affected, called the “class.”

This website and the notice gives you a summary of the terms of the proposed settlement agreement, explains what rights class members have, and helps class members make informed decisions about what action to take.

2. What do I do next?

Read this website and the notice to understand the settlement and to determine if you are a class member. Then, decide if you want to:

Read on to understand the specifics of the settlement and what each choice would mean for you.

3. What are the most important dates?

Your deadline to object or opt out: November 28, 2025

Your deadline to submit a claim form: November 28, 2025

Settlement approval hearing: January 28, 2026

Learning About the Lawsuit

4. What is this lawsuit about?

Plaintiff filed a lawsuit in 2022 claiming that the conditions within Los Angeles County juvenile detention facilities (halls and camps) violated federal civil rights laws.

This settlement covers all claims arising from conditions in the juvenile detention facilities except the following claims are not covered by the settlement:

1. claims for sexual abuse, sexual assault, rape, sexual harassment, or other sex related violations,

2. currently filed individual cases against Los Angeles County involving the County juvenile halls or camps, and

3. claims for injury as the result of physical force whether by County employees or other parties (as distinguished from chemical force or mechanical restraints).

You would still be able to bring an individual suit for these three types of claims if they happened to you (and you file a suit within the statute of limitations).

You can get a complete copy of the proposed settlement and other key documents in this lawsuit on the Important Documents page of this website.

Defendant Los Angeles County denies that it did anything wrong.

5. Why is there a settlement in this lawsuit?

In 2024, the parties agreed to settle the case, which means they have reached an agreement to resolve the lawsuit. The Court has not decided this case in favor of either side.

The settlement is on behalf of Plaintiff Agustin Herrera who brought the case and all members of the settlement class.

6. What is a Class Action Settlement?

A class action settlement is an agreement between the parties to resolve and end the case. Settlements can provide money to class members and changes to the practices that caused them harm.

7. What happens next in this lawsuit?

The Court will hold a Fairness hearing to decide whether to approve the settlement. The hearing will be held at:

Where: U.S. District Court Central District of California First Street Courthouse, 350 W. 1st Street, Courtroom 5B, 5th Floor, Los Angeles, California 90012

When: 10 a.m. on January 28, 2026.

The Court has directed the parties to send notice about the proposed settlement. Because the settlement of a class action decides the rights of all members of the proposed class, the Court must approve the settlement before it can take effect. Payments will only be made if the Court approves the settlement.

You don’t have to attend the hearing for final approval of the settlement, but you may if you wish. You may also ask the Court for permission to speak and express your opinion about the settlement, which you should do in writing in advance of the hearing. If the Court does not approve the settlement or the parties decide to end it, the settlement will be void and the lawsuit will continue. The date of the hearing may change without further notice to members of the class. To learn more and confirm the hearing date, continue to visit this website.

Learning About the Settlement

8. What does the settlement provide?

Los Angeles County has agreed to pay $30 Million into a settlement fund. This money will be divided among the class members based on how many days were spent in a Hall or Camp, with substantially more value placed on Hall days because the Hall conditions were worse.

The settlement will also be used to pay for costs and fees approved by the Court, including the cost of administering this settlement. (Total fees and costs will be decided by the court and may be between $9 and $10 Million, depending on the total fees awarded and costs incurred).

Members of the settlement class will “release” their claims as part of the settlement, which means they cannot sue Los Angeles County for the same issues in this lawsuit. The full terms of the release can be found in the Settlement Agreement.

If there is money left over after the claims process is completed, a second distribution will be made to class members. To the extent there remain funds available, they will be donated to an organization mutually agreed to between Plaintiffs' counsel and LA County.

9. How do I know if I am part of this settlement?

You are part of this settlement if you were born on or after February 15, 2002, and were detained in a Los Angeles County Juvenile Hall or Camp.

If you are unsure whether you are part of this settlement, contact the Settlement Administrator at 833-296-0851.

10. How much will my payment be?

Your payment amount will depend on several factors:

• The number of days you were in a LA County Juvenile Hall or Camp.

• Hall Days receive considerably more due to worse conditions.

• The number of valid claims submitted.

Deciding What to Do

11. How do I weigh my options?

You have four options. You can stay in the settlement and submit a claim, you can opt out of the settlement, you can object to the settlement, or you can do nothing. This chart shows the effects of each option:

Note that by opting out you remove yourself from the class and no longer have a legal right to object

Choose the best path for you:

Submitting a Claim

12. How do I get a payment if I am a class member?

If you wish to receive money, you must submit a completed claim form to the Settlement Administrator online or download a claim form here and mail to the Settlement Administrator (address in FAQ 19).

There are strict time limits for when the claim must be submitted. Act promptly.

13. Do I have a lawyer in this lawsuit?

In a class action, the court appoints class representatives and lawyers to work on the case and represent the interests of all the class members. For this settlement, the Court has appointed the following individuals and lawyers.

Your lawyers:

These are the lawyers who negotiated this settlement on your behalf.

If you want to be represented by your own lawyer, you may hire one at your own expense.

14. Do I have to pay the lawyers in this lawsuit?

Lawyers' fees and costs will be paid from the Settlement Fund. You will not have to pay the lawyers directly.

To date, your lawyers have not been paid any money for their work or the expenses that they have paid for the case. To pay for their time and risk in bringing this case without any guarantee of payment unless they were successful, your lawyers will request, as part of the final approval of this Settlement, that the Court approve a payment of up to $9 Million total in attorneys’ fees plus the reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses.

Lawyers' fees and expenses will only be awarded if approved by the Court as a fair and reasonable amount. You have the right to object to the lawyers' fees even if you think the settlement terms are fair.

Your lawyers will also ask the Court to approve a Service Award payment of $25,000 to Class Representative Agustin Herrera for initiating the case, and the time and effort he contributed to the case. If approved by the Court, the Service Award will be paid from the Settlement Fund.

Opting Out

15. What if I don't want to be part of this settlement?

You can opt out. If you do, you will not receive payment and cannot object to the settlement. However, you will not be bound or affected by anything that happens in this lawsuit and may be able to file your own case. You cannot exclude yourself from the program changes called for by the proposed settlement.

16. How do I opt out?

To opt out of the settlement, you must complete the opt out form included with the notice and mail it by November 28, 2025, to the Settlement Administrator at:

LA County Juvenile Detention
Settlement Administrator
P.O. Box 26170
Santa Ana, CA 92799

Be sure to include your name, address, telephone number, and signature. The Opt-Out Form is also available for download here.

Objecting

17. What if I disagree with the settlement?

If you disagree with any part of the settlement (including the lawyers' fees) but don’t want to opt out, you may object. You must give reasons why you think the Court should not approve it and say whether your objection applies to just you, a part of the class, or the entire class.

The Court will consider your views. The Court can only approve or deny the settlement — it cannot change the terms of the settlement.

You may, but don’t need to, hire your own lawyer, at your expense, to help you.

If you object, you may also still receive a payment, but you must also submit a claim to be paid.

To object, you must send a letter to the Court that:

• is postmarked by November 25, 2025;

• includes the case name and number (Herrera, et al. v. County of Los Angeles, et al. Case No. CV-22-1013-HDV);

• includes your full name, address and telephone number, and email address (if you have one);

• states the reasons for your objection;

• says whether either you or your lawyer intend to appear at the final approval hearing and your lawyer's name;

• your signature.

Mail the letter to:

Doing Nothing

18. What are the consequences of doing nothing?

If you do nothing, you will not get any money, but you will still be bound by the settlement and its “release” provisions. That means you won’t be able to start, continue, or be part of any other lawsuit against Los Angeles County about the issues in this case. Please see the settlement agreement, which can be found here for a full description of the claims and persons who will be released if this settlement is approved.

Key Resources

19. How do I get more information?

The notice is a summary of the proposed settlement. The complete settlement with all its terms can be found here. To get a copy of the settlement agreement or get answers to your questions:

• contact your lawyer (information below)

• visit this website periodically

• access the Court Electronic Records (PACER) system online or by visiting the Clerk’s office of the Court (address below).