Case: Parton v. White
2:81-cv-00019 | U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri
Filed Date: May 11, 1981
Case Ongoing
Clearinghouse coding complete
Case Summary
On May 11, 1981, three individuals in custody at the Missouri Training Center for Men in Moberly, Missouri, filed a class action lawsuit under 42 U.S.C. §1983 against the Missouri Department of Corrections in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. The plaintiffs, represented by Gateway Legal Services, alleged that their constitutional rights had been violated by overcrowding at the prison.
On December 18, 1983, the parties entered into a consent decree, and on December 30, 1983, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri (Judge John Regan) approved the consent decree and terminated the case.
On January 25, 1996, the defendants asked the court to modify the consent decree, allowing them to permanently increase the inmate population at the prison. On October 15, 1996, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri (Judge David Noce) permanently modified the consent decree, allowing the defendants to increase the prison population to 1800 prisoners. The plaintiffs appealed this decision.
On February 11, 2000, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit issued a per curiam opinion affirming the district court's decision to modify the consent decree. Parton v. White, 203 F.3d 552 (8th Cir. 2000). The plaintiffs appealed this decision, and on October 30, 2000, the U.S. Supreme Court denied the petition for writ of certiorari and declined to consider the case. Cooper v. White, 531 U.S. 963 (2000).
After two decades of inactivity, an individual under the custody of the Missouri Department of Corrections filed a pro se motion to intervene and enforce the consent decree agreement on February 18, 2022. The movant stated that the original plaintiffs were “no longer available” and alleged unconstitutional conditions of confinement. Among the allegations were food service violations, an unsafe work environment, inadequate health care, and poor living conditions. The Movant also filed a motion for injunctive relief to preclude the defendant from transferring the Movant in retaliation and to remedy the living conditions.
On August 8th, 2022, the court denied the motion to intervene because the movant lacked standing as a non-party to the consent decree. Parton v. White, No. 2:81-cv-00019-DDN (E.D. Mo. Aug. 24, 2022). To that end, Judge Noce also denied the motion to enforce the consent decree as moot. Id.
This case has been administratively closed since December 30, 1983, and has otherwise been dormant since 2000.
Summary Authors
Kristen Sagar (3/31/2006)
Benjamin Houri (12/17/2025)
People
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/19427288/parties/parton-v-white/
Arnold, Richard Sheppard (Arkansas)
Beam, Clarence Arlen (Nebraska)
Chackes, Kenneth (Missouri)
Ferry, Michael (Missouri)
Johnston, David (Missouri)
Documents in the Clearinghouse
Docket
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/19427288/parton-v-white/
Last updated April 11, 2026, 4:56 a.m.
Case Details
State / Territory:
Case Type(s):
Key Dates
Filing Date: May 11, 1981
Case Ongoing: Yes
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
prisoners at the Missouri Training Center for Men in Moberly, Missouri
Public Interest Lawyer: Yes
Filed Pro Se: Unknown
Class Action Sought: Yes
Class Action Outcome: Granted
Defendants
State
Missouri Department of Corrections
Facility Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Constitutional Clause(s):
Other Dockets:
Eastern District of Missouri 2:81-cv-00019
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit 98-01074
Supreme Court of the United States 00-5824
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Plaintiff OR Mixed
Relief Granted:
Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement
Source of Relief:
Form of Settlement:
Court Approved Settlement or Consent Decree
Issues
Affected Sex/Gender(s):
Jails, Prisons, Detention Centers, and Other Institutions:
Crowding: Pre-PLRA Population Cap
Case Summary of Parton v. White, Civil Rights Litig. Clearinghouse, http://www.dev.clearinghouse.net/case/793/ (last updated 12/17/2025).