Do I need proof or documents to file a claim?

The claim form required an 8-digit Claimant ID from the notice mailed to identified class members. The claim window has now closed, so this is no longer relevant to new filers.

How do I file a claim?

The claim deadline of June 29, 2026 has passed, and the settlement is closed to new claims. Claims filed before the deadline are being processed.

St. Louis Workhouse Settlement (Closed)

Q: How much money can I get?

There is no fixed per-person amount. The $4 million fund (after fees, costs, and service awards) is divided pro rata among everyone who files a valid claim, based on the total number of eligible days each class member was detained. The more eligible detention days you claimed and the fewer total claims filed, the larger each share.

By Steve Levine

St. Louis Medium Security Institution (Workhouse) jail class action settlement

Published: June 18, 2026 · Updated: July 1, 2026

Status Settlement Closed

Claim Deadline June 29, 2026 (passed)

Estimated Payout Pro rata cash $4,000,000 fund split by total eligible detention days · no fixed per-person amount

Proof Required Yes The claim form required an 8-digit Claimant ID from the mailed notice — now moot, as filing has closed

What Was This Settlement About?

The City of St. Louis agreed to a $4 million settlement to resolve a long-running federal civil rights class action over conditions at the St. Louis Medium Security Institution — the jail widely known as the "Workhouse." The lawsuit, filed in 2017, alleged that the City held people in unconstitutional and inhumane conditions: insect and rodent infestations, mold, broken plumbing and sewage backups, and heating and cooling so inadequate that indoor temperatures reached triple digits in summer. The Workhouse was emptied of detainees and ultimately demolished in 2025.

A federal judge granted preliminary approval of the settlement in February 2026 and opened the claims process. The City does not admit any wrongdoing or liability; the settlement resolved the case without a trial. More than 16,000 people were estimated to be eligible to claim a share of the fund. Important: the June 29, 2026 claim filing deadline has passed, so this settlement is now closed and no new claims can be filed.

Who Qualified?

You were a class member if you were detained at the St. Louis Medium Security Institution (the Workhouse) for three or more consecutive days at any time between November 13, 2012 and June 30, 2022. A single stay had to last at least three consecutive days to count, but if you were held on more than one occasion, eligible periods could add up.

Eligibility was based on the City's own detention records, and the Claim Form was a short attestation — claimants confirmed their name and current mailing address, checked the boxes verifying they were held at MSI for three or more consecutive days during the Class Period under the conditions described, and signed it. The form also had a field for an 8-digit Claimant ID printed on the notice that was mailed to identified class members. Important: the claim deadline has passed, so this Claimant ID requirement is now moot — filing is closed and no new claims can be submitted.

How Much Could Class Members Get?

There was no flat, guaranteed dollar amount per person. The City funded a $4,000,000 settlement fund. Court-approved attorneys' fees and expenses (up to $1,333,220), administration costs, and service awards to the class representatives were paid out of the fund first; the notice estimated the remaining Net Settlement Fund at roughly $2,495,350. That net amount was divided pro rata — in proportion to the total number of eligible detention days each claimant had — so class members who were held longer (or on multiple qualifying stays of three-plus days) received a larger share.

Because the per-person payment depended on how many eligible people filed valid claims, the exact per-day rate could not be set until the claim period closed. To illustrate, the notice estimated that someone with 100 eligible detention days would receive roughly $120 if every class member filed, about $487 at a 25% claim rate, and about $1,220 at a 10% claim rate (the level the parties thought was likely based on comparable settlements). If money is left unclaimed after the first round of checks, a second distribution may be mailed to class members who cashed their first check. Payments are expected roughly 90 days after the court grants final approval, assuming no appeals.

How Claims Were Filed

Important: the June 29, 2026 claim deadline has passed, and the settlement is now closed — no new claims can be filed. The information below is preserved for reference.

Filing was free. Class members could submit a claim two ways: complete the online Claim Form on the official settlement website, or download the paper Claim Form from the website and mail or email the completed form to the settlement administrator.

The Claim Form was short: claimants provided their name and current mailing address, checked the boxes confirming they were detained at MSI for three or more consecutive days during the Class Period and experienced the conditions described, and signed it. No receipts were required, but the form had a field for an 8-digit Claimant ID printed on the notice that was mailed to identified class members, and that identifier could be required to submit a claim. The administrator, Atticus Administration, verified eligibility against the City's jail records. Only one Claim Form per person was allowed. (Claimants whose last name changed since their detention, or those filing for a deceased class member, were asked for supporting legal documentation such as a marriage, divorce, or death certificate.)

Key Dates

Exclusion (opt-out) deadline: April 28, 2026 (passed).
Claim deadline: June 29, 2026 (passed) — the settlement is now closed to new claims.
Objection deadline: June 29, 2026 (passed).
Final approval hearing: July 22, 2026 at 10:00 AM, Courtroom 12S, U.S. District Court, St. Louis.
Payments: approximately 90 days after final approval, if the settlement is approved and survives any appeals.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who qualified for the St. Louis Workhouse settlement?

Anyone detained at the St. Louis Medium Security Institution (the Workhouse) for three or more consecutive days at any point between November 13, 2012 and June 30, 2022 was a class member and could submit a claim for a cash payment. The claim deadline has passed.

How much money could class members get?

There was no fixed per-person amount. The $4 million fund (after fees, costs, and service awards) is divided pro rata among everyone who filed a valid claim, based on the total number of eligible days each class member was detained. The more eligible detention days a claimant had and the fewer total claims filed, the larger each share.

Did filing a claim require proof or documents?

The claim form had an 8-digit Claimant ID field from the notice mailed to identified class members, and that identifier could be required to submit a claim. This is now moot, since the claim window has closed.

What was the deadline to file a claim?

Claims had to be submitted online or postmarked by June 29, 2026. That deadline has passed, and the settlement is now closed — no new claims can be filed. The court's final approval hearing is scheduled for July 22, 2026, and payments are expected to be issued to approved claimants roughly 90 days after the settlement receives final approval.