Summary Judgment in New Jersey Strip Search Class Action

|

PHONE
EMAIL

Sean X. Kelly of our New Jersey office successfully obtained summary judgment in favor of Atlantic County in a long-running, putative class action law suit which challenged the constitutionality under the Fourth Amendment of the county’s policy of strip-searching incoming detainees to its jail.  We successfully argued that Atlantic City’s strip search policy did not violate the Fourth Amendment’s prohibition of unreasonable searches and seizure.  This extensive litigation included the filing of an amicus brief on behalf of Atlantic County in a related and successful appeal before the U.S. Supreme Court, in the case of Florence v. Board of Chosen Freeholders, 132 S. Ct. 1510 (2012), in which the constitutionality of such policies was established.  Prior to Florence, thirty years of case law had held the contrary, that the routine strip-search of non-indictable pre-trial detainees violated the Constitution.

Attorney Photo

Sarah Cullum

Senior Associate | Maryland/Washington DC

PHONE 667-206-5316
EMAIL SCullum@moodklaw.com

  • Casualty Group
  • Employment Law, Municipal & Public Entity
  • Healthcare & Catastrophic & Excess Loss
  • Professional Liability

Sarah Cullum is a Senior Associate with Marks, O’Neill, O’Brien, Doherty & Kelly. Sarah is barred in Maryland and Washington, DC, and is additionally admitted to practice in the federal district courts for both jurisdictions.

Originally from Memphis, TN, Sarah received her bachelor’s degree in English and Sociology, cum laude, from Tulane University in New Orleans, LA, in 2015, and her J.D. from Tulane Law School in 2018. While at Tulane Law, Sarah held the position of Senior Articles Editor for the Journal of Law & Sexuality, the official journal of the National LGBTQ+ Bar Association, and served as a Student Attorney in the Juvenile Litigation Clinic.

After graduating with her J.D., Sarah then received her Advocacy LL.M. from the American University Washington College of Law in 2019, where she held a Trial Advocacy Fellowship throughout the program.

Sarah began her career as a Plaintiff’s personal injury attorney in DC, where she spent several years litigating a wide variety of negligence claims. Before joining Marks O’Neill, Sarah also worked as a defense attorney, appearing before both the Workers’ Compensation Commission in Maryland, as well as the Office of Workers’ Compensation and the Administrative Hearings Division in DC.

When she isn’t working, Sarah enjoys spending time with her dog, Alibi, and searching for vinyl records to add to her collection.

Danitza Campbell

Associate | New York City

PHONE 646-454-4869
EMAIL DCampbell@moodklaw.com

  • Casualty Group
  • Healthcare & Catastrophic & Excess Loss
  • Construction Accident/Construction Defect
  • Professional Liability
  • Transportation/Trucking

Danitza Campbell is an Associate with Marks, O’Neill, O’Brien, Doherty & Kelly. She is admitted to practice in New York. 

Danitza graduated from Florida State University in 2018, with a Bachelor of Science in Criminology and a minor in Spanish. During her undergraduate studies she received the honor of Garnet & Gold Scholar and Seminole Torchbearer. She studied abroad in San José, Costa Rica for a semester, volunteered in New Orleans with Habitat for Humanity to assist with rebuilding homes that were impacted by Hurricane Katrina, was a Youth Programs mentor with the Center for Leadership & Social Change, President of a dance team, and a Summer Bridge Program Ambassador for the Center for Academic Retention & Enhancement.

After completing her undergraduate studies, Danitza attended Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law, graduating in 2021 with a concentration in Intellectual Property Law. During law school, she was a member of the Moot Court Honor Society and was a Top 4 Competitor in NSU Law’s internal competition. She went on to compete in the National Black Law Student Association Thurgood Marshall Moot Court Competition where she and her co-counsel received the title of Elite 8 Competitor out of 18 competing schools.

During law school, Danitza was a judicial intern for the Honorable Stacey Schulman in the Dependency Division of the 17th Judicial Circuit Court in Broward County, Florida. She was also President of Nova’s Fashion Law Association where she spearheaded the first ever charity fashion show. She was the Vice President of Entertainment for the Sports & Entertainment Law Society, the Community Service Chair for the Black Law Student Association, and a BARBRI Ambassador. She also received the silver level of distinction for NSU Law’s Pro Bono Honor Program. Upon graduating law school, Danitza completed supervised independent research titled “Franchise Law: ‘Good Cause’ Termination”.

Prior to joining Marks O’Neill, Danitza received experience in intellectual property law with a focus on trademark law, entertainment law, specifically within the music industry, and consumer rights law involving the FDCPA, TILA, and FCRA.

At Marks O’Neill, Danitza brings her experience to the Casualty, Healthcare, Professional Liability, Construction and Transportation practice groups.

Outside of work, Danitza enjoys traveling, creating music, volunteering with the youth in the Bronx community, and making candles.

 

Bradley Clark

Associate | Maryland/Washington DC

PHONE 667-206-5313
EMAIL BClark@moodklaw.com

  • Casualty Group
  • Healthcare & Catastrophic & Excess Loss
  • Construction Accident/Construction Defect
  • Professional Liability
  • Transportation/Trucking

Bradley S. Clark is an Associate with Marks, O’Neill, O’Brien, Doherty & Kelly. Brad is admitted to practice in Maryland and the United States District Court for the District of Maryland.

Brad graduated from Towson University in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in writing. He received his law degree from the University of Baltimore School of Law, graduating magna cum laude in 2020.

During law school, Brad served as a staff editor and executive board member on the University of Baltimore Law Review. Brad completed his law school clinical work as a Rule 19-220 student attorney with the University of Baltimore’s Innocence Project Clinic, spending a year investigating his client’s claim of actual innocence stemming from a 2010 murder conviction in 2010. Brad served as a research assistant to Professor Brianna M. Ford in 2019 and to Professor Garrett Epps in 2020.

Prior to joining Marks O’Neill, Brad was employed as a public defender in Bel Air, Maryland and as a civil litigator at a regional litigation firm in Baltimore City, Maryland.

At Marks O’Neill, Brad brings his experience to the Casualty, Healthcare, Professional Liability, Construction and Transportation practice groups.

Outside of work, you can find Brad playing with his son and walking, shopping, and dining in Baltimore City with his wife. He enjoys reading, playing and listening to music, and tending to his extensive houseplant collection. Brad is an avid, lifelong fan of the Baltimore Orioles.