Nathan Caron and Adam Cochrane brought the class action lawsuit against Essex County Sheriff Kevin Coppinger in his official capacity, seeking to represent all inmates in the sheriff's custody who have Hepatitis C. The case centers on allegations regarding medical care and treatment of inmates with the infectious liver disease at the Essex County jail facility.
Judge O'Toole granted class certification under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23(a) and (b)(2), which allows for injunctive or declaratory relief benefiting the class as a whole. The court defined the class as 'all people who, until the entry of a final judgment disposing of this action, are or will be incarcerated in the custody of the Essex County Sheriff's Department who have Hepatitis C.' The judge also appointed plaintiffs' counsel as class counsel under Rule 23(g).
The certification order followed the parties' submissions supporting class certification and was issued in accordance with the court's prior order dated March 31, 2026. The procedural history leading to the class certification motion was not detailed in the brief order, which focused solely on the certification decision.
The class certification opens the door for potentially hundreds of current and future Essex County jail inmates with Hepatitis C to participate in the lawsuit. The case could have broader implications for medical care standards in county jail facilities and the treatment of inmates with chronic medical conditions requiring ongoing care.