article: On September 2, 2010, the United States Department of Justice ("DOJ"), Civil Rights Division, filed this lawsuit under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 in the United States Court for the District of Arizona, Phoenix Division. The DOJ sought declaratory and injunctive relief, claiming that Maricopa County had violated the Civil Rights Act by failing to comply with a DOJ investigation. Specifically, the DOJ claimed that Maricopa County had refused to comply after a year of being minimally cooperative and obstructing the DOJ investigation into the police practices in Maricopa County. Maricopa County receives federal funds for its Sheriff's Office. Under an implementing regulation, offices that receive financial assistance agree to give the DOJ access to their records and they make contractual agreements to that effect. The DOJ was investigating a violation of the Omnibus Crime Control Act and the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, and had requested documents from the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office (MCSO). The DOJ made 51 specific requests. After over a year had passed, the MCSO had only partially complied with 3 of these 51 requests. The DOJ found them to be in violation of Title VI and initiated this lawsuit. On June 2, 2011, after the parties had both filed motions for summary judgment, a settlement agreement was reached. The agreement granted the DOJ access to the MCSO facilities. Additionally, the MCSO agreed to produce the documents that the DOJ had requested, as well as a blanket agreement to comply with Title VI. On August 1, 2011, the Court (Judge Murray G. Snow) dismissed the case 60 days after a Joint Motion to Remove Case to the Inactive Docket was made. There is no further activity and this case appears to be closed. On May 10, 2012, presumably as a result of the continued investigation, the United States filed a lawsuit against Maricopa County in a related case, United States v. Maricopa County, et. Al, docket #2:12-cv-00981-LOA, (Clearinghouse Code: <a href="http://www.clearinghouse.net/detail.php?id=12017">PN-AZ-0001</a>).
summary: The United States filed this 2010 lawsuit against the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) for failure to completely respond to document and other requests related to an ongoing investigation of MCSO for violations of federal law related to unconstitutional profiling and treatment of Latinos. The case was settled on June 2, 2011 with MCSO agreeing to provide access to the facilities and production of the requested documents. The United States filed a related lawsuit (PN-AZ-0001) on May 10, 2012.