NYC Strip Search Settlement: $28 Million for the Second Search at Manhattan Court
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This is the NYC strip search lawsuit in the news: Lewis v. City of New York. It covers people in Department of Correction custody who were strip-searched before leaving Rikers Island and then strip-searched again on arrival at the Manhattan Court Division. The City agreed to a $28 million fund, split by number of searches. No proof is needed if you are on the City's list. Claims must be filed or postmarked by November 26, 2026.
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Reviewed by Leonard Goldberg, Editor · Last updated
What the Lawsuit Says Happened
The lawsuit alleges a routine. A detainee headed from Rikers Island to a Manhattan court date was strip-searched before boarding the bus. On arrival at 100 Centre Street, the person was strip-searched a second time, with no break in custody in between.
The plaintiffs say that second search had no reasonable suspicion behind it and violated the Fourth Amendment and the New York State Constitution. The City has not admitted wrongdoing and settled to avoid the cost and risk of more litigation.
As part of the deal, the Department of Correction agrees to add a note to Directive 4508R-E: after a strip search on leaving a jail, a person should not be strip-searched again at the court division unless there is reasonable suspicion or a break in custody.
Case Details
Lewis, et al. v. City of New York, et al., No. 23 Civ. 2600 (CM), U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, before Judge Colleen McMahon. The NYC strip search class action was docketed on March 28, 2023 against the City, the Department of Correction and its then-commissioner.
On September 9, 2025 the court dismissed the case as “settled in principle,” with the right to reopen. The case was reopened on June 16, 2026, and the court granted preliminary approval on June 29, 2026.
Status: Settlement Open for Claims
Verita Global is the court-appointed administrator. The official site is NYStripSearchSettlement.com. Our detailed breakdown of the agreement walks through the fund, the formula and the deductions.
Don't miss the claim deadline
Claims are due by November 26, 2026. We'll email you 7 days and 1 day before the deadline.
Who Is in the Class
You are in the class if you were in NYC Department of Correction custody, were strip-searched before leaving Rikers Island for court, and were strip-searched again on arrival at the Manhattan Court Division during the class period.
There are two class periods. If DOC classified you as enhanced security, it runs from March 28, 2020 to February 29, 2024. For everyone else, it runs from October 1, 2022 to February 29, 2024.
You do not need proof. The City built a Class List from its own transport records, with the dates and number of trips for each person. If you are not on the list, you can still file with your name, NYSID or book-and-case number, and an approximate date of the search. People who already settled these claims with the City individually are excluded.
How Much You Could Get
Payment is per search, not per person. Your share is your number of qualifying searches divided by all qualifying searches claimed. No per-person figure exists yet, and none can until claims are counted. As an illustration: if 20,000 searches are claimed, each is worth $1,400; at 50,000, $560; at 100,000, $280.
The City may deduct New York child support liens, docketed parking judgments, tax warrants over $1,000 and Environmental Control Board judgments. Awards over $10,000 are reported to the Office of Victim Services. The City deposits the money 60 days after final approval, so payments cannot come before spring 2027 — later if anyone appeals.
How cases like this one end
Our copy of the federal courts’ own case database covers 208,724 prisoner civil rights casesclosed in U.S. federal district courts between 2015 and 2025:
- 4.7% ended in a settlement recorded by the court. Another 5.4% were dismissed voluntarily, which often follows a private settlement — so the real settlement share sits between 4.7% and 10.1%.
- 20.5% were decided on a motion before any trial.
- 1 in 126 reached a trial (0.8%), after a median of 37.4 months.
- Median time from filing to the end of the case: 4.2 months.
- Only 241 of them (0.1%) record a money award at all; the median of those is $350,000.
These are base rates for this type of case (federal prisoner civil rights cases) — not a prediction about this lawsuit, and not legal advice. Source: Federal Judicial Center, Integrated Database (civil), analysed by Settlement Insight. Cases heard in state courts are not included.
NYC Strip Search Settlement Timeline
- 1
March 28, 2023 — Class Action Filed
The class complaint is docketed in the Southern District of New York, alleging a second, suspicionless strip search at Manhattan court.
- 2
September 9, 2025 — Settled in Principle
Judge McMahon dismisses the case as settled in principle, with the right to reopen if the deal fails.
- 3
February 10, 2026 — Records Opened to Find Class Members
A magistrate judge lets DOC use otherwise-sealed records to find contact details for people brought from Rikers to Manhattan Criminal Court.
- 4
June 29, 2026 — Preliminary Approval
The court preliminarily approves the $28 million settlement and appoints Verita Global as administrator. Notices go out afterward.
- 5
November 26, 2026 — Claim Deadline
Last day to file a claim (or postmark a mailed form), opt out or object.
- 6
January 29, 2027 — Final Approval Hearing
Judge McMahon decides whether to grant final approval, the fee request and the service awards. Payments follow only after final approval and any appeals.
Three Things to Watch For
Notices went to people with sealed cases and people still in custody — an easy group for imposters to target:
Fees to “release” your payment
Filing a claim is free. The administrator does not charge anyone to process a claim or speed up a check. Anyone asking for a fee or a gift card is not part of this settlement.
Calls or messages asking for your Claim ID and PIN
Your Claim ID and PIN are printed on your notice and let you file online. Do not give them to a caller or a third-party site. File only at the official site or by mail to P.O. Box 301132, Los Angeles, CA 90030-1132.
“Sign up to join the strip search lawsuit”
You do not join this case by signing a retainer — you are already in the class unless you opt out. Offers to “get you in” for a cut of your payment are selling something you already have.
NYC Strip Search Lawsuit — Questions People Actually Ask
What is the NYC strip search settlement?
A $28 million class action settlement in Lewis v. City of New York for people in DOC custody who were strip-searched again on arrival at the Manhattan Court Division after already being strip-searched before leaving Rikers Island.
What is the deadline to file a claim?
November 26, 2026. Online claims must be submitted and mailed claims postmarked by that date. Opt-outs and objections share that deadline. An incomplete but on-time form gets one 30-day period to fix it.
How much will I get?
Nobody knows yet. Payment is pro rata by the number of qualifying searches, so the value of each search depends on how many searches are claimed in total. People who do not file do not reduce anyone else’s share.
Do I need proof that I was strip-searched?
No. The City’s own transport records set the Class List, including how many trips you made. If you are not on the list, you can still file with your identifying details and an approximate date.
I was searched at a Brooklyn or Bronx courthouse. Am I covered?
Not by this settlement. The class is limited to people searched on arrival at the Manhattan Court Division after a search leaving Rikers Island.
Is the letter or email I got real?
Real notices come from the Lewis, et al. v. City of New York, et al. Settlement Administrator (Verita Global), P.O. Box 301132, Los Angeles, CA 90030-1132, phone 1-888-808-6084. Check by going to NYStripSearchSettlement.com yourself rather than clicking links.
When will payments be sent?
Not before final approval. The hearing is January 29, 2027, and the City deposits the money 60 days after the final approval order. Payment options include PayPal, Venmo, paper check and JPay for people still in DOC custody.
Is this related to the Central Booking settlement?
No. That is a separate set of cases paying up to $475 per detention, with claims closing October 19, 2026. See our Central Booking settlement coverage.
Separate from this case: were you injured in the last 2 years?
Class-action payouts are fixed amounts through an administrator. A personal injury claim is a different case — and often worth far more. Free estimate, no obligation.
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