Appeals Court Reverses Rulings in Multi-Million Dollar Rape Kit Backlog Case in Memphis

An appeals court made two significant rulings regarding a multi-million dollar lawsuit against the City of Memphis over an untested rape kit backlog. The first ruling stated that the woman suing the city, known as Janet Doe, cannot proceed with the lawsuit due to the statute of limitations expiring. The second ruling reversed the decision to allow the lawsuit to become a class action lawsuit.

The case, which has been ongoing since August 2014, involved three women initially suing the city over the backlog of over 12,000 untested rape kits. A fourth woman joined the lawsuit later on, with claims dating back to the 1990s.

Both sides presented summary judgement motions, which were denied by the court. The city argued that it was immune from the lawsuit under Tennessee’s public duty doctrine, but the court disagreed. The city also raised issues about Tennessee’s tolling statutes and class action tolling statutes.

The court ruled that the statute of limitations applies strictly to claims under the Governmental Tort and Liability Act, which ultimately led to Doe’s lawsuit being dismissed. The court also found that the class certification granted by the lower court was inadequate, as it did not clearly define the parameters of the class.

Overall, the appellate court’s rulings have effectively dismissed the lawsuit against the City of Memphis and reversed the class action status. The legal battle over the backlog of untested rape kits continues to evolve as new developments arise.