The proposed $21,500,000 settlement covers people detained at a NYC Central Booking facility from April 8, 2017 to December 27, 2019 in Brooklyn, or from February 3, 2020 to March 1, 2023 at any location. Class members can claim up to $475 per detention by October 19, 2026. The court has not approved it yet.
Benefit Summary
Central Booking detainees: People detained at Brooklyn Central Booking from April 8, 2017 through December 27, 2019, or detained at any Central Booking location from February 3, 2020 through March 1, 2023. A claim form is required to receive payment.
Eligible class members who submit a completed, signed claim form may receive up to $475 for each qualifying time they were held in Central Booking. The payment is based on the detention count. A New York child-support lien for an unpaid child-support judgment will reduce the payment. Payment is due only after final Court approval and is expected likely by the end of 2026.
The City agreed to pay up to $21.5 million for class payments. The amount depends on valid claims and qualifying detention counts. Defendants pay settlement-administration costs separately, and Court-approved attorneys’ fees and costs do not reduce the class-payment amount.
Aggregate benefits cap: $21,500,000.
Available Awards
Up to $475 per qualifying visit
Who Is Included
The notice covers people detained at Brooklyn Central Booking from April 8, 2017 to December 27, 2019, and people detained at any Central Booking location from February 3, 2020 to March 1, 2023.
- Proof required: The claim form must be signed and dated. Claimants must provide their printed name and Social Security number; the notice offers encrypted online submission for the Social Security number. The notice does not state that documents proving detention or monetary loss are required.
Claim and Payment Information
- Claim method: Online submission or mailed claim form
- Claim deadline: 2026-10-19
- Instructions: Submit a completed, signed Claim Form online by October 19, 2026, or mail the paper form postmarked by that date. Select PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, a virtual prepaid card, or a mailed check. The form requests your Social Security number and offers encrypted submission through the official website.
Questions & Answers
Which Central Booking locations and time periods are covered?
The notice describes a Central Booking facility in each borough. The earlier date range applies only to Brooklyn Central Booking; the later date range applies to all Central Booking locations.
- For Brooklyn Central Booking, the covered period is April 8, 2017, through December 27, 2019.
- For Central Booking facilities in any New York City borough, the covered period is February 3, 2020, through March 1, 2023.
What do I need to do to submit a claim, and what payment methods can I choose?
A claim is required even if you received this notice. The form also asks for your printed name, date, and Social Security number. It says an online claimant may submit the Social Security number in encrypted form.
- Complete the claim form and sign it.
- Submit it online or mail it using the return envelope by October 19, 2026.
- Choose a payment method: PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, a virtual prepaid card, or a check.
- For PayPal, Venmo, or Zelle, provide the email address or phone number connected to that account. For a virtual prepaid card, provide an email address.
What if I think the detention count used for my payment is wrong?
The notice bases the payment on the number of covered detentions. It does not describe a separate way to submit detention records or other documents with a count dispute.
- Contact the Settlement Administrator to ask it to confirm the number of times you were held, based on NYDOC records.
- If you believe that number is wrong, tell the administrator.
- The administrator will consult with the parties and provide a final calculation. If you still disagree, the notice says you may object or opt out.
Is $475 paid for every detention, and can anything reduce my payment?
The notice does not promise that every claimant will receive $475 for each detention; it uses “up to” $475. If you have an unpaid child-support judgment, the City says it will assert the required New York State lien, reducing your payment.
- The stated payment is up to $475 for each covered time you were held in Central Booking.
- The notice says the amount is based on the number of covered detentions.
- The settlement fund is up to $21.5 million. The notice does not give a more detailed payment formula.
What happens if I opt out, and how do I do it?
To opt out, mail a signed letter to the Settlement Administrator, postmarked by October 5, 2026. Include your full name, address, telephone number, email address, and a statement that you want to opt out.
- You will not receive a settlement payment.
- You cannot object to the settlement.
- You will not be bound by the settlement and may be able to bring your own case about these issues.
How can I object to the settlement?
The Court may approve or reject the settlement but cannot revise its terms. The notice says you may hire your own lawyer for an objection, but you do not have to.
- Send a signed objection letter to both the Settlement Administrator and the Court, postmarked by October 5, 2026.
- Include your contact information, your reasons for objecting, and whether you or your lawyer plan to attend the fairness hearing.
- You may object to any part of the settlement, including the requested lawyers’ fees, as long as you do not opt out.
When might payments be sent, and do I need to attend the court hearing?
The hearing date may change. A scheduled hearing does not mean the settlement has already been approved.
- The Court is scheduled to hold the approval hearing on October 22, 2026, at 11:00 a.m., at the United States Courthouse in Brooklyn.
- You do not have to attend.
- Payments can be made only if the Court approves the settlement. The notice says payment is likely by the end of 2026 after final approval.
Other Important Dates
- Exclusion deadline: 2026-10-05
- Objection deadline: 2026-10-05
- Final approval hearing: October 22, 2026 at 11:00 a.m.
- Hearing location: United States Courthouse, 225 Cadman Plaza E, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Case Details
- Case name: Capobianco et al. v. The City of New York et al.; Brennan et al. v. The City of New York et al.; Aboubakar et al. v. The City of New York et al.
- Case number: 1:21-cv-06125; 1:19-cv-2054; 1:20-cv-01716
- Court: United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York
- Administrator: Central Booking Settlement Administrator
- Official Settlement Website: https://www.centralbookingsettlement.com/
Sources
Claim form, FAQ, deadlines, administrator information
Court-approved notice describing eligibility and benefits