The rumor surrounds a potential payout for those who claim they were in the jail at a time when it was overcrowded
CAMDEN -- Over 1,800 lawsuits have been filed in federal court due to a rumor that anyone who spent a night in an overcrowded cell at the Camden County Correctional Facility is entitled to thousands of dollars, according to a report.
Court staff have been overwhelmed by the influx of lawsuits from former inmates since August, sometimes seeing as many as 50 new suits per day, according to Philly.com.
Former inmates are well within their rights to file suits, but the court staff told the news site that the tide of lawsuits are due to people spreading the word that there is a pot of money available to those who spent time in allegedly overcrowded cells.
New jail leaders talk overcrowding claims
Judge Jerome B. Simandle told Philly.com that most of the suits will be dismissed because the statute for limitations for such cases is two years.
People have been passing out paperwork encouraging suits in front of Walter Rand Transportation Center in Camden, even though the rumor is false, the report said. Court staff told the news site that people have shown up at court asking for checks, the report said.
Philly.com's review of hundreds of lawsuits show that the rumor has spread beyond Camden. The suits have been filed from residents of other municipalities in Camden County, ranging from inmates who served terms of several years to those who just spent a few days in jail after being arrested.
Rebecca Everett may be reached at reverett@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @rebeccajeverett. Find NJ.com on Facebook.