N.J. Global Tel*Link Prison Phone Calls Class Action Website is Active

A website has been established to inform Class Members of their rights under a class action lawsuit that accuses Global Tel*Link Corporation, Inmate Telephone Service, and DSI-ITI LLC of charging unreasonably high rates for phone calls from New Jersey prisons and jails.

The GTL class action website notes that a settlement has not been reached, but the proposed Class of affected inmates and their families has received certification.

While the website is live, it is not accepting claims yet. Top Class Actions will provide claim filing instructions as soon as they become available.

Meanwhile, viewers will receive an email notice when this article is updated with more information by using a free Top Class Actions account and clicking the “Follow Article” button at the top of the post.

Additionally, the New Jersey jail phone call rate class action lawsuit says that Class Members have two options.

The first option is to do nothing, which means the individual remains a member of the Class, and may receive benefits if the New Jersey prison class action lawsuit ends in a settlement. If Class Members choose this option, then they waive their rights to pursue separate litigation against the companies.

The second option laid out by the website notes that Class Members have the right to exclude themselves from the Class. If Class Members choose this option, they will receive no benefits but retain the right to pursue their own litigation against Global Tel*Link Corporation, Inmate Telephone Service, and DSI-ITI LLC over the issue of inmate phone call prices.

The Global Tel*Link phone call class action lawsuit website notes that the deadline for Class Members to exclude themselves from the settlement is Aug. 30, 2019.

Class Members include all people in the United States who meet the following criteria:

• were incarcerated in a New Jersey prison or correctional institution between 2006 and 2016 and used the phone system provided by the there companies; or
• established an advance pay account with the companies to receive telephone calls from a person incarcerated in New Jersey somewhere other than Essex County before June 2010; or
• received calls from people incarcerated in Essex County before June 2011.

The New Jersey inmate phone calls class action lawsuit was filed by Bobbie James, Crystal Gibson, Betty King, Barbara Skladany, Mark Skladany, Milan Skladany, and Dr. John F. Crow. The plaintiffs claim that they were incarcerated in New Jersey prisons or jails, or set up accounts with the telecommunications companies to communicate with people incarcerated in New Jersey.

The individuals claim that the companies abuse their monopoly of power over phone calls made from New Jersey prisoners by charging exceedingly high rates. Allegedly, they charge more than 100 times the market rate.

The New Jersey prison phone calls class action lawsuit says inmates and their loved ones who wish to call them must open credit/debit accounts with the telecommunications companies and must make substantial payments in advance of a phone call.

Allegedly, in the cases in which the companies permit prisoners to make collect calls, they pass these high costs on to the person receiving the call.

The inmates and loved ones are represented by James E. Checchi and Lindsey Taylor of Carella Byrne Cecchi Olstein Brody & Angello PC, and by Justin Walder and James A. Plaisted of Pashman Stein Walder Hayden.

The New Jersey Inmate Phone Call Class Action Lawsuit is Bobbie James, et al. v. Global Tel*Link Corporation, et al., Case No. 2:13-cv-04989-WJM-MF, in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.

UPDATE: August 2020, the Global Tel Link class action settlement is now open. Click here to file a claim.

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