United States District Court Judge Jane Magnus Stinson recently granted preliminary approval to a class-action settlement against Town of Speedway. The settlement awards approximately $400 to taxi drivers who had their license seized by Town of Speedway police officers at last year’s Indy 500 race. As part of the settlement, the Town of Speedway has issued a directive to all Speedway Police Officers and all Code Enforcement Officers that states that “under no circumstances shall a police officer or code enforcement officer employed by the Town of Speedway, confiscate a City of Indianapolis issued Taxi Cab License from a taxi operator on any race day.” And as part of the settlement, the Town of Speedway has agreed to refund any parking tickets paid by the taxi drivers or void any outstanding parking tickets issued as a result of the license seizure. The settlement also sets money aside for taxi operators whose taxi was towed as a result of the license seizure on last year’s race day.
Checks are expected to be mailed directly to class members in late 2014. The case is Warren v. Town of Speedway, No. 1:13-cv-1049-JMS-DKL, pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana. For more information about the settlement, please contact Lynn Toops at 317-636-6481 or email.