DeKalb County v. Adams

**What Happened** DeKalb County had signed a settlement agreement requiring them to provide proper medical care at their county jail. However, the county violated this agreement and was held in contempt of court. To get out of contempt, the county needed to prove they had fully fixed the problems and were following the agreement's requirements. **What the Court Decided** The appellate court ruled against DeKalb County, confirming that the county had not done enough to remove itself from contempt. The county argued that the settlement agreement had expired and that they had made good faith efforts to comply, but the court rejected both arguments. The court determined that simply trying hard wasn't enough – the county had to actually meet all the requirements spelled out in the settlement. **Why This Matters for Workers** This case shows that when employers agree to specific terms in a settlement, they must fully comply with those terms, not just make partial efforts. Courts will hold employers accountable for breaking settlement agreements, even government employers. For workers, this demonstrates that settlement agreements have real teeth – if an employer violates the deal, courts will enforce the original terms and may impose additional penalties.