Data were collected through coding forms that measured characteristics of court intervention, an examination of court documents, and on-site interviews conducted in three counties with local criminal justice and government officials. Six major dimensions of jail litigation were analyzed: level of court, number and type of complaints, number and type of original orders and modifications, duration of lawsuits, use of contempt orders, and use of special masters. There was great variation among the counties on these six dimensions. Two major adaptations to jail litigation by country criminal justice systems were found: system expansion and increased use of pre-trial and post-trial alternatives. 1 table, 5 notes, and 34 references