The housed children were forced to stay in their pods while the show was filming, the suit alleges.
The children at JTDC, meanwhile, were placed under restrictions more severe than those governing many adult jails.
Empirebegan season 2 last September with a monstrous16.2 million viewersfor its premiere and13.7 million for episode 2.
Credit: Chuck Hodes/FOX
The lawsuit alleges 30-second ad buys for each episode cost $750,000 and $600,000, respectively.
Fox declined to comment on the lawsuit.
The plaintiffs lawyers and Cook County did not immediately respond to EWs request for comment.
