CLAIRE C. CECCHI, District Judge.
This matter comes before the Court on several motions to dismiss made by the following Defendants: Passaic River Coalition ("PRC") (ECF No. 22); David Bole ("Bole"), the Borough of Allendale ("the Borough"), Mary McDonnell ("McDonnell"), David Pfund ("Pfund"), and Stiles Thomas ("Thomas," together, the "Borough Defendants") (ECF No. 33); Mark S. Carter ("Carter") (ECF No. 34); Richard Epstein ("Epstein") (ECF No. 36); John Albohm ("Albohm") (ECF No. 39); and the Bergen County Sheriff's Department ("Sheriff's Department") (ECF No. 47); as well as
The Court has jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1331 and 1367(a).
The following alleged facts are taken from the Complaint (ECF No. 1
Plaintiff was formerly engaged in the purchase, remodeling, and resale of single- and multiple-family homes, as well as the subdivision of property to build new homes. (Compl. at 7). Plaintiff leased and resided in a house on a property located at 316 E. Allendale Ave., Allendale, New Jersey (the "Subject Property"). (Compl. at 7; Cert. of Mary C. McDonnell in Support of Defs.' Mot. to Dismiss ("McDonnell Cert.") Ex. 6 ¶ 3). The Subject Property adjoins another property previously owned by a developer named Jack Levin (the "Levin Property"). (Compl. at 7-10). Plaintiff is affiliated (the Complaint does not specify how) with an entity named Calm Development, Inc. ("Calm"), which owned the Subject Property from 1997 until Emigrant Mortgage (not a party here) foreclosed upon it in an action before Judge Peter Doyne in the Superior Court of New Jersey Law Division, Bergen County. (
Defendant Thomas owned property adjoining the Subject Property and was employed during the relevant time period by Defendant the Borough as its "Marsh Warden." (Compl. at 8).
Defendant Albohm is alleged to have purchased land at some point from Levin "and further created a reconveyance of title which `Ran With the Land in Perpetuity.'" (Supp. Compl. at 1). According to Plaintiff, Calm attempted to collect on its default judgment against Levin from Albohm, but was unsuccessful. (
Defendants Bole, Pfund, and McDonnell represented the Borough in litigation against Plaintiff. (Compl. at 8).
Defendant Epstein represented an entity named Emigrant Mortgage in a foreclosure action against Calm concerning the Subject Property. (Compl. Ex. 7).
Defendant Monahan, who has not appeared in this case, is listed as a defendant in the Complaint but no allegations about him are contained therein. (Compl. at 6). He appears to have been Plaintiff's attorney in previous actions against the Borough. (Borough Defs.' Br. at 8).
Defendant Carter is an attorney who represented Calm in a state court action against the Borough and other defendants (Compl. Ex. 2), in which the default judgment against Levin was obtained (Compl. Ex. 4); as well as in Emigrant Mortgage's foreclosure action. (Compl. Ex. 7).
Defendant Capazzi, who has not appeared, represented either Calm or Plaintiff (the Complaint is unclear) at some point, apparently in connection with the foreclosure proceedings and some bankruptcy proceedings (it is unclear who or what entity filed for bankruptcy). (Compl. at 9-10).
Defendant PRC purchased at least part of the Levin Property from the Borough after the Borough foreclosed on the Levin Property for failure to pay taxes. (Compl. at 8-9).
Defendant Sheriff's Department evicted Plaintiff from the Subject Property. (Compl. at 10).
Plaintiff's allegations, though not always clear, appear to focus on a series of conflicts between himself, the Borough, and its other residents concerning the Subject Property and the Levin Property, which eventually gave rise to a series of lawsuits in state court. Mindful of Plaintiff's
First, Plaintiff complains of the Borough's restrictions on his use of the Subject Property. In 1998, the Borough declared the Subject Property did not conform with Borough zoning laws, and denied an application
In 2005 and 2007, the Borough twice denied "COAH approval for 30 units with 6 affordable units[.]" (Compl. at 7). The Council on Affordable Housing ("COAH") is a New Jersey state agency.
At some point (the Complaint does not say when), Plaintiff claims his neighbor, Defendant Thomas, along with the Borough, diverted a tributary of a nearby river to create an 18-acre lake, some of which appears to have been on the Subject Property. (Compl. at 8). This resulted in part of the Subject Property being designated as wetlands, limiting Plaintiff's ability to develop it. (
Plaintiff claims the diversion of the tributary and designation of the resulting lake as wetlands affected the neighboring Levin Property as well, preventing Levin from developing it, and causing water runoff from the Levin Property to migrate onto the Subject Property. (Compl. at 8). Calm brought litigation in the Superior Court of New Jersey Law Division, Bergen County, before Judge Robert Wilson, against the Borough, Thomas, Levin, Levin Associates, Heather Court, and other parties concerning the water issue (the "Water Litigation"). (
In the same paragraph discussing the Water Litigation for the first time, Plaintiff claims Judge Wilson "turn[ed] off the recording" and allowed Defendants Bole, Pfund, and McDonnell to "tamper with evidence and further obstruct justice," which "created a mistrial." (Compl. at 8). Specifically, Plaintiff claims Bole, Pfund, and McDonnell "altered the records and deceived the Judge about the payroll checks[:] some of the checks had front and back but 2600 backs of the checks were missing." (
Plaintiff or Calm hired Capazzi and then Carter as attorneys to "execute a writ" to recover the judgment from Levin on the Levin property, but were unsuccessful despite Plaintiff or Calm paying them $10,000. (Compl. at 9). Plaintiff claims Carter, "a matrimony attorney[,] took the case but did not represent the facts as requested by this Plaintiff." (
Plaintiff also complains of taxes the Borough imposed on the Subject Property. In 2002, the Borough increased the property taxes on the Subject Property from $7,200 to $14,400, and eventually (it is unclear when) to more than $25,000. (Compl. at 7). Plaintiff appears to contend this violated New Jersey state tax law, which he claims prohibits a municipality from levying taxes in excess of a 2% surplus over the municipality's budget. (
Plaintiff's allegations also encompass the foreclosure proceedings before Judge Doyne, and subsequent proceedings to evict Plaintiff from a house he occupied on the Subject Property, before Superior Court Judge Gerald C. Escala. As with Judge Wilson, Plaintiff contends Judge Doyne held proceedings without "the recorder on." (Compl. at 9-10). Plaintiff claims Calm presented enough evidence for Judge Doyne to find there was a novation of the mortgage, but Judge Doyne did not do so. (
In Plaintiff's descriptions of his exhibits (Supp. Compl. at 1-3), Plaintiff claims that, at a hearing before Judge Escala on May 22, 2013, to determine whether the sheriff's sale of the Subject Property would be stayed, Bole (representing the Borough) misrepresented to the court that "there is no property left over" from the Levin Property. (Supp. Compl. at 2). It appears from the transcript of this proceeding that Calm, appearing through Carter, unsuccessfully attempted to negotiate a mortgage modification with Emigrant Mortgage and offered to assign the default judgment to Emigrant. (Compl. Ex. 7 at 6-8). Plaintiff complains that the Borough and PRC conspired both to falsify the size of the Levin Property and to designate it as wetlands without permission from the Department of Environmental Protection, and that this deprived Calm of the ability to collect on the default judgment against Levin. (Supp. Compl. at 2). Plaintiff also claims Epstein (representing Emigrant Mortgage) falsified documents before Judge Escala but does not specify what documents. (
Relevant to Plaintiff's claims regarding the eviction, in a separate action in Superior Court before Judge Estela De La Cruz in 2015, Plaintiff sought to amend his complaint to bring a wrongful eviction claim, alleging that Epstein misled Judge Escala with a "submission [that] was redacted in part, to favor his client[']s position and present only partial facts to Judge Escal[]a, causing Judge Escal[]a to deny Plaintiff's Emergent Stay of Eviction[.]" (Epstein's Br., Ex. 3 at 3-4). On September 18, 2015, Judge De La Cruz denied Plaintiff's motion to amend with prejudice because his new claims aimed to "re-open prior foreclosure litigation[] rulings and [d]ecisions." (
Plaintiff also complains of Judge De La Cruz's denial of a motion to compel in a separate action in 2015, and claims she "redacted my caption block so that the file would not clearly recognize what the motion was for." (Supp. Compl. at 3). Plaintiff also cites twelve pages of the transcript of a motion hearing before Judge De La Cruz and claims "Mr. Epstein still has not complied with this statement" but does not specify the statement. (
Plaintiff purports to bring this claim under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 (Compl. at 12) and lists numerically twenty-six types of law he claims Defendants violated. (Compl. at 11). However, of the twenty-six, most sound in state statutory or common law, and are thus not enforceable under Section 1983.
(
A motion to dismiss for lack of standing is properly brought pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(1), because standing is a matter of jurisdiction.
"Article III of the Constitution limits the jurisdiction of federal courts to `Cases' and `Controversies.'"
To establish standing, a plaintiff must satisfy a three-part test, showing: (1) an `injury in fact,' i.e., an actual or imminently threatened injury that is `concrete and particularized' to the plaintiff; (2) causation, i.e., traceability of the injury to the actions of the defendant; and (3) redressability of the injury by a favorable decision by the Court.
Not all 12(b)(1) motions are created equal: "[a] district court has to first determine [] whether a Rule 12(b)(1) motion presents a `facial' attack or a `factual' attack on the claim at issue, because that distinction determines how the pleading must be reviewed."
The
For a complaint to survive dismissal pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6), it "must contain sufficient factual matter, accepted as true, to `state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face.'"
A
Before construing Plaintiff's individual federal claims, the Court examines potential jurisdictional issues raised by the allegations in the Complaint.
The Court treats Defendants' motions to dismiss for lack of standing as factual, rather than facial, attacks because they argue Plaintiff's lack of standing results from Plaintiff not owning the Subject Property during the relevant time period. Ultimately, however, as discussed above, the Complaint, attachments, and public record alone are sufficient to demonstrate that Calm, not Plaintiff, owned the Subject Property during the relevant time period. Plaintiff does not appear to have given any indication to the contrary.
Plaintiff lacks standing to bring claims based on alleged civil rights violations to Calm. The fact that "a corporation may itself bring suit under [S]ection 1983 for alleged infringements of its rights to due process and equal protection[,] . . . eliminates the need for recognition of a right in shareholders to bring suit on the corporation's behalf."
It is not entirely clear from the Complaint what Plaintiff's current relationship is with Calm, but even assuming he is the sole owner and/or the sole executive, he lacks standing to bring claims based on injuries to Calm, its interests, or its property. Calm owned the Subject Property during the relevant time periods in the Complaint. For this reason, it is not apparent how Plaintiff, rather than Calm, was directly injured when any Defendant allegedly frustrated efforts to develop the Subject Property; caused flooding on the Subject Property; prevented Calm from collecting on the $6 million default judgment; collected illegal property taxes from Calm; obtained adverse state court rulings against Calm, including the foreclosure on the Subject Property; or interfered with any other financial or property right belonging to Calm. Similarly, Plaintiff lacks standing to challenge the Borough's foreclosure on and sale of the Levin Property because it is not apparent how he suffered a direct injury.
In opposition to the present motions, Plaintiff claims that he is the settlor of the D'Antonio Family Living Trust (the "Trust"), into which he transferred all of Calm's assets and liabilities, including the default judgment against Levin, Levin Associates, and Heather Court. (Pl.'s Opp., ECF No. 26, at 13;
At this juncture, therefore, the Court will not construe any claims based on injuries to Calm or the Trust, and the Court will not consider factual allegations of injuries to Calm in construing Plaintiff's claims.
Many of Plaintiff's allegations concern prior Superior Court decisions and their consequences. To the extent Plaintiff alleges a direct injury (rather than an injury to Calm or the Trust) based on any adverse state court decisions prior to the filing of this lawsuit, this Court lacks jurisdiction to "review and reject" these decisions.
PRC moves to dismiss for insufficient service of process under Rule 12(b)(5)
Plaintiff points out that, in a letter to the Clerk of Court dated March 31, 2016, PRC requested a 14-day extension to file responsive pleadings "[even] though service was sufficient." (ECF No. 9-1). Plaintiff essentially argues this effected a waiver of the service requirements under Rule 4. (Pl.'s Opp., ECF No. 26, at 11). There is no indication Plaintiff requested a waiver from any Defendant, as required by Fed. R. Civ. P. 4(d)(1), and no formal waiver was obtained.
"[D]istrict courts possess broad discretion to either dismiss the plaintiff's complaint for failure to effect service or to simply quash service of process. However, dismissal of a complaint is inappropriate when there exists a reasonable prospect that service may yet be obtained. In such instances, the district court should, at most, quash service, leaving the plaintiffs free to effect proper service."
For the same reason, the Court notes that Defendants Capazzi and Monahan were not properly served within 90 days of the Complaint being filed,
Considering the remainder of Plaintiff's allegations over which the Court has jurisdiction to adjudicate potential claims, Plaintiff states no claims arising under federal law. The Court discusses each of Plaintiff's purported legal theories in turn.
As an initial matter, Plaintiff's respondeat superior theory of liability as to the Borough is foreclosed by the Supreme Court's decision in
Aside from the allegations over which the Court has determined it lacks jurisdiction, set forth above, the Court is able to discern only two sets of allegations even arguably giving rise to a Section 1983 claim or any other federal claim.
The first concerns the Borough's and Bole's alleged actions in 2005, namely, the imposition of ordinances, police surveillance, and fines, leading to Plaintiff's accrual of legal costs in defending against an unspecified action by the Borough. (Compl. at 7). But in New Jersey, a Section 1983 claim is subject to a two-year statute of limitations.
The second concerns Epstein's and the Sheriff Department's eviction of Plaintiff from the house on the Subject Property. But even assuming a wrongful eviction could give rise to a Section 1983 claim against these Defendants, it is barred by the doctrine of issue preclusion. Issue preclusion requires showing "(1) the issue to be precluded is identical to the issue decided in the prior proceeding; (2) the issue was actually litigated in the prior proceeding; (3) the court in the prior proceeding issued a final judgment on the merits; (4) the determination of the issue was essential to the prior judgment; and (5) the party against whom the doctrine is asserted was a party to or in privity with a party to the earlier proceeding."
It is clear from public record that decisions from Plaintiff's previous cases in state court have already held Plaintiff was not wrongfully evicted. Judge Escala did so in denying the stay of the eviction. Judge De La Cruz did so again when she denied Plaintiff's motion to amend his complaint to add claims based on alleged wrongful conviction. Thus, Plaintiff is precluded from litigating this issue yet again, and any claim arising from this allegation must be barred.
Plaintiff's conspiracy claim under Section 1983 fails because, as discussed above, he has failed to allege the deprivation of a constitutional right or privilege.
Mail Fraud and Wire Fraud are federal criminal statutes.
Plaintiff lacks standing to enforce criminal law. To the extent Plaintiff brings a civil claim under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act ("RICO"), the Complaint fails to state a claim under this statute. Private rights of action under RICO are brought pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 1962, and require showing "a pattern of racketeering activity." 18 U.S.C. § 1962(a)-(c). A "pattern of racketeering activity" requires at least two acts of racketeering activity within a ten-year period. 18 U.S.C. § 1961(5). The only potential predicate acts Plaintiff alleges are mail fraud and wire fraud. But mail fraud and wire fraud in the RICO context require Plaintiff to allege that the Defendants used the mail or the wires in a scheme to deceive
Therefore, Plaintiff's RICO claim is dismissed.
Title 11 of the United States Code concerns bankruptcy, and Title 18 is the criminal code. Plaintiff does not specify which statutes apply to this case or why he has standing to enforce criminal statutes or bankruptcy statutes outside of a bankruptcy proceeding. Therefore, these claims are dismissed.
Plaintiff does not appear to articulate any facts entitling him to relief for violation of any federal law concerning open public meetings. The Complaint's references to OPRA concern the New Jersey Open Public Records Act, not a federal statute. The only public entities in this case are municipal entities within the state of New Jersey. Therefore, this claim is dismissed.
To the extent Plaintiff alleges he was denied discovery in any of the prior state court actions, the
To state a claim under 42 U.S.C. § 1981, a plaintiff must demonstrate that: (1) he is a member of a racial minority; (2) the defendant intended to discriminate against him on the basis of race; and (3) the discrimination concerned one or more of the activities enumerated in § 1981, including the right to make and enforce contracts.
Section 1985 provides a cause of action for "one injured by a conspiracy formed `for the purpose of depriving, either directly or indirectly, any person or class of persons of the equal protection of the laws, or of the equal privileges and immunities under the laws.'"
Here, Plaintiff alleges no facts suggesting a racial or otherwise class-based discriminatory animus by any Defendant. Therefore, this claim is dismissed.
The Court has searched the Complaint in an attempt to construe any other federal claim besides those enumerated by Plaintiff and is unable to do so.
Because all claims arising under federal law have been dismissed, the Court declines to exercise supplemental jurisdiction over any state law claims. 28 U.S.C. § 1367(c)(3).
As explained above, the Court lacks jurisdiction over Plaintiff's claims against Capazzi, and there are no apparent claims in the Complaint against Monahan. Accordingly, the Court denies Plaintiff's motion for default judgment.
On November 17, 2016, in an effort to manage this case and construe Plaintiff's various submissions, Judge Clark issued a Letter Order. (ECF Doc. 73). In it, Judge Clark ruled (i) Plaintiff's filing at ECF No. 26 was not to be construed as a cross-motion for summary judgment or any other kind of motion because Plaintiff did not request leave to file such a motion — instead, it would be treated as Plaintiff's opposition to PRC's motion to dismiss; (ii) Plaintiff's filing at ECF No. 37 was not to be construed as a motion to amend or correct, or any other kind of motion, because it did not "address the basic factors for a motion to amend or provide a proposed amended complaint as required by the Local Rules[,]" and would be treated as Plaintiff's opposition to the other motions to dismiss pending at the time it was filed; and (iii) Plaintiff's filing at ECF No. 38 was not to be construed as a motion for summary judgment because Plaintiff did not request leave to file one, and to the extent it sought a scheduling conference or settlement conference, it was denied without prejudice. (
In a letter dated November 20, 2016 (ECF No. 74), Plaintiff objects to Judge Clark's Letter Order, and appears also to object to Judge Clark's June 16, 2016, Letter Order (ECF No. 43) staying discovery pending the outcome of the motions to dismiss. Having reviewed the submissions Judge Clark construed in the November 17 order, the Court agrees with Judge Clark that these submissions were best interpreted as oppositions to the motions to dismiss, and finds Judge Clark acted within his discretion in not treating these submissions as motions because they were filed without leave of the Court and not in conformity with local rules. Moreover, because Plaintiff will be granted leave to amend the Complaint, his objection to Judge Clark's decision not to treat ECF No. 37 as a motion to amend is now moot. Finally, to the extent Plaintiff challenges any other orders from Judge Clark, these challenges are untimely because they were not filed within 14 days of the order. Fed. R. Civ. P. 72(a).
As to all motions discussed herein, the Court has considered Plaintiff's submissions and arguments and finds them unpersuasive.
For the reasons above, all Defendants' motions are GRANTED, and Plaintiff's motion and appeal are DENIED. The Complaint is dismissed without prejudice. However, mindful of Plaintiff's
An appropriate order accompanies this Opinion.