MARK G. MASTROIANNI, District Judge.
According to Craig Gaetani ("Plaintiff"), after a misunderstanding at the clerk-magistrate's office at the Berkshire District Court, he attempted to return to the active court session to clarify the judge's prior order. At this point, Massachusetts Trial Court Officers Susan McMahon ("McMahon") and David Hadley ("Hadley") (together "Defendants") physically seized him, resulting in a torn rotator cuff and tendons.
On March 28, 2014, Plaintiff filed a complaint against Defendants, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and the Trial Court of the Commonwealth, seeking relief under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 for violations of his First Amendment rights (Counts 1 and 2), his Fourth Amendment rights (Count 3), and his Fourteenth Amendment rights (Count 4); as well as a 42 U.S.C. § 1985 claim that Defendants conspired to deprive him of his civil rights (Count 5). He also alleged that Defendants violated his rights under the Massachusetts Civil Rights Act ("MCRA") (Count 6), the Massachusetts Torts Claims Act (Count 7) and that Defendants committed an assault and battery against him (Count 8). Lastly, Plaintiff claims that he is entitled to "Declaratory and Injunctive Relief" against the Trial Court (Count 9).
On July 23, 2014, Defendants filed a motion to dismiss Plaintiff's complaint, in part, for a failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted.
The court grants Defendants' motion to dismiss in part, and denies it in part.
To survive a 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss, a complaint must allege facts that "raise a right to relief above the speculative level."
Courts are not required to accept as true allegations in a complaint that are legal conclusions.
Plaintiff attended the civil session of the Berkshire District Court to pursue a claim against a party who was in jail at the time. (Dkt. No. 1, Comp. ¶ 10, 11.) When this party did not appear in court because he was incarcerated, the judge instructed Plaintiff to go to the clerk-magistrate's office to procure a "Writ of Habeas Corpus" in order to compel that party's appearance. (Dkt. No. 1, Comp. ¶ 11, 12.) A clerk-magistrate
As Plaintiff neared the courtroom, Defendants "violently detained" him. (Dkt. No. 1, Comp. ¶ 17.) Hadley twisted Plaintiff's right arm up behind his back, tearing his rotator cuff and tendons, while McMahon held Plaintiff by his left arm. (Dkt. No. 1, Comp. ¶ 18.) McMahon helped to restrain Plaintiff while Hadley twisted his arm, and she did nothing to discourage Hadley from doing so. (Dkt. No. 1, Comp. ¶ 20.) As a result of Defendants' actions, Plaintiff suffered serious physical injury, was prevented from "transacting his business," incurred the costs of medical care and treatment, and "suffered great emotional distress and suffered other divers [sic] injuries." (Dkt. No. 1, Comp. ¶ 24.)
In their memorandum, "Defendants argue that Plaintiff's claims for damages ... must be dismissed ... because Plaintiff brought Counts I-VI against Hadley and McMahon in their official capacities." (Dkt. No. 13, Deft. Mem. 11.) The court disagrees with Defendants' interpretation of Plaintiff's complaint.
"In many cases, the complaint will not clearly specify whether officials are sued personally, in their official capacity, or both."
Even assuming Plaintiff originally intended to sue Defendants in their official capacities, the complaint contains ample evidence that Plaintiff intended to sue Defendants in their individual capacities as well. For example, Plaintiff's complaint contains a prayer for punitive damages, which can "only be brought against defendant governmental officials who were sued in their individual capacities."
Defendants erroneously interpret Plaintiff's frequently-used phrase, "under color of state law," to essentially mean that Plaintiff's complaint indicates that he intended to sue Defendants only in their official capacities. In contrast to Defendants' interpretation of this phrase, Black's Law Dictionary defines "color of law" to mean "[t]he appearance or semblance,
To the extent that the Plaintiff intended to sue Defendants in their official capacity (if he did at all), Plaintiff's claims are dismissed pursuant to the doctrine of sovereign immunity.
In his complaint, Plaintiff states that Defendants "knew or should have known that they were depriving Plaintiff of clearly established" Constitutionally protected rights (Dkt. No. 1, Comp. ¶ 23), and that Defendants "retaliated against" Plaintiff "because he sought to exercise his right to free speech." (Dkt. No. 1, Comp. ¶ 28.) The court infers from the allegations that this alleged deprivation occurred soon after Plaintiff's disagreement with a clerk-magistrate. (Dkt. No. 1, Comp. ¶ 16-18.) Defendants argue this claim should be dismissed because "Plaintiff has not alleged sufficient facts to plausibly infer that the actions of [Defendants] were in retaliation against, or in any way motivated by the allegedly protected speech." (Dkt. No. 13, Deft. Mem. 5.)
Based upon his factual allegations, the court interprets Plaintiff's "Free Speech" claim as an assertion that Defendants retaliated against Plaintiff for attempting to exercise his First Amendment rights. Though the court acknowledges the possibility that additional facts may permit the necessary inferences for this claim to survive the motion to dismiss, the complaint does not survive in its current form. The court therefore agrees with Defendants and dismisses this claim without prejudice.
To prove a First Amendment retaliation claim, Plaintiff must show "(1) he or she engaged in constitutionally protected conduct, (2) he or she was subjected to an adverse action by the defendant, and (3) the protected conduct was a substantial or motivating factor in the adverse action."
However, even given this relatively lenient standard, and even assuming the veracity of all of Plaintiff's asserted facts,
Plaintiff also alleges that Defendants intentionally "denied [him] access to a public courtroom and access to justice." (Dkt. No. 1, Comp. ¶ 30.) Defendants move to dismiss this claim, asserting that Plaintiff has not alleged sufficient facts regarding the potential success of his underlying claim. (Dkt. No. 13, Deft. Mem. 8.) The court agrees with Defendants and dismisses this claim without prejudice.
Citizens have a constitutional right to access state and federal courts.
In
In his complaint, Plaintiff has failed to put forth any information regarding the merits of the claim he was pursuing in the Berkshire District Court when his right to "access to the courts" was allegedly violated. Even if this court assumes,
Defendants do not contest that "Plaintiff has pled sufficient facts for one to possibly infer that Hadley's alleged actions were unreasonable." (Dkt. No. 13, Deft. Mem. 16.) Instead, Defendants only argue that sufficient facts have not been pled to support the inference that McMahon's use of physical force was unreasonable. (Dkt. No. 13, Deft. Mem. 9.) Finding that Plaintiff's factual allegations pertaining to McMahon's use of force permit the inference that it may have been unreasonable, the court denies Defendants' motion to dismiss Plaintiff's assault and battery and Fourth Amendment claims against McMahon.
When an officer
In his complaint, Plaintiff claims that when he re-entered the courtroom in an attempt to correct a misunderstanding between himself, the judge, and the clerk-magistrate, McMahon "violently detained him," "held [him] by his left arm," and restrained Plaintiff while his other arm was twisted in a way that caused injuries. (Dkt. No. 1, Comp. ¶ 16-18.) Plaintiff additionally states that McMahon was "recklessly indifferent to Plaintiff's welfare and to the risk of causing him serious, debilitating injury," that she "knew or should have known that the manner in which [she] physically treated the plaintiff was likely to cause him serious bodily injury," and that, "[a]s a direct and proximate result of [her] acts and omissions, the Plaintiff suffered serious physical injury." (Dkt. No. 1, Comp. ¶ 21, 22, 24.)
Plaintiff's stated factual allegations do not provide any indication that mere verbal commands would have been insufficient to accomplish Defendants' goals, nor that Plaintiff engaged in any sort of provocation prior to his restraint, nor that he was a physical threat at any point during the incident. Therefore, under these circumstances, the court deems it plausible that any level of physical force might have been unreasonable.
Plaintiff also asserts that Defendants' actions deprived him of "his right to substantive and procedural due process." (Dkt. No. 1, Comp. ¶ 34 (emphasis added).) In their memorandum, Defendants contest the "substantive due process" aspect of Plaintiff's claim by arguing that substantive due process is not the correct constitutional theory to support Plaintiff's allegations. (Dkt. No. 13, Deft. Mem. 12.) Defendants are correct, and Plaintiff's substantive due process claim is dismissed without prejudice.
As it currently stands, the court deems Plaintiff's procedural due process claim to be facially inadequate because it does not explicitly identify how this right to due process was infringed.
In his Complaint, Plaintiff brings Massachusetts Civil Rights Act ("MCRA") claims under Mass. Gen. Laws. c. 12, § 11I. (Dkt. No. 1, Comp. ¶ 38-39.) In support of these claims, Plaintiff begins by "repeat[ing] and realleg[ing]" the complaint's earlier-stated factual allegations. (Dkt. No. 1, Comp. ¶ 38.) Plaintiff then claims that "Hadley and McMahon, through threats, intimidation and coercion, deprived the Plaintiff of civil rights guaranteed by Articles XI, XIV and XVI of the Declaration of rights to the Constitution of the Commonwealth and by the First, Fourth, and Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution of the United States." (Dkt. No. 1, Comp. ¶ 39.) Since these statements are insufficient to meet Plaintiff's burden, the court finds that Plaintiff has failed to state a MCRA claim upon which relief can be granted.
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ("SJC") has explained that the MCRA is not intended to create a "vast constitutional tort," thereby strictly limiting its application to instances where the derogation of secured rights occurs by "threats, intimidation or coercion."
The Erie Doctrine requires this court to apply state substantive law and federal procedural law when exercising diversity or supplemental jurisdiction.
Under the standard articulated by the Supreme Court and the First Circuit, Plaintiff's complaint does not survive Defendants' motion to dismiss for two reasons, either one of which is dispositive.
Plaintiff has requested compensatory damages, punitive damages, attorneys' fees, declaratory and injunctive relief to forbid Hadley and McMahon from interfering with Plaintiff's rights, and declaratory and injunctive relief requiring Hadley and McMahon to undergo training on appropriate conduct. (Dkt. No. 1, Comp. ¶ A-D, F, G.) Defendants argue that certain portions of Plaintiff's prayer for relief against Hadley and McMahon should be dismissed. Defendants premise this argument upon an assumption the court will dismiss all claims against McMahon, as well as a dismissal of virtually all claims against Hadley. However, all of Defendants' dismissal requests have not been allowed.
Defendants' motion to dismiss some of Plaintiff's requests for relief against Hadley and McMahon is therefore denied.
Defendants argued that all claims against the Commonwealth and the Trial Court must be dismissed. (Dkt. No. 13, Deft. Mem. 3-5.) Following receipt of Defendants' motion, Plaintiff conceded all requests for relief against the Commonwealth and the Trial Court, with the exception of claims of "declaratory and injunctive relief" and attorneys' fees. (Dkt. No. 17, Pltf. Mem. 4-5.) Specifically, with respect to "declaratory and injunctive relief" against the Commonwealth and the Trial Court, Plaintiff has requested that the court "order[] the Commonwealth, acting by and through the Trial Court, to provide such training as it deems appropriate to Hadley and McMahon to educate them..."
"A plaintiff may seek prospective injunctive relief against a state official, but may not obtain such relief against a state or its agency because of the sovereign immunity bar of the Eleventh Amendment."
Between Plaintiff's concessions and this ruling, all currently pending claims against the Commonwealth and the Trial Court in this case are dismissed.
For the reasons set forth above, Defendants' motion to dismiss (Dkt. No. 12) is granted in part and denied in part. At the outset, Plaintiff's complaint will hereinafter be interpreted as asserting claims against Defendants only in their individual capacities. Additionally, all claims against the Commonwealth and the Trial Court are also dismissed without prejudice (including, but not limited to, Count 9).
Plaintiff's "Freedom of Speech" (Count 1), "Access to the Courts" (Count 2), and Massachusetts Civil Rights Act (Count 6) claims are dismissed without prejudice. To the extent that Plaintiff has asserted a substantive due process claim (Count 4), it is dismissed without prejudice. Plaintiff's procedural due process claim (Count 4) survives, as Defendants have not directly contested it.
Plaintiff has conceded his conspiracy claim (Count 5) and his Massachusetts Torts Claims Act claim (Count 7), and the court therefore dismisses these claims without prejudice.
Defendants' motion is denied, insofar as it requests dismissal of Plaintiff's Fourth Amendment (Count 3) and assault and battery (Count 8) claims. Counts 3 and 8, therefore, survive in their current form. Finally, the court also denies Defendants' motion to preclude certain types of relief against Hadley and McMahon.
It is So Ordered.