VERONICA L. DUFFY, Magistrate Judge.
This matter is before the court on plaintiff Lance G. Owen's pro se amended complaint pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983.
Mr. Owen, in his amended complaint, asserts that the South Dakota Department of Corrections (DOC) is taking more money out of his account for Prison Litigation Reform Act (PLRA) filing fees than what Mr. Owen owes under the PLRA.
However, what Mr. Owen failed to take into consideration is that he had filed two civil suits in this court: the instant one and another one previously in 2013 on which PLRA filing fee payments were still being made. This court issued a report recommending that Mr. Owen's summary judgment be denied because he had not shown that the DOC had taken more than the $700 he owed collectively in filing fees on his two federal civil cases.
Defendants now seek to have this case stayed while they prepare and file a dispositive motion on the issue of qualified immunity.
In order to show a prima facie case under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, Mr. Owen must show (1) defendants acted under color or state law and (2) "`the alleged wrongful conduct deprived him of a constitutionally protected federal right.'"
Qualified immunity protects government officials from liability and from having to defend themselves in a civil suit if the conduct of the officials "does not violate clearly established statutory or constitutional rights."
To determine whether an official may partake of qualified immunity, two factors must be determined: (1) whether the facts that plaintiff has shown make out a violation of a constitutional right and (2) whether that constitutional right was "clearly established" at the time of the official's acts.
"Qualified immunity gives government officials breathing room to make reasonable but mistaken judgments," and "protects `all but the plainly incompetent or those who knowingly violate the law.'"
The Supreme Court has stated that "if the defendant does plead the [qualified] immunity defense, the district court should resolve that threshold question before permitting discovery."
The defendants' motion for a protective order and to stay discovery in this case until a qualified immunity motion can be placed before the court is well placed. Defendants are entitled to assert the defense of qualified immunity before subjecting themselves to further discovery or motions practice. Accordingly, the court will grant defendants' motion. Having so ordered, the court notes two things. Defendants should have already filed such a motion— they have had three months since they filed their motion seeking a stay in which to do so. Defendants are ordered to get their motion before the court sooner rather than later. Also, the court notes the issue raised in Mr. Owen's amended complaint appears extremely simple and straight forward. A brief accounting by defendants would settle the matter.
Mr. Owen's motion to strike will be denied. The main reason he seeks to strike defendants' motion for protective order is that he had a pending summary judgment motion. The court has now recommended a resolution of that motion. Therefore, the reason Mr. Owen asserts for striking defendants' motion no longer exists. Similarly, because the court has granted defendants' motion, discovery is now stayed. There is no reason to issue conditions for discovery as Mr. Owen seeks in his second motion.
Based on the foregoing and the report and recommendation being filed this same day in this case, it is hereby
ORDERED that defendants' motion for a protective order and to stay discovery [Docket No. 35] is granted. Discovery in this case is hereby stayed and defendants are directed to file their qualified immunity motion immediately. It is further
ORDERED that plaintiff Lance Owen's motion to strike [Docket No. 38] is denied. It is further
ORDERED that plaintiff Lance Owen's motion for discovery conditions [Docket No. 40] is denied.
Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1)(A), any party may seek reconsideration of this order before the district court upon a showing that the order is clearly erroneous or contrary to law. The parties have fourteen (14) days after service of this order to file written objections pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1)(A), unless an extension of time for good cause is obtained.