Ball v. Carroll

932 F. Supp. 388, 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11718, 1996 WL 459736
CourtDistrict Court, D. Massachusetts
DecidedAugust 8, 1996
DocketCivil Action No. 95-40235-NMG
StatusPublished

This text of 932 F. Supp. 388 (Ball v. Carroll) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Massachusetts primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Ball v. Carroll, 932 F. Supp. 388, 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11718, 1996 WL 459736 (D. Mass. 1996).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

GORTON, District Judge.

On December 29, 1995, plaintiff, Jonathan Ball (“Ball”) filed this action against State Trooper Roger Carroll (“Carroll”). Pending before this Court is defendant’s motion, filed pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6), to dismiss plaintiffs complaint. For the following reasons, the motion will be allowed.

I. FACTUAL BACKGROUND

When considering a motion to dismiss, this Court accepts as true the allegations of the complaint and draws all reasonable inferences in favor of the plaintiff. Carreiro v. Rhodes Gill and Co., Ltd., 68 F.3d 1443, 1446 (1st Cir.1995). Plaintiffs complaint asserts the following relevant factual allegations:

1. On December 3, 1992, Ball was driving his ear on Route 93 in Woburn, Massachusetts, with two companions. Carroll, a Massachusetts State Trooper, signalled the plaintiff to pull over. The defendant was not in uniform at the time.

2. Plaintiff pulled over, rolled down his window and, when asked, presented his license and registration to defendant. Defendant did not identify himself and was verbally abusive and threatening to the plaintiff. Plaintiff refused to get out of the car when instructed to do so because he feared for his own safety and he requested the presence of another officer.

3. Defendant returned to his cruiser for approximately 10 minutes. When he reapproached, he dragged the plaintiff through the window of plaintiffs locked car door, injuring the plaintiff in the process. Defendant continued to abuse the plaintiff, slamming his head on the pavement and kneeing him in the back, causing him to lose feeling in his legs. Defendant then arrested the plaintiff.

4. The defendant, ignoring plaintiffs request for medical treatment, transported him to Woburn District Court, where he was placed in a holding cell for a period of five or six hours.

5. On November 30, 1994, plaintiff filed a Notice of Claim with the Administrative Office of the Trial Court, pursuant to M.G.L. c. 258, § 4 which requires a claimant who files thereunder to wait for six months after such filing before entering suit. Counsel “reasonably believed” that the statute of limitations was tolled while the claim was pending before that administrative agency.

6. On June 14, 1995 the Administrative Office of the Trial Court issued a notice of denial to the plaintiff.

7. Plaintiff filed suit on December 28, 1995, three years and twenty-five days after the incident occurred.

II. STATEMENT OF THE CASE

Plaintiffs complaint states four claims against defendant Carroll: unreasonable seizure in violation of his rights under the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution and Articles Twelve and Fourteen of the Massachusetts Declaration of Rights (Count I), assault and battery (Count II), deprivation of his right to medical treatment in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and the corresponding provisions of the Massachusetts Declaration of Rights (Count III), and intentional or reckless infliction of emotional distress (Count IV). Defendant’s motion to dismiss asserts that plaintiffs claims are time barred by virtue of the applicable statute of limitations.

III. LEGAL ANALYSIS

The incident occurred on December 3, 1992, but plaintiff did not file his suit until December 28, 1995. As the defendant contends, the limitations period for actions brought pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 is governed by the state statute of limitations for personal injury claims. See Wilson v. Gar[390]*390da, 471 U.S. 261, 276-80, 105 S.Ct. 1938, 1947-49, 85 L.Ed.2d 254 (1985). M.G.L. c. 260, § 2A states that such actions must be filed within three years after the cause of action accrues. Both federal and state courts have applied the three-year limitation period to § 1983 claims. See Street v. Vose, 936 F.2d 38, 39 (1st Cir.1991) cert. denied, 502 U.S. 1063, 112 S.Ct. 948,117 L.Ed.2d 117 (1992); Pagliuca v. City of Boston, 35 Mass. App. 820 (Mass.App.1994).

The accrual period for a § 1983 claim begins to run when the plaintiff knows or has reason to know of the injury which is the basis of the action. See Street, 936 F.2d at 40. The cause of action in the instant case accrued on December 3, 1992, the day on which the alleged incidents occurred, and expired on December 2, 1995. A claim that has expired under the applicable statute of limitations may be dismissed as frivolous. See Street, 936 F.2d at 39.

Plaintiff acknowledges that claims brought under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 are governed by the three-year state statute of limitations for personal injury actions. Plaintiff submits, however, that his claim should be exempt from that limitation period for one or more of the following reasons:

1. In accordance with the Federal Tort Claims Act, 28 U.S.C. § 2401(b), the statute of limitations should be tolled while the claim is pending before the executive officer, because plaintiff is required by M.G.L. c. 258, § 4 to wait six months before filing suit while his claim is considered by that agency;
2. M.G.L. c. 258, § 4 is unconstitutional because it requires a waiting period without granting an equivalent tolling period, and therefore, creates an unreasonable impediment to a civil remedy;
3. Counsel reasonably believed that, by filing a Notice of Claim with the Administrative Office of the Trial Court within two years of the accrual, the limitations period was automatically extended and plaintiff’s claim should be allowed for “excusable neglect”; and
4. Equitable considerations warrant an exception to the general rule because defendant has not been prejudiced by plaintiffs failure to serve the complaint by December 3,1995.

See Plaintiffs Opposition to Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss, at 1-2. Plaintiffs arguments are considered seriatim.

A. Tolling in Accordance with the Federal Statute

The dual requirements of state law, i.e. presentment to the executive officer within two years and filing of a civil action within three years of a cause of action’s accrual, are unambiguous:

The statute requires that there be both presentment within two years and commencement of the action within three years. These are separate and distinct requirements____ [A] legally competent plaintiff who complied with the two-year presentment requirement, but failed to bring an action within the three-year statute of limitations set by the G.L. c. 258, § 4, would not meet the statutory requirements for maintaining an action.

George v. Town of Saugus, 394 Mass.

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Wilson v. Garcia
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Ernest v. Faler
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Bluebook (online)
932 F. Supp. 388, 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11718, 1996 WL 459736, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ball-v-carroll-mad-1996.