Briggs v. Oklahoma ex rel. Oklahoma Department of Human Services

472 F. Supp. 2d 1304, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7186
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Oklahoma
DecidedJanuary 31, 2007
DocketNo. CIV-06-677-M
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 472 F. Supp. 2d 1304 (Briggs v. Oklahoma ex rel. Oklahoma Department of Human Services) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Briggs v. Oklahoma ex rel. Oklahoma Department of Human Services, 472 F. Supp. 2d 1304, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7186 (W.D. Okla. 2007).

Opinion

ORDER

MILES-LaGRANGE, District Judge.

Plaintiff Raymond Lance Briggs, individually and as Personal Representative of the Estate of Kelsey Shelton Smith-Briggs, deceased, filed this action on May 1, 2006, in the District Court of Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, against defendants The State of Oklahoma ex rel. The Oklahoma Department of Human Services (“DHS”), Howard H. Hendrick in his official capacity as DHS Director, David Burgess, a DHS supervisor, in his individual capacity, Kristal Johnson, a DHS social worker, in her individual capacity, Yolanda Hunter, a DHS social worker, in her individual capacity, Youth and Family Resource Center, Inc. (“YF Resource Center”), Eastern Oklahoma Youth Services, Inc. (“EO Youth Services”), Jean Bonner, an EO Youth Services case worker, in her individual capacity, and Carla Lynch, in her individual capacity. Briggs alleged that each defendant had failed to protect against and prevent the continuous physical abuse of his daughter, Kelsey Shelton Smith-Briggs (“Kelsey”), and that their failure to do so resulted in Kelsey’s death.

DHS, Hendrick, Johnson, Hunter and Burgess removed the action on June 23, 2006, and alleged that this Court had jurisdiction over the subject matter under title 28, sections 1331 and 1343(a)(3) of the United States Code because Briggs had sought relief against certain defendants under federal law and, in particular, had sought to redress a deprivation of a right secured by the United States Constitution.

The matter now comes before the Court on the Motion to Dismiss Second Amended Complaint filed pursuant to Rule 12(b)(6), F.R.Civ.P., by DHS, Hendrick, Johnson, Hunter and Burgess wherein they have challenged the allegations in the second amended complaint for failure to state claims upon which relief may be granted. Briggs has responded, and the movants have filed a reply. Based upon the record, the Court makes its determination.

It is not the objective of Rule 12(b)(6) to formulate issues for trial. That function is discharged by pretrial discovery. Furthermore, the Court’s task at this stage “ ‘is not to weigh potential evidence that the parties might present at trial,’ ” Tal v. Hogan, 453 F.3d 1244, 1252 (10th Cir.2006) (quoting Sutton v. Utah State School for the Deaf and Blind, 173 F.3d 1226, 1236 [1308]*1308(10th Cir.1999)), or decide whether Briggs will ultimately prevail against one or more of the defendants. Rather, the Court’s task is “ ‘to assess whether ... [Briggs’ second amended] complaint alone is legally sufficient to state a claim for which relief may be granted.’ ” Id. (quoting Sutton, 173 F.3d at 1236).

In so doing, the Court is mindful that “ ‘all facts alleged in [Briggs’ second amended] complaint are taken as true and all reasonable inferences are indulged in ... [his] favor.” Id. (quoting GF Gaming Corp. v. City of Black Hawk, 405 F.3d 876, 881 (10th Cir.2005)). Dismissal as requested is appropriate only when “it appears beyond doubt that ... [Briggs] can prove no set of facts in support of ... [his] claim[s] which would entitle ... [him] to relief.” Conley v. Gibson, 355 U.S. 41, 45-46, 78 S.Ct. 99, 2 L.Ed.2d 80 (1957) (footnote omitted).

In his second amended complaint, Briggs has asserted multiple causes of action,1 including two against DHS and/or Hendrick and one against Burgess, Johnson and Hunter. In his first claim for relief, Briggs has sought damages against DHS under state law for its alleged negligence. In particular, Briggs has contended that DHS through its agents and employees, Hendrick, Burgess, Johnson and/or Hunter,

(1) “failed and refused to adopt and/or implement policies and/or procedures to keep ... Kelsey ... free from physical neglect and abuse,” Second Amended Complaint at 6-7, ¶ 18; and
(2) “failed and refused to approve appropriate program budgets, failed to allocate funding and failed to establish policies and/or procedures ... which would have prevented the abuse, injuries, and ultimate death of Kelsey...
Id. at 7, ¶ 19.

Briggs has further alleged that at all times relevant to this claim, Kelsey was in DHS custody and/or control, that Hen-drick, Johnson, Hunter and Burgess were repeatedly notified about the injuries and abuse that Kelsey had suffered and that each had “failed and refused to take the appropriate action to place Kelsey ... in a position where she was safe and free from physical abuse.” Id. ¶ 20.

DHS has argued that it is entitled to dismissal because Briggs’ claim against it is barred by the Oklahoma Governmental Tort Claims Act (“OGTCA” or “Act”), as amended, 51 O.S. § 151 et seq. Tort actions against DHS are governed by the OGTCA, which “redefined the parameters of governmental tort liability.” Anderson v. Eichner, 890 P.2d 1329, 1336 (Okla.1994) (emphasis deleted) (footnote omitted). Under the Act, DHS employees acting within the scope of their employment are immune from suit. E.g., 51 O.S. §§ 152.1(A), 153(A). DHS’s liability is “subject to the limitations and exceptions specified in th[e] Act,” id. § 153(A), and is “exclusive and in place of all other liabil-ity_” Id. § 153(B).

In seeking dismissal of Briggs’ first claim for relief, DHS has relied upon four exceptions to liability set forth in the Act. Title 51, section 155(3) of the Oklahoma Statutes exempts state agencies from liability for any losses resulting from the “[execution or enforcement of the lawful orders of any court....” 51 O.S. § 1553(3). As Briggs has alleged in the second amended complaint, “[p]ursuant to court order,2 beginning March 16, 2005, Raye [1309]*1309Dawn Smith3 was allowed unsupervised visitation with Kelsey.... Within one week of these unsupervised visits, Kelsey ... was abused.” Second Amended Complaint at 4, ¶ 11.

Briggs has responded that this exemption is not applicable because his allegations of negligence against DHS are not based on the execution or enforcement of any court order, but rather on DHS’s failure to properly investigate reports of continued abuse before judicial proceedings were initiated and also, after. See Plaintiffs Response at 3.

Title 51, section 155(4) of the Oklahoma Statutes, upon which DHS has also relied, exempts state agencies from liability for any losses resulting from the “enforcement of or failure to adopt or enforce a law, whether valid or invalid, including but not limited to, any ... written policy_” 51 O.S. § 155(4). As stated, in his second amended complaint, Briggs has alleged that DHS through its director and/or employees “failed and refused to adopt and/or implement policies and/or procedures to keep ... Kelsey ... free from physical neglect and abuse.” Second Amended Complaint at 6-7, ¶ 18.

Briggs has again contended that this exemption is not applicable in this instance.

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Bluebook (online)
472 F. Supp. 2d 1304, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7186, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/briggs-v-oklahoma-ex-rel-oklahoma-department-of-human-services-okwd-2007.