Chishty v. Texas Department of Aging & Disability Services

562 F. Supp. 2d 790, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 28403, 2006 WL 1207894
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Texas
DecidedMay 4, 2006
DocketNo. 4:05-CV-26
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 562 F. Supp. 2d 790 (Chishty v. Texas Department of Aging & Disability Services) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Chishty v. Texas Department of Aging & Disability Services, 562 F. Supp. 2d 790, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 28403, 2006 WL 1207894 (E.D. Tex. 2006).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER GRANTING IN PART DEFENDANTS’ MOTIONS FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

RICHARD A. SCHELL, District Judge.

The following motions and responses are pending before the court:

1. Defendants Jim Sibley, Jennifer Russell, Chuck Brookins and Laura Binnion’s motion for summary judgment based on qualified and official immunity and brief in support (docket entry # 13);
2. Defendants Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services, Den-ton State School and Jim Sibley, Laura Binnion, Jennifer Russell and Chuck Brookins’, in their official capacities, motion for summary judgment and brief in support (docket entry # 14);
3. Plaintiffs’ response to the motion for partial summary judgment of Defendants Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services, Denton State School, and the individual Defendants sued in their official capacities (docket entry # 20);
4. Plaintiffs’ response to the motion for partial summary judgment of the individual Defendants sued in their individual capacities (docket entry #21);
[793]*7935. Defendants Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services, Den-ton State School and Jim Sibley, Laura Binnion, Jennifer Russell and Chuck Brookins’, in their individual and official capacities, reply to Plaintiffs’ response to motion for summary judgment (docket entry # 47);
6. Plaintiffs’ supplemental response to Defendants’ motions for partial summary judgment (docket entry # 56);
7. Defendants’ supplemental reply to Plaintiffs’ response and supplemental response to Defendants’ motion for summary judgment (docket entry # 68);
8. Plaintiffs’ motion to compel deposition testimony of Shane Scott (docket entry # 69); and
9. Shane Scott’s response to Plaintiffs’ motion to compel deposition testimony (docket entry # 70).

Having considered the Defendants’ motions, the Plaintiffs’ responses and the Defendants’ replies thereto, the court is of the opinion that the Defendants’ motions for summary judgment should be granted in part.

OBJECTIONS

The Defendants object to the May 16, 2005 videotaped sworn statement of Kevin Miller. In the statement, Defendant Miller testified that drug use was rampant at the Denton State School. He further testified that residents were oftentimes subjected to physical abuse by the Denton State School staff. Defendant Miller additionally testified that his supervisor, Defendant Chuck Brookins, engaged in the use of drugs and the abuse of residents. Defendant Miller finally testified that he caused Plaintiff Haseeb Chishty’s injuries by repeatedly punching the Plaintiff in the stomach. The statement was provided in a question and answer format, similar to that of a deposition. However, only counsel for the Plaintiffs, the videog-raphers and Mr. Miller were present at the time the statement was given. None of the remaining Defendants were afforded the opportunity to be present. The Plaintiffs provided to the court a copy of the actual videotaped statement as well as a transcription of the same.

The Defendants argue, however, that the sworn statement is improper summary judgment evidence. Equating the statement to an affidavit, the Defendants contend that the sworn statement fails to meet the requirements of Rule 56(e) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.

In determining summary judgment motions, the court may only consider competent summary judgment evidence. Rule 56(c) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure provides, in pertinent part, as follows:

The judgment sought shall be rendered forthwith if the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any, show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law.

Rule 56(e) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure further provides that supporting and opposing affidavits

shall be made on personal knowledge, shall set forth such facts as would be admissible in evidence, and shall show affirmatively that the affiant is competent to testify to the matters stated therein.

The Local Rules for the Eastern District of Texas further provide, in part, as follows:

As used within this rule, “proper summary judgment evidence” means excerpted copies of pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, admissions, [794]*794affidavits, and other admissible evidence cited in the motion for summary judgment or the response thereto.

Local Rule CV-56(d).

Of course, a deposition is a discovery device used to preserve sworn testimony. An “affidavit” is “[a] voluntary declaration of facts written down and sworn to by the declarant before an officer authorized to administer baths, such as a notary public.” Blaok’s Law DiotionaRY 62 (8th ed.2004). The court notes that the sworn statement does not meet the requirements of either an affidavit or a deposition.

Central to both a deposition and an affidavit is the requirement that the statements be sworn to under oath. Here, counsel for the Plaintiff administered the following oath to Defendant Miller:

Q: Gotcha. Something I neglected to do before we started, would you— would you be willing to give these statements under oath?
Absolutely. !>
Okay. <£>
And we can grandfather that in if you want to, if you want to— i>
Well, let me just administer an oath to you. <©
A: Okay. That’s fine.
Q: If you’ll raise your right hand, do you swear that the statements you’re going to give in this video recorded statements are the truth, and the whole truth so help you God?
A: Absolutely.
Q: All right. Do you understand giving this Statements Under Oath, Kevin, that if you give a contrary statement, it can be used against you?
A: Absolutely, I understand that.

Videotaped Sworn Statement of Kevin Miller, May 16, 2005 (17:19-25 to 18:1-11).

Q: Thank you. And everything that you’ve told us, Kevin, has been under oath, that you’ve sworn to God to tell the truth. Is that right?
A: That’s correct.

Id. at 138:9-12.

Interestingly, however, an attorney licensed in the State of Texas is not authorized to administer oaths. Tex. Gov’t Code Ann. § 602.002 (Vernon 1988). Accordingly, the statement before the court is not a “sworn” statement at all. It is merely the unsworn words of Defendant Miller. The statement does not constitute competent summary judgment evidence.1

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Related

Chishty v. TEXAS DEPT. OF AGING AND DISABILITY
562 F. Supp. 2d 790 (E.D. Texas, 2006)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
562 F. Supp. 2d 790, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 28403, 2006 WL 1207894, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/chishty-v-texas-department-of-aging-disability-services-txed-2006.