Collyard v. Washington Capitals

477 F. Supp. 1247, 1979 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9246
CourtDistrict Court, D. Minnesota
DecidedOctober 11, 1979
DocketCiv. 5-79-30, Civ. 5-78-56
StatusPublished
Cited by34 cases

This text of 477 F. Supp. 1247 (Collyard v. Washington Capitals) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Minnesota primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Collyard v. Washington Capitals, 477 F. Supp. 1247, 1979 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9246 (mnd 1979).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

MILES W. LORD, District Judge.

I. Procedural Posture

Plaintiff, Robert Collyard, commenced an action in United States District Court against Defendants, The Washington Capitals; The National Hockey League; Griffin Bell, as Attorney General of the United States of America; Cyrus Vance, as Secretary of the State of the United States of America; and F. Ray Marshall, as Secretary of Labor of the United States of America.

Plaintiff, Warren Williams, commenced an action in United States District Court against defendants, The Boston Bruins, The Cleveland Barons, The Colorado Rockies, The Detroit Redwings, The National Hockey League, The New York Rangers, The St. Louis Blues, and The Washington Capitals.

Plaintiffs have moved for this Court to issue an Order allowing amendments to both parties’ complaints. Collyard’s amendment would add the Minnesota Northstars as Defendants and clarify its jurisdictional bases. Williams’ amendment would add the Chicago Blackhawks, the Minnesota North-stars and the federal Defendants named in Collyard’s initial complaint. Williams’ amended complaint would also add one additional legal theory of liability against the named hockey teams for violation of the United States Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. § 1101 (1976).

Meanwhile, all named Defendants have opposed Plaintiffs’ motion to amend and have moved for this Court to dismiss Plaintiffs’ claims with prejudice for failure to state a claim upon which relief may be granted; for lack of subject matter jurisdiction; and, for lack of jurisdiction over the defendants’ persons.

This Court denies Plaintiffs’ motions to amend and grants Defendants’ motions to dismiss. Plaintiffs’ complaints are in all things dismissed.

II. Facts and Theories of Liability

Robert Collyard and Warren Williams have either directly or indirectly contacted various hockey teams for the purpose of securing employment as paid professional hockey players in the National Hockey League (NHL). As of the time of the hearing on this matter, Plaintiffs’ request for tryouts with the hockey teams named as Defendants have either been expressly denied or left without response. Therefore, Plaintiffs have been denied employment opportunities with the named Defendants.

Plaintiffs first contend that this denial of employment constitutes a violation of the Minnesota Human Rights Act, Minn.Stat. § 363. The crux of Plaintiffs’ argument rests upon their allegation that they have been denied employment on account of their national origin. They contend that the Defendant hockey teams are composed predominantly of Canadian-born hockey players. Plaintiffs further urge that the Defendant hockey teams have employed these Canadian-born players notwithstanding the fact that there are many qualified Americans who could play hockey as well as — if not better than — some inferior Canadians. Plaintiffs therefore allege, in conclusion, that they have been discriminated against by reason of their national origin.

*1249 Secondly, Plaintiffs urge that Defendant hockey teams are in violation of the Immigration and Nationality Act by reason of employing inferior aliens where superior Americans seek identical employment. Messrs. Williams and Collyard reason that the Act creates a private cause of action upon which they may ground a legal theory of liability against these employers.

Finally, Mr. Collyard alleges that the Attorney General of the United States, the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Labor of the United States have permitted the entry into the United States of these paid professional alien hockey players in violation of the Immigration and Nationality Act. As a result of such violation, plaintiffs allege that they have been injured monetarily.

III. Discussion

A. THE AMENDED COMPLAINT

Generally, a party is allowed to amend its complaint with few restrictions under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 15(a). However, the Court will not freely allow an amendment under Rule 15(a) if the amended pleading could be defeated by a motion for summary judgment or a motion to dismiss. Eria v. Texas Eastern Transmission Corp., 377 F.Supp. 344, 345 (E.D.New York 1974); Bernstein v. National Liberty Int’l Corp., 407 F.Supp. 709, 714-15 (E.D.Pa. 1976). Likewise, if the amended pleading could in no way cure its present deficiencies, then leave to amend will not be granted. See, Foman v. Davis, 371 U.S. 178, 182, 83 S.Ct. 227, 9 L.Ed.2d 222 (1962); see also, Norbeck v. Davenport Community School Dist., 545 F.2d 63, 70 (8th Cir. 1976). 1 To avoid a futile act, Plaintiffs’ proposed amendments must be measured in terms of their ability to withstand the motions to dismiss filed by all named Defendants. Plaintiffs fail to clear this hurdle; Coil-yard’s amended pleading adding a claim against the Minnesota Northstars based upon the Immigration and Nationality Act fails to state a claim upon which relief may be granted. Williams’ amended complaint adding the Minnesota Northstars and also adding a claim based upon the Immigration and Nationality Act as against all named Defendant hockey teams fails to state a claim for relief. Likewise, Williams’ amended pleading adding a claim identical to Collyard’s claim against the federal Defendants fails to state a claim for relief. Williams’ amended claim against the Chicago Blackhawks also fails to withstand defendants’ motion to dismiss; this Court does not have personal jurisdiction over this nonresident.

B. THE HOCKEY TEAMS All named Defendant hockey teams were served with process outside the state of Minnesota. Rule 4(e) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure permits service outside the state under the circumstances and in the manner prescribed by Minn.Stat. § 543.-19. That section provides:

Subdivision 1. As to a cause of action arising from any acts enumerated in this subdivision, a court of this state with jurisdiction of the subject matter may exercise personal jurisdiction over any foreign corporation or any nonresident individual, or his personal representative, in the same manner as if it were a domestic corporation or he were a resident of this state. This section applies if, in person or through an agent, the foreign corporation or nonresident individual:
(a) Owns, uses, or possesses any real or personal property situated in this state, or
(b) Transacts any business within the state, or
(c) Commits any act in Minnesota causing injury or property damage, or

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Bluebook (online)
477 F. Supp. 1247, 1979 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9246, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/collyard-v-washington-capitals-mnd-1979.