Denton v. Cityof El Paso, Texas

CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Texas
DecidedMarch 29, 2022
Docket3:20-cv-00085
StatusUnknown

This text of Denton v. Cityof El Paso, Texas (Denton v. Cityof El Paso, Texas) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Denton v. Cityof El Paso, Texas, (W.D. Tex. 2022).

Opinion

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS EL PASO DIVISION

RYAN DENTON, § § Plaintiff, § § v. § CAUSE NO. EP-20-CV-85-KC § CITY OF EL PASO, § § Defendant. §

REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION OF THE MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Before the Court is “Plaintiff’s Motion for Summary Judgment” (“Plaintiff’s MSJ”) (ECF No. 43) and “Defendant’s Motion for Leave to Deposit Plaintiff’s Requested Damages with the Court, for an Order Directing the Payment of Such Damages over to the Plaintiff, and/or to Grant Plaintiff’s Injunctive Relief and/or Dismiss this Action for Mootness and to Deny or Modify any Award of Attorney’s Fees” (“Defendant’s Motion”) (ECF No. 44). On March 2, 2022, United States District Judge Kathleen Cardone referred Plaintiff’s MSJ and Defendant’s Motion to United States Magistrate Judge Robert Castañeda. (Text orders dated March 2, 2022); see 28 U.S.C. § 636(b). On March 15, 2022, Plaintiff responded to Defendant’s Motion. (ECF No. 45.) To date, Defendant has not responded to Plaintiff’s MSJ. For the reasons set forth below, the Court RECOMMENDS that Plaintiff’s MSJ should be GRANTED IN PART and DENIED IN PART and Defendant’s Motion should be GRANTED IN PART and DENIED IN PART. I. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND1 On August 24, 2019, Plaintiff Ryan Denton (“Plaintiff” or “Denton”) went to the El Paso Downtown Art and Farmers Market in Union Plaza (“Market”) and tried to share his religion with members of the public by “proselytiz[ing] through literature distribution, consensual conversation,

and unamplified preaching.” (ECF No. 43:8–9.) Defendant City of El Paso (“Defendant” or “El Paso”), which operates the Market through its Museums and Cultural Affairs Department, denied Plaintiff the opportunity to proselytize. (Id. at 8–10.) After the parties failed to resolve the issue by letter correspondence, Plaintiff filed this action on March 27, 2020. (Id. at 11); (ECF No. 1.) Plaintiff’s Complaint alleges that Defendant’s “barring First Amendment expression and religious proselytizing” within and during the Market (“Policy”)2 “violat[ed] his constitutional rights to free speech, free exercise of religion, and due process.” (ECF No. 43:11.) On April 3, 2020, Plaintiff requested a preliminary injunction to enjoin Defendant from executing the Policy. (ECF No. 6:8.) On July 28, 2020, the Court denied Plaintiff’s request by reasoning that he “ha[d] not made a clear showing of his likelihood of success on the merits of any

of his claims, nor ha[d] he made a clear showing of imminent, irreparable harm” as required for a preliminary injunction (“PI Order”). (ECF No. 25:33.) Plaintiff appealed the PI Order. (ECF No. 26.) On July 6, 2021, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals vacated the PI Order, reasoning that Plaintiff met the requirements for a preliminary injunction in part by demonstrating a likelihood of success on the merits of his free speech claim and a substantial threat of irreparable harm. (ECF

1 While recounting the factual and procedural background, the Court addresses only the facts relevant to the immediate Report and Recommendation.

2 The Court treats the Policy to include: (1) an El Paso Museums and Cultural Affairs Department document titled “About the Downtown Artist and Farmers Market” (ECF No. 43-1:17–27); (2) Defendant’s statements and admissions (ECF Nos. 9, 11); and (3) the parties’ statement of undisputed facts (ECF No. 20:3). See (ECF No. 43:8–11); Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(c), (e) advisory committee’s note to 2010 amendment; W.D. Tex. Civ. R. 7(d)(2); Morgan v. Fed. Express Corp., 114 F. Supp. 3d 434, 437 (S.D. Tex. 2015) (holding that a court may accept the movant’s facts as undisputed when the nonmovant does not respond to a summary judgment motion). No. 30:2, 8–9.) The Fifth Circuit remanded the case back to this Court with instructions to grant the preliminary injunction, and on July 27, 2021, the Court did so. (Id.); (ECF No. 31.) On February 4, 2022, the undersigned conducted a mediation with the parties, which did not result in resolution. (ECF No. 41.)

On March 1, 2022, each party filed its instant Motion. (ECF Nos. 43, 44.) Plaintiff’s MSJ seeks summary judgment on his claims that Defendant’s Policy violated his rights to free speech, free exercise, and due process. (ECF No. 43:13.) In Defendant’s Motion, Defendant argues that its Policy has been modified such that “Plaintiff has already obtained the relief sought from this Court,” and so, Defendant “moves that this Court enter whatever injunctive relief it believes is appropriate, and/or issue an order that would dismiss this case for mootness.” (ECF No. 44:1–3.)3 Defendant also seeks to pay Plaintiff’s requested nominal damages and asks the Court to deny or modify an award of attorney’s fees. (Id. at 2–3.) II. LEGAL STANDARDS a. Summary Judgment

Summary judgment is appropriate when “the movant shows that there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(a). “A fact is ‘material’ if and only if proof of its existence might affect the outcome of the case.” Roy v. City of Monroe, 950 F.3d 245, 254 (5th Cir. 2020). “There exists a ‘genuine dispute’ about a material fact . . . when the evidence would allow a reasonable jury to return a verdict for the nonmovant.” Id.

3 Although Defendant states that it has changed its Policy over the course of this litigation, Plaintiff’s MSJ concerns the Policy as it existed on August 24, 2019, the date of the alleged rights violations. (ECF Nos. 43:9–11, 44:1–2.) Thus, for purposes of evaluating Plaintiff’s MSJ, the Court looks at the original Policy. The Court will then separately consider Defendant’s arguments regarding its subsequent changes to the Policy. A party seeking summary judgment bears the initial burden of proving the absence of a genuine issue of material fact. Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 323 (1986). Once the movant carries that burden, the burden shifts to the nonmovant to show the existence of a genuine issue for trial. Id. at 323–25. The ultimate inquiry is whether the evidence is “so one-sided that

one party must prevail as a matter of law.” Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 251– 52 (1986). In ruling on a motion for summary judgment, “[c]ourts must view the evidence in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party and draw all reasonable inferences in that party’s favor.” Cadena v. El Paso Cnty., 946 F.3d 717, 723 (5th Cir. 2020). Courts, however, “refrain from making credibility determinations or weighing the evidence.” Turner v. Baylor Richardson Med. Ctr., 476 F.3d 337, 343 (5th Cir. 2007). When there is no response to a motion for summary judgment, the court may not grant a default summary judgment but may accept the movant’s evidence as undisputed. Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(e) advisory committee’s note to 2010 amendment; Morgan v. Fed. Express Corp., 114 F. Supp. 3d 434, 437 (S.D. Tex. 2015); see W.D. Tex. Civ. R.

7(d)(2). b. Mootness “A claim is moot when a case or controversy no longer exists between the parties.” Brinsdon v. McAllen Indep. Sch.

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Bluebook (online)
Denton v. Cityof El Paso, Texas, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/denton-v-cityof-el-paso-texas-txwd-2022.