Deweese v. NMCYFD

CourtDistrict Court, D. New Mexico
DecidedSeptember 30, 2022
Docket1:22-cv-00632
StatusUnknown

This text of Deweese v. NMCYFD (Deweese v. NMCYFD) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. New Mexico primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Deweese v. NMCYFD, (D.N.M. 2022).

Opinion

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF NEW MEXICO LISA ANN DEWEESE and on behalf of L.H., Plaintiff, vs. No. CIV 22-0632-JB/KK Children’s, Youth and Families Department, et. al.,

Defendants. MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

THIS MATTER comes before the Court, under 28 U.S.C. § 1915 and rule 12(b)(6) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, on: (i) the Plaintiff’s Second Amended Complaint for Violation of Civil Rights, filed September 8, 2022 (Doc. 10)(“Second Amended Complaint”); 1 and (ii) the Plaintiff’s Motion to Have Defendants Served the Summons, Summons Return and Second amended Complaint, filed September 8, 2022 (Doc. 11)(“Motion for Service”). Plaintiff Lisa Ann Deweese appears pro se. For the reasons set out below, the Court will dismiss this case with prejudice for failure to state a claim. PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND Deweese initiated this case on August 25, 2022. See Civil Rights Complaint Pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983, filed August 25, 2022 (Doc. 1)(“Complaint”). Deweese used the form “Civil Rights Complaint Pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983” to file her Complaint. The Complaint names the “[New Mexico] Children’s Youth and Families Department [(“CYFD”)] et., al” as the

1Court staff have filed several documents in this case as restricted to "CASE PARTICIPANTS," because they refer to the Plaintiff’s son, L.H., who may be a minor. Defendant(s). Complaint at 1. The Complaint does not indicate the identity of the other Defendants, either in the caption or in the section “Jurisdiction,” which prompts plaintiffs to identify defendants. In her Complaint, Deweese alleges that: On 11-8-2013 my youngest son was sent into CYFD custody by his principal without grounds. On 11-13-2013 the private process server claimed that I was served the abuse/neglect petition on 11-20-2013 in the children’s court. However, this is untrue. On 12.3.2013 false claims were made that I agreed to the mediation process. . . . My right to trial was denied. I was unlawfully detained. My son was overmedicated to the point of death. They acted contrary to the Am religious freedom Restoration Act. . . . My parental rights were terminated by a children’s court judge without cause and my son was sold to a stranger. He hasn’t been allowed to go to his church or have contact with his 3 older brothers.

Complaint §§ B-C(1) at 2-3. Deweese asserts that the “JQ Judge” improperly dismissed two state court cases relating to Deweese and L.H. Complaint § D at 4-5 The Honorable Kirtan Khalsa, United States Magistrate Judge for the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico, notified Deweese that Plaintiff is asserting claims on behalf of her son. Plaintiff is not a licensed attorney authorized to practice in this Court. “A litigant may bring his own claims to federal court without counsel, but not the claims of others.” Fymbo v. State Farm Fire & Cas. Co., 213 F.3d 1320, 1321 (10th Cir. 2000); see also Kanth v. Lubeck, 123 Fed.Appx. 921, 923 n.1 (10th Cir. 2005) (stating “as a non-lawyer parent, appearing pro se, [plaintiff] may not represent his minor children in federal court”) (citing Meeker v. Kercher, 782 F.2d 153, 154 (10th Cir. 1986) (holding that “under Fed. R. Civ. P. 17(c) and 28 U.S.C. § 1654 [stating parties may plead and conduct their own cases personally or by counsel], a minor child cannot bring suit through a parent acting as next friend if the parent is not represented by an attorney”)). . . . The Complaint indicates that this action arises from events occurring in 2013. The Complaint refers to a state-court case in 2014 but does not otherwise allege any of the events or omissions giving rise to this case occurred after 2013. It appears that Plaintiff’s claims are barred by the statute of limitations. See Varnell v. Dora Consol. School Dist., 756 F.3d 1208, 1212 (10th Cir. 2014) (“for § 1983 claims arising in New Mexico the limitations period is three years, as provided in New Mexico’s statute of limitations for personal-injury claims”). . . . The Complaint fails to state a claim upon which relief can be granted because it does not state with particularity what each Defendant did to Plaintiff, when the Defendants committed these alleged unspecified actions, how those actions harmed Plaintiff, and what specific legal right secured by federal law the Plaintiff believes each Defendant violated. See Nasious v. Two Unknown B.I.C.E. Agents, at Arapahoe County Justice Center, 492 F.3d 1158, 1163 (10th Cir. 2007) (“[T]o state a claim in federal court, a complaint must explain what each defendant did to him or her; when the defendant did it; how the defendant’s action harmed him or her; and, what specific legal right the plaintiff believes the defendant violated.”).

Memorandum Opinion and Order Granting Motion to Proceed in Forma Pauperis and Order to Show Cause and for Amended Complaint at 2-3, filed August 26, 2022 (Doc. 5)(“MOO”). In the Order, Magistrate Judge Khalsa orders Deweese to: (i) “show cause why the Court should not dismiss the claims asserted on behalf of L.H.”; (ii) “show cause why the Court should not dismiss her claims as barred by the statute of limitations”; and (iii) “file an amended complaint.” MOO at 5. After Deweese submitted several documents to Magistrate Judge Khalsa’s chambers, Magistrate Judge Khalsa notified Deweese that documents which parties wish to file must be mailed or delivered in person to the Clerk of Court and any documents sent to Magistrate Judge Khalsa or her chambers for filing in this case will not be filed. See Order Regarding Communication with the Court at 1, filed September 7, 2022 (Doc. 6)(“Communications Order”). One of the documents that Deweese sent to Magistrate Judge Khalsa’s chambers was an “Amended Complaint for Violation of Civil Rights (Non-Prisoner Complaint).” See Exhibit 7 to Order Regarding Communications with the Court at 2-7, filed September 8, 2022 (Doc. 7). In Deweese’ Second Amended Complaint on September 8, 2022 (Doc. 10), she asserts § 1983 claims against CYFD and unidentified Defendants on behalf of herself and her son, but has not shown cause why the Court should not dismiss Deweese’s claims and the claims she asserts on her son’s behalf. See MOO at 5; See Generally Second Amended Complaint. Deweese also

asserts claims under Bivens v. Six Unknown Named Agents of Federal Bureau of Narcotics, 403 U.S. 388 (1971)(“Bivens”)2 against certain unidentified Defendants “who claim to be federal employees acting under the coluor [sic] of the law as it exist [sic] in reality.” Second Amended Complaint § II at 4.

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Bluebook (online)
Deweese v. NMCYFD, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/deweese-v-nmcyfd-nmd-2022.