Doe v. United States

58 Fed. Cl. 479, 2003 U.S. Claims LEXIS 331, 2003 WL 22703210
CourtUnited States Court of Federal Claims
DecidedNovember 14, 2003
DocketNo. 02-31 C
StatusPublished
Cited by17 cases

This text of 58 Fed. Cl. 479 (Doe v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Court of Federal Claims primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Doe v. United States, 58 Fed. Cl. 479, 2003 U.S. Claims LEXIS 331, 2003 WL 22703210 (uscfc 2003).

Opinion

OPINION

DAMICH, Chief Judge.

I. Introduction

Before the Court are Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss and, in the Alternative, for Summary Judgment (hereinafter “Def.’s Mot.”), and Plaintiff’s response and cross-motion for partial summary judgment (hereinafter “Pl.’s Resp.”). The United States (Defendant) seeks dismissal of the portion of count I based on the Assets Forfeiture Fund statute (hereinafter “AFF”) and seeks summary judgment on the breach of contract and unjust enrichment claims that John Doe (Plaintiff) has asserted against it. Plaintiff claims that Defendant has breached a contract that Defendant, through its agency, the Drug Enforcement Administration (hereinafter “DEA”), had allegedly entered into with Plaintiff for the purpose of obtaining information on certain drug activities. Because Plaintiff has not been able to create a genuine issue as to a material fact regarding the elements of an implied-in-fact contract, summary judgment for Defendant is appropriate on the breach of contract aspect of count I and on count II. Further, dismissal of the AFF portion of count I is appropriate because this Court lacks jurisdiction to hear claims based on that statute.

For the reasons set forth herein, Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss, and in the Alternative, for Summary Judgment is hereby GRANTED.

II. Background

On July 17, 1995, Plaintiff signed a Cooperating Individual Agreement (hereinafter “Agreement”) with Defendant.1 Am. Compl. Ex. 1 (hereinafter “Compl.”). In this Agreement, Plaintiff acknowledged that he would not violate criminal laws and that he may be asked to testify in court. Pl.’s Resp. to the Order of Aug. 23, 2002 Ex. 1. The Agreement did not set forth any obligations for Defendant. Id. Plaintiff alleges that, at the same time, Defendant, through its agents. Carlos Teixeira and Jessica Mason, also made an oral contract with him. Compl. ¶ 7; Pl. John Doe’s Supp. Br. Ex. 1 (hereinafter “Pl.’s Supp. Br.”); 2003 Aff. of Pl. John Doe ¶ 4 (hereinafter “Pl.’s Aff.”). Plaintiff claims that this alleged contract required the DEA to pay Plaintiff 25% of the value of any seizures effectuated through information received from Plaintiff. Pl.’s Aff.¶ 4. Defendant denies that such a contract exists. Def.’s Mot. at 8.

Plaintiff was arrested on drug charges on October 26,1999, and, on November 19,1999. he was indicted for alleged violations of 21 U.S.C. § 952(a) and 18 U.S.C. § 2. Compl. ¶¶ 13-14. Plaintiff based his defense on public authority because he “believed that he was acting as an agent of [DEA] and had no intentions to commit a crime.” Id. Ex. 3, ¶ 5. Plaintiff was thereafter acquitted of all [481]*481charges in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Id. ¶ 15. Despite this acquittal, the DEA claims that Plaintiff was not working as a DBA informer during the activities for which Plaintiff was indicted and, on that basis, it revoked any award for which he might have been eligible as a result of his work as an informer. DPFUF ¶¶ 14-15.

On April 18, 2001, Plaintiff filed suit against the United States Department of Justice in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. The case was transferred to this Court on January 9, 2002, because the district court lacked subject matter jurisdiction, as the claim was for a breach of contract claim over $10,000 against the federal government and such jurisdiction lies exclusively in this Court under the Tucker Act, 28 U.S.C. § 1491, et seq. Plaintiff alleges that the indictment was part of a malicious plan to avoid paying him the awards previously owed him. Compl. ¶ 17. He seeks reinstatement of the awards, compensation for time spent in federal prison while awaiting trial, and the costs of defending his criminal case. Id. ¶¶ 26-27.

Defendant filed the present motion on November 26, 2002. The motion originally sought dismissal of counts I and II of Plaintiffs complaint, or, in the alternative, summary judgment on count I. The Court later denied Defendant’s motion to dismiss count I for lack of jurisdiction over the breach of contract claim, and Defendant withdrew its motion to dismiss count II. On January 13, 2003, Plaintiff cross-moved for partial summary judgment for $199,800, the amount that the DEA had allegedly told Plaintiff it would pay for information that led to a seizure of $1.8 million. Pl.’s Resp. at 17.2

III. Analysis

A. Motion to Dismiss Count I — The AFF Statute

Plaintiff alleges that this Court has jurisdiction to hear claim I under (1) 28 U.S.C. § 524(c), known as the Assets Forfeiture Fund statute; and (2) the Tucker Act, 28 U.S.C. § 1491(a)(1). Defendant has moved to dismiss the portion of count I that is based on the AFF, and this motion must be granted because this Court has no jurisdiction over claims brought pursuant to the AFF.

The AFF statute created a fund that can be used for law enforcement purposes. 28 U.S.C. § 524(c)(1). For the Court of Federal Claims to have jurisdiction under the AFF statute, it must be money-mandating. 28 U.S.C. § 1491(a)(1); United States v. Mitchell, 463 U.S. 206, 216-17, 103 S.Ct. 2961, 77 L.Ed.2d 580 (1983). Therefore, if the payment of money under the AFF is discretionary, the Court of Federal Claims will have no jurisdiction over it.

The terms of the AFF explicitly place complete discretion with the Government as to when an award will be made. Although the statute provides that the Asset Forfeiture Fund shall be available for “the payment of awards for information or assistance directly relating to violations of the criminal drugs laws,” 28 U.S.C. § 524(c)(1)(B), the statute also requires that “[a]ny award paid from the Fund ... shall be paid at the discretion of the Attorney General or his delegate, under existing departmental delegation policies for the payment of awards.” 28 U.S.C. § 524(c)(2) (emphasis added).

Plaintiff, however, argues that the AFF statute is money-mandating. His argument is based on an analogy between the AFF and the Tariff Act of 1930, 19 U.S.C. § 1619, which requires the payment of awards to claimants who have met specific statutory conditions of providing “original information involving a violation of the customs or navigation laws that has led to the recovery of a fine, penalty, or property.” Doe v. United States, 100 F.3d 1576, 1582 (Fed.Cir.1996).

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Bluebook (online)
58 Fed. Cl. 479, 2003 U.S. Claims LEXIS 331, 2003 WL 22703210, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/doe-v-united-states-uscfc-2003.