Dolin on Behalf of ND v. West

22 F. Supp. 2d 1343, 1998 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20427, 1998 WL 661326
CourtDistrict Court, M.D. Florida
DecidedSeptember 21, 1998
Docket97-757-CIV-ORL-18B
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 22 F. Supp. 2d 1343 (Dolin on Behalf of ND v. West) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, M.D. Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Dolin on Behalf of ND v. West, 22 F. Supp. 2d 1343, 1998 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20427, 1998 WL 661326 (M.D. Fla. 1998).

Opinion

ORDER GRANTING MOTIONS TO DISMISS

G. KENDALL SHARP, District Judge.

Robin Abraham Dolin (“Ms.Abraham”) brings this civil rights action for (1) damages pursuant to 42 U.S.C. §§ 1983, 1988, 13981, (2) injunctive relief under 42 U.S.C. §§ 1983,-1988, (3) declaratory relief under 28 U.S.C. § 2201, and (4) damages under various state law theories. Ms. Abraham alleges that the defendants conspired to terminate Ms.- Abraham’s contact with her daughter, N.D. Several of the defendants, including Dr. Deborah Day (Doc. # 73), Psychological Affiliates, Inc. (Doe. # 114), Dr. Matthew Seibel (Doc. # 75), Mr. Hal Uhrig (Doe. # 65), Dr. Philip Dolin (Doc. # 64), Dr. Ralph Underwager (Doc. # 99), The Institute for Psychological Therapies, Inc. (Doc. # 99), Orange County Sheriff Kevin Beary (Doc. #84), and Dr. Nancy Sutherlin (Doc. # 117), move for dismissal, arguing on grounds of immunity and failure to state a claim. The defendant Mr. David Sims (Doc. # 69) also moves for dismissal or, alternatively, for summary judgment. After reviewing the record and the applicable law, the court finds that the defendants’ motions should be granted on grounds of immunity and on the merits.

I. Background

Dr. Philip Dolin and the plaintiff, Robin Abraham Dolin (“Ms.Abraham”), married September 1, 1986 and from that marriage had a child, N.D., born July 6, 1989. Shortly after the child’s birth, the couple divorced with Ms. Abraham receiving custody of N.D. (Pis.’ V. Am. Compl. ¶¶ 41, 42.)

On July 9, 1993, Ms. Abraham sought relief in state court to suspend Dr. Dolin’s visitation rights with N.D., alleging that Dr. Dolin had physically abused Ms. Abraham and sexually abused N.D. Dr. Dolin moved for residential custody of N.D.; arguing that Ms. Abraham’s allegations were false and that Ms. Abraham was alienating N.D. from Dr. Dolin. On October 26, 1993 following several days of hearings, Judge Stroker of Florida’s Ninth Judicial Circuit awarded residential custody of N.D. to Dr. Dolin. (Pis.’ V. Am. Compl. ¶¶ 76,102,106.)

The child custody dispute and investigation of child sexual abuse continued for several more years until Dr. Dolin sought to terminate Ms. Abraham’s visitation rights in 1997. (Pis.’ Y. Am. Compl. ¶ 157.) After receiving evidence from court appointed psychologists and the parties, Judge Stroker terminated Ms. Abraham’s right to visit with N.D. on July 17, 1997, finding that Ms. Abraham violated the court’s previous orders by failing to foster a loving relationship between Dr. Do-lin and N.D and that Ms. Abraham suffered from a mental disorder. (Pis.’ V. Am. Compl. ¶ 165.) Ms. Abraham then brought the present action alleging that Dr. Dolin sexually abused N.D. and physically abused Ms. Abraham, and that Dr. Dolin, Dr. Dolin’s attorney, Judge Stroker, the Orlando Department of Children & Families, the Orange County Sheriffs Office, Orange County Hospital personnel, the Orlando Child Protection Team, and the other defendants all conspired to conceal evidence of the abuse and terminate Ms. Abraham’s contact with N.D.

Ms. Abraham makes several allegations to link the defendants as conspirators. Dr. Philip Dolin allegedly conspired with the other defendants by using his authority as an emergency room doctor to cover-up evidence of child sex abuse. (Pis.’ V. Am. Compl. ¶¶ 59, 60, 82, 115, 121, 174.) Dr. Dolin’s attorney, Mr. Hal Uhrig, allegedly conspired against Ms. Abraham by submitting a fraudulent polygraph report into evidence during the state court proceedings, by stating that Ms. Abraham suffers from a psychological *1348 disorder, and by recommending her arrest. (Pis.’ V. Am. Compl. ¶¶ 82, 107, 115, 121, 135, 146,174, 243.)

Dr. Day and Dr. Sutherlin are alleged conspirators because they served as court appointed psychologists, spoke with the other defendants, provided testimony that Ms. Abraham suffered from “Contemporary Style Munchausen’s Syndrome,” and recommended termination of contact between Ms. Abraham and N.D. (Pis.’ V. Am. Compl. ¶¶ 115, 121, 129, 165, 174.) Dr. Day also recommended Ms. Abraham’s arrest. (Pis.’ V. Am. Compl. ¶ 94.) Further, Dr. Sutherlin allegedly testified during the state court proceedings that she was a licensed psychologist when in fact she was not. (Pis.’ V. Am. Compl. ¶¶ 18,109, 110,121,131.)

Dr. Underwager was retained by Dr. Dolin as an expert psychologist. He spoke with the various parties and provided testimony that Ms. Abraham’s contact with N.D. should be terminated because Ms. Abraham suffered from “Contemporary Style Munchau-sen’s Syndrome.” (Pis.’ V. Am. Compl. ¶¶ 115,121,129,165,174.)

Psychological Affiliates, Inc. is allegedly part of the conspiracy because Dr. Day is an executive officer of the organization. (Pis.’ V. Am. Compl. ¶¶ 7, 8, 234-41.) Similarly, the Institute for Psychological Therapies, Inc. is apparently a conspirator because Dr. Underwager partially owns the Institute. (Pis.’ V. Am. Compl. ¶ 5, 6.)

Mr. Sims is an alleged conspirator because, while serving as court appointed guardian ad litem, Mr. Sims allegedly stole Ms. Abraham’s property, recommended Dr. Sutherlin to the court as a licensed psychologist when Dr. Sutherlin was not a licensed psychologist, recommended that the court terminate Ms. Abraham’s visitation rights, and recommended Ms. Abraham’s arrest. (Pis.’ V. Am. Compl. ¶ 101, 111, 113, 115, 120, 121, 162, 174.) Dr. Matthew Seibel, the medical director of the Orlando Child Protection Team, allegedly interfered with the investigation of sexual abuse by transferring the investigation from the Gainesville Child Protection Team to Orlando’s Child Protection Team and by recommending that N.D.’s pediatrician neither diagnose nor treat N.D. for sexual abuse. (Pis.’ V. Am. Compl. ¶¶ 65-67, 74, 75, 77.) Orange County Sheriff Kevin Beary is an alleged conspirator because the Orange County Sheriffs Office allegedly has a custom and policy of obstructing investigations of sexual abuse and domestic violence. (Pis.’ V. Am. Compl. ¶¶ 168,170, 188,189.)

II. Legal Discussion

Ms. Abraham brings both federal and state law claims. The federal claims against all of the defendants include a variety of constitutional claims for damages and injunctive relief pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Against all the defendants, Ms. Abraham also seeks attorneys fees pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1988 and declaratory relief under 28 U.S.C. § 2201. Ms. Abraham brings an additional federal claim against Dr. Dolin pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Further, Ms. Abraham sues all of the defendants under two state law theories, including section 415.511 of the Florida Statutes (1997) and the intentional infliction of emotional distress. Moreover, Ms. Abraham sues Dr. Day and Psychological Affiliates, Inc. for malpractice, Mr. Sims for conversion, and Dr.

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Bluebook (online)
22 F. Supp. 2d 1343, 1998 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20427, 1998 WL 661326, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/dolin-on-behalf-of-nd-v-west-flmd-1998.