Estate of Sanders v. Jones

362 F. Supp. 3d 463
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Tennessee
DecidedJanuary 24, 2019
DocketNo. 1:14-cv-01239-JDB-egb
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 362 F. Supp. 3d 463 (Estate of Sanders v. Jones) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Tennessee primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Estate of Sanders v. Jones, 362 F. Supp. 3d 463 (W.D. Tenn. 2019).

Opinion

J. DANIEL BREEN, UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

*464Plaintiff, Amy Sanders, filed this action on September 16, 2014 seeking damages from Defendant, Lamar Jones, a police officer with the Decatur County, Tennessee Sherriff's Department, and others arising from Jones' arrest of Sanders in 2013. (Docket Entry ("D.E.") 1.) Before the Court is Jones' motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim under Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6). (D.E. 71.) Plaintiff has responded to the motion, (D.E. 72), and Defendant submitted a reply, (D.E. 73.)

I. BACKGROUND

This protracted lawsuit, which has witnessed numerous procedural twists and legal turns, has been considered at every level of the federal court system over its four-year lifespan. Because of its present procedural posture, the Court will briefly set forth the facts as characterized by Sanders in her complaint, along with subsequent events:

On May 22, 2013, officers of the 24th Judicial Task Force, including Jones, utilized a confidential informant and initiated a controlled drug buy from Sanders using a phone number allegedly assigned to the Plaintiff. The event was captured on video. (D.E. 1 at ¶ 6-8.) Although the video did not show Sanders' involvement due to its poor quality, the written report of the exchange erroneously attributed the drug seller's phone number and car as belonging to Plaintiff. (Id. at ¶ 8, 12-13.) Despite her lack of involvement in the purchase, Sanders was indicted for criminal conduct related to the incident. (Id. at ¶ 11.) After the grand jury returned a true bill in reliance on the inaccurate statements, Plaintiff was forced to post bail and hire counsel to defend the charges, which were ultimately dismissed. (Id. at ¶ 18, 20.)

Sanders sued Jones in this Court for damages based upon claims of false arrest, false imprisonment, and malicious prosecution, under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, as well as related state law causes of action. (Id. at ¶ 24-41.) All allegations were subsequently dismissed by the Court except the § 1983 malicious prosecution claim, which was based on a violation of the Fourth Amendment. (D.E. 33.) On interlocutory appeal, the Sixth Circuit reversed this Court's denial of summary judgment on the remaining claim. Sanders v. Jones , 845 F.3d 721 (6th Cir. 2017). However, that determination was vacated by the United States Supreme Court, based on its decision in Manuel v. City of Joliet , --- U.S. ----, 137 S.Ct. 911, 197 L.Ed.2d 312 (2017), which remanded the case to the Sixth Circuit. Sanders v. Jones , --- U.S. ----, 138 S.Ct. 640, 199 L.Ed.2d 522 (mem.) (2018). In turn, the Sixth Circuit, determining that it lacked interlocutory jurisdiction, returned the case back to this Court for further proceedings. Sanders v. Jones , 728 F. App'x 563 (6th Cir. 2018).

On April 18, 2018, the Court directed the parties to undergo mediation, (D.E. 60), and when the settlement conference was undertaken, the parties learned that Sanders had died. (D.E. 62.) Jones filed a suggestion of death, (D.E. 63), and on August 14, 2018, the Court granted the motion of Sanders' administratrix to substitute the Estate of Amy Sanders as the Plaintiff, (D.E. 66). During a subsequent status conference, the Court requested briefing by the parties on the issue of whether, under Tennessee law, the § 1983 malicious prosecution claim abated upon the death of Sanders. (D.E. 70.) Thereafter, Jones *465moved to dismiss the lawsuit, to which Plaintiff responded.

II. LEGAL STANDARD

Rule 12(b)(6) permits a court to dismiss a complaint for "failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted...." Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6). In determining whether dismissal under the Rule is appropriate, "[t]he complaint is viewed in the light most favorable to [the plaintiff]; the allegations in the complaint are accepted as true, and all reasonable inferences are drawn in [her] favor." Gavitt v. Born , 835 F.3d 623, 639-40 (6th Cir. 2016) (citing Jelovsek v. Bredesen , 545 F.3d 431, 434 (6th Cir. 2008) ). However, the Court is not required to "accept as true legal conclusions or unwarranted factual inferences." Morgan v. Church's Fried Chicken , 829 F.2d 10, 12 (6th Cir. 1987).

"The purpose of Rule 12(b)(6) is to allow a defendant to test whether, as a matter of law, the plaintiff is entitled to legal relief even if everything alleged in the complaint is true." Mayer v. Mylod , 988 F.2d 635, 638 (6th Cir. 1993) (citing Nishiyama v. Dickson Cty., Tennessee , 814 F.2d 277, 279 (6th Cir. 1987) ). In this case, the Defendant maintains that the deceased's federal claim does not survive her death.

III. ANALYSIS

Title 42 U.S.C. § 1983 provides in pertinent part as follows:

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