Gipson v. Callahan

18 F. Supp. 2d 662, 1997 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 23139, 1997 WL 998571
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Texas
DecidedOctober 31, 1997
Docket7:97-cv-00160
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 18 F. Supp. 2d 662 (Gipson v. Callahan) 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
Gipson v. Callahan, 18 F. Supp. 2d 662, 1997 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 23139, 1997 WL 998571 (W.D. Tex. 1997).

Opinion

*664 ORDER

BUNTON, Senior District Judge.

BEFORE THE COURT, in the above-captioned cause of action, is Defendant Kenneth Callahan’s Motion to Dismiss and In the Alternative Motion for a More Definite Statement filed September 19, 1997. Also before the Court is Defendant George D. Gilles’s Motion to Dismiss Under 28 U.S.C. § 1915A and Federal Rule of Civil Procedure (FRCP) 12(b)(1), (5)-(6); Alternative Motion for Abstention; Alternative Motion for More Definite Statement under FRCP 12(e); and Alternative Motion to Require Compliance with 28 U.S.C. §§ 1446-47 and to Remand or Transfer, filed September 22, 1997. Finally, before the Court is a Motion to Dismiss or, in the alternative, Motion for a More Definite Statement, filed jointly by Defendants Marvin L. Moore, Alvin Walvoord, Russell W. Malm, Robert Stevens, and Jake Ussery on September 26, 1997. As of October 30, 1997, Plaintiff Gipson has failed to respond to any of the Defendants’ Motions. 1 After considering the Motions, the Court is of the opinion that the following Order is appropriate.

I. STANDARD OF REVIEW

When reviewing a motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim, the Court may only grant the motion if “it appears beyond doubt that the plaintiffs would not be entitled to recover under any set of facts that they could prove in support of their claim.” Crowe v. Henry, 43 F.3d 198, 203 (5th Cir.1995) (citing Conley v. Gibson, 355 U.S. 41, 45-46, 78 S.Ct. 99, 2 L.Ed.2d 80 (1957)). Defendants in Rule 12(b)(6) motions “admit[ ] the facts alleged in the complaint, but challenge[ ] plaintiffs right to relief based upon those facts.” Id. (quoting Ward v. Hudnell, 366 F.2d 247, 249 (5th Cir.1966). Therefore this Court accepts as true all factual allegations in the pleadings. Kansa Reinsurance Co. v. Congressional Mortg. Corp., 20 F.3d 1362, 1366 (5th Cir.1994). The Court need not resolve unclear questions of law in favor of the plaintiff. Id. Moreover, a successful affirmative defense may also merit dismissal under Rule 12(b)(6). And finally, in order to avoid dismissal, the plaintiff must plead specific facts — not merely conclusory allegations. Tuchman v. DSC Communications Corp., 14 F.3d 1061, 1062 (5th Cir.1994).

II. BACKGROUND

Although Gipson’s complaint is incredibly difficult to decipher, Gipson appears to allege that the Defendants violated his civil rights by their participation in a set of proceedings leading up to Gipson’s trial and jury conviction for the offense of evading detention under TexPenal Code Ann. § 38.04. On February 25,1997, Defendant Kenneth Callahan, a Midland Police officer, arrested Gipson pursuant to a traffic stop for having a fictitious automobile registration and having no front license plate. Gipson was apparently later charged with evading detention. On March 13, 1997, Defendant Marvin L Moore, a judge in the County Court at Law of Midland County, Texas, entered a plea of not guilty for Gipson when he chose not to enter his own plea on the charges. On July 28-29, 1997, Defendant Alvin Walvoord, a judge in the County Court at Law of Midland County, Texas, presided over Gipson’s jury trial for the offense of evading detention. 2 After a jury found Gipson guilty, Judge Walvoord assessed a punishment of two years probation for the offense. Defendant Jake Ussery is a Deputy of the Sheriff of Midland County, Texas. Ussery also served as Judge Walv-oord’s bailiff during Gipson’s trial. During the trial, Judge Walvoord directed Ussery to remove Gipson’s “American Flag of Peace” from the presence of the jury and to take Gipson’s thumbprint for the court’s judgment order following the jury verdict. Defendant Russell W. Malm, the County Attorney of *665 Midland County, Texas, and Defendant Robert Stevens, a Deputy District Attorney of Midland County, Texas, apparently prosecuted Gipson on the charge of evading detention. And finally, Defendant George D. Gilíes, the District Judge for the 142nd Judicial District Court in Midland, Texas, denied Gipson’s “Application for Misdemeanor Post-conviction Writ of Habeas Corpus” on August 28,1997. 3

As a result of the above proceedings, Gip-son appeal’s to have alleged the following causes of action: violations under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 (civil action for deprivation of rights), § 1985(1) (conspiracy to prevent a federal officer from performing his duties), § 1985(3) (conspiracy to violate a person’s constitutional rights and privileges), and § 1986 (civil action for neglect to prevent wrongs in 42 U.S.C. § 1985); malicious prosecution; false arrest; violations of 18 U.S.C. § 241 (conspiracy against rights), § 242 (deprivation of rights under color of law), § 872 (extortion by officers or employees of the United States), § 3 (accessory after the fact), § 1341 (frauds and swindles through the mail), § 1342 (using fictitious name and address through the mail), § 1621 (perjury), and § 1512 (obstruction of justice); violations of 28 U.S.C. § 454 (practice of law by justices and judges); violations of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Washington v. Cain
S.D. Mississippi, 2025
Hemsley v. Hawk
D. Hawaii, 2023
DAVIS v. CITY OF NEW YORK
M.D. Georgia, 2021
Anderson v. Dunbar Armored, Inc.
678 F. Supp. 2d 1280 (N.D. Georgia, 2009)
Shahin v. Darling
606 F. Supp. 2d 525 (D. Delaware, 2009)
In Re Lincoln
114 S.W.3d 724 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2003)
in Re Charles Edward Lincoln, III
Court of Appeals of Texas, 2003
Gipson v. Callahan
157 F.3d 903 (Fifth Circuit, 1998)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
18 F. Supp. 2d 662, 1997 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 23139, 1997 WL 998571, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/gipson-v-callahan-txwd-1997.