Haas v. Quest Recovery Services, Inc.

338 F. Supp. 2d 797, 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 19249, 2004 WL 2165894
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Ohio
DecidedSeptember 20, 2004
Docket5:04-cv-00409
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 338 F. Supp. 2d 797 (Haas v. Quest Recovery Services, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Ohio primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Haas v. Quest Recovery Services, Inc., 338 F. Supp. 2d 797, 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 19249, 2004 WL 2165894 (N.D. Ohio 2004).

Opinion

OPINION AND MEMORANDUM

GWIN, District Judge.

Defendant the State of Ohio (“Ohio”) moves this Court under Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6) to dismiss the above-captioned action for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted. Alternatively, Ohio moves to dismiss the action for lack of subject matter jurisdiction under Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(1). Plaintiffs Rachel, Carol, and Richard Haas oppose Ohio’s motion. After considering the pleadings and the applicable law, the Court GRANTS IN PART AND DENIES IN PART Ohio’s motion to dismiss and DENIES Plaintiffs’ motion for leave to file a second amended complaint.

I. Background

On March 1, 2004, Plaintiffs filed this lawsuit against Quest Recovery Services, Inc. (“Quest”) and the City of Canton, Ohio. On June 2, 2004, Plaintiffs voluntarily dismissed the City of Canton. Shortly after and on June 11, 2004, Plaintiffs filed an amended complaint. The amended complaint added Ohio as a defendant. In her amended complaint, Plaintiff Rachel Haas generally alleges that Ohio discriminated against her based on alleged physical disabilities by denying *799 access to programs provided to non-disabled individuals.

The amended complaint claims that near September 19, 2002, Rachel Haas suffered various injuries when a truck struck her all terrain vehicle. Following the accident, she underwent extensive medical treatment and physical therapy. The Ohio Highway Patrol cited Rachel Haas for driving under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident. On February 18, 2003, she pled guilty to the charges against her in Canton Municipal Court. After receiving her guilty plea, Judge Richard Ku-bilus sentenced Haas to confinement in Quest’s drug and alcohol treatment facility in Massillon, Ohio for two six-day periods beginning March 13, 2003 and April 10, 2003.

With their complaint, Plaintiffs say Quest’s facility lacked proper accommodations for Rachel Haas’ injuries, such as an elevator and disabled-accessible toilets and showers. Plaintiffs allege that Quest personnel were rude and did not approve Rachel Haas’ completion of the program.

II. Legal Standard

Ohio moves under Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(1) to dismiss Plaintiffs’ claims for lack of subject matter jurisdiction. A Rule 12(b)(1) motion can attack either the legal or the factual basis for jurisdiction. United States v. Ritchie, 15 F.3d 592, 598 (6th Cir.1994). In this case, Ohio attacks the legal basis for jurisdiction, saying that it is immune from Plaintiffs’ claims under the Eleventh Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. For purposes of deciding this motion, the Court accepts Plaintiffs’ allegations as true. Id. Although Ohio couches its Eleventh Amendment argument as an alternative basis for dismissal, the Court addresses jurisdictional arguments first.

Ohio separately seeks dismissal under Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6) for failure to sate claim. The Court grants a Rule 12(b)(6) motion when “it is clear that the plaintiff can prove no set of facts in support of [the] claim that would entitle [the plaintiff] to relief.” Miller v. Currie, 50 F.3d 373, 377 (6th Cir.1995). In deciding a motion under Rule 12(b)(6), the Court accepts all of the allegations as true and construes the complaint “liberally in favor of the party opposing the motion.” Id. While the Court accepts all well-pleaded allegations as true, the Court does not accept the “bare assertion of legal conclusions.” Columbia Natural Res., Inc. v. Tatum, 58 F.3d 1101, 1109 (6th Cir.1995). Nor does the Court accept “unwarranted factual inferences.” Morgan v. Church’s Fried Chicken, 829 F.2d 10, 12 (6th Cir.1987).

The Court will consider only the well-pleaded factual allegations in the amended complaint itself, Glicker v. Michigan Liquor Control Comm’n, 160 F.2d 96, 101 (6th Cir.1947) (“In considering the motion to dismiss we are controlled by the allegations of the Complaint.”). The Court does not “take into account additional facts asserted in a memorandum opposing the motion to dismiss, because such memoranda do not constitute a pleading under Rule 7(a).” 2 MOORE’S FEDERAL PRACTICE § 12.34[2] (3d ed.2002).

III. Discussion

Plaintiffs’ amended complaint sues Ohio under the following causes of action: (1) disability discrimination in violation of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”), 42 U.S.C. § 12132; and (2) violation of the Rehabilitation Act, 29 U.S.C. § 794(a). Ohio argues that this Court should dismiss the claims under Rule 12(b)(6) because Plaintiffs fail to state a claim against Ohio. In the alternative, Ohio argues that the Eleventh Amendment gives it immunity from Plaintiffs’ claims.

Title II of the ADA states:

*800 Subject to the provisions of this sub-chapter, no qualified individual with a disability shall, by reason of such disability, be excluded from participation in or be denied the benefits of the services, programs, or activities of a public entity, or be subjected to discrimination by any such entity.

42 U.S.C. § 12132. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act employs similar language:

No otherwise qualified individual with a disability in the United States ... shall, solely, by reason of her or his disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.

29 U.S.C. § 794(a). Although the Rehabilitation Act predates the ADA, “analyses of claims made under the two acts run roughly parallel.” Mahon v. Crowell, 295 F.3d 585, 588-89 (6th Cir.2002). The primary difference is that the Rehabilitation Act only covers programs or activities that federally-funded entities offer. McPherson v. Michigan High School Athletic Ass’n,

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338 F. Supp. 2d 797, 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 19249, 2004 WL 2165894, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/haas-v-quest-recovery-services-inc-ohnd-2004.