Kellum v. Bernalillo County

250 F. Supp. 3d 846, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 121385
CourtDistrict Court, D. New Mexico
DecidedJanuary 27, 2017
DocketNo. CIV 14-00163 RB/CG
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 250 F. Supp. 3d 846 (Kellum v. Bernalillo County) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. New Mexico primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Kellum v. Bernalillo County, 250 F. Supp. 3d 846, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 121385 (D.N.M. 2017).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

ROBERT C. BRACK, UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

This matter is before the Court on Defendants Timothy Trapp, Kaaki Garner, Stephanie Breen, Taileigh Sanchez and Correctional Healthcare Companies’ Fed. R. Civ. P. 56 Motion for Summary Judgment Seeking Dismissal of Federal Claims Against it for Damages Based upon Eighth Amendment Violations, filed on December 7, 2016. (Doc. 242.) Jurisdiction arises under 28 U.S.C. §§ 1331 and 1367. Having considered the submissions of counsel and relevant law, the Court will DENY Defendants’ motion.

I. Factual and Procedural Background 1

Ms. Kristine Kellum (Plaintiff) pleaded guilty to certain drug trafficking charges on October 1, 2010. (Docs. 242-1 at 3; 242 ¶¶ 1, 4; 247 ¶¶ 1, 4.) Judge Sheppard with the Second Judicial District Court entered a judgment, imposing a sentence that included 9 years (suspended), 5 years supervised probation, 60 days pre-sentence credit, and 2 years parole. (Docs. 242-1 at 3; 242 ¶ 4; 24711114, A; 251 ¶ A.)

Plaintiff violated her probation on April 10, 2012. (Docs. 242-1 at 3; 247-13 ¶ 3; 242 ¶ 5; 247 ¶¶ 5, B; 251 ¶ B.) The district court issued a warrant, Plaintiff was arrested, and the district court conducted a probation violation hearing on May 31, 2012. (Docs. 242-1 at 2-3; 247-13 ¶ 3; 242 ¶ 5; 247 ¶ 5.) The district court revoked Plaintiff’s probation and reinstated her probation on new terms. (Docs. 242-1 at 2; 247-13 ¶ 5; 242 ¶ 5; 247 ¶5.) Plaintiff’s new probation terms, recorded in an Order Setting Conditions of Release, did not include a requirement to participate in a Drug Court program. (Docs. 247-2; 247-13 ¶ 5; 247 ¶¶ C-D; 2511111 C-D.)

Plaintiff violated her probation again on June 15, 2012, when she was arrested for driving while intoxicated and speeding. (Docs. 242-1 at 2; 247-13 ¶ 6; 242 ¶ 6; 247 [848]*848¶¶ 6, E; 251 ¶ E.) At the resulting July 17, 2012 -probation violation hearing, the district court reinstated her probation with a new condition: Plaintiff was to attend Drug Court. (Docs. 242-1 at 2; 247-3- 247-4; 247-5; 247-13 ¶8; 242 ¶ 6; 247 ¶¶6, E-G; 251 ¶¶ E-G.) The district court’s 1st Amended Order of Probation imposed a “special condition,” which required Plaintiff to “successfully complete the Drug Court Program.” (Docs. 247-7 at 2; 247 ¶ H; 251 ¶ H.) Under the terms of the 1st Amended Order of Probation, Plaintiff agreed that-her “Probation Officer ha[d] the authority to have [her] arrested without a warrant” if she “violate[d] any one of the conditions of this Order during the time of [her] probation.” (Docs. 247-7 at 3; 247 ¶ H; 251 ¶ H.)

Plaintiff asserts that when she enrolled in the Drug Court Program, she signed an agreement which provided for certain automatic sanctions.2 (Doc. 247-13'¶ 11; see also Docs. 247-12 ¶¶ 8, 10-11; 247 ¶ Q; 251 ¶ Q3.) On September 26, 2012, an “Order on Drug Court Violation” and “Drug Court Remand Order” were entered, and Plaintiff served three days at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) for a “violation of [the] conditions of [her] release.” (Docs. 242-1; 247-9; see also Docs. 247-13 ¶ 13; 247 ¶1; 251 ¶'1.) There is no evidence that the court held or required a probation violation hearing for this sanction, and Plaintiff asserts that “it was an automatic sanction according to the Drug Court Agreement.” (Doc. 247-13 ¶ 13; see also Docs. 247-8; 247-9; 247 ¶ J; 251 ¶ J.)

Early in October 2012, Plaintiff failed to report to her probation officer, call in daily to report her status, or submit to urinalysis as required. (Docs. 247-13 ¶ 14; 247 ¶K; 251 UK.) Consequently, the district court entered an “Order on Drug Court Violation” and “Drag Court Remand Order” on October 17,2012, remanding Plaintiff to “the custody of the [MDC] ... until completion of’ the Addiction Treatment Program (ATP). (Docs. 247-10; 247-11; see also Docs.'242 ¶8; 247 ¶¶ 8, L; 251 ¶ L.) The ATP is a- four-week .program based at the MDC that uses therapy, education, “relapse prevention planning,” and “living skills groups” to help individuals “who have been identified as having addiction- treatment needs .... ” Addiction Treatment Program, available at http:// www.berneo.gov/addiction-and-treatment-services/addiction-treatment-program.aspx (last accessed Jan. 26, 2017). On October 17, 2012, Plaintiffs probation officer arrested Plaintiff, transported her to the MDC, and remanded her into the MDC’s custody. (Docs. 247-13 ¶ 16; 242 ¶ 7; 247 ¶¶ 7, M; 251 ¶ M.) Again, there is no evidence that the court held or required a probation violation hearing for this sanction.

Plaintiff asserts that the arrest and' remand to the MDC was in accordance with the 1st Amended Order of Probation and the terms of the agreement she had signed, (Docs. 247-7; 247-13 ¶ 17; 242 ¶ 8; 247 ¶¶8, T; 251 HT.) Plaintiff submitted an affidavit from Ms. Catherine Hartman, [849]*849the Supervisor of the Second Judicial District Drug Court, who stated that “[participants in the Drug Court program do not have to go before a Judge for [a].¡hearing in order for sanctions, such as remand to MDC, to be imposed for violation, of Drug Court program rules.” (Docs. 247-12 ¶ 13; 247 ¶ P; 251 ¶ P.)

II. Summary Judgment Standard of Review

Summary judgment is appropriate when the Court, viewing the record in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party, determines, “that there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact, and the mov-ant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(a); see also Garrison v. Gambro, Inc., 428 F.3d 933, 935 (10th Cir. 2005). A fact is “material” if it could influence the determination' of the suit. Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 248, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986). A dispute over a material fact is “genuine” if a reasonable trier of fact could return a verdict for either party. Id. The moving party bears the initial responsibility of “showing] that there is an absence of evidence to support the nonmov-ing party’s case.” Bacchus Indus., Inc. v. Arvin Indus., Inc., 939 F.2d 887, 891 (10th Cir. 1991) (quoting Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 325, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986)).

Once the moving party meets this , burden, Rule 56(e) “requires the nonmoving party to go beyond the pleadings and by her own affidavits, or by the depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file, designate specific facts showing that there is a genuine issue for trial.” Celotex, 477 U.S. at 324, 106 S.Ct. 2548 (quoting Fed. R. Civ. P. 56

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250 F. Supp. 3d 846, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 121385, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kellum-v-bernalillo-county-nmd-2017.