Miller v. IPRA Custodian

District Court, D. New Mexico·Decided March 29, 2022·No. 1:21-cv-00473·Unknown

Opinion

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF NEW MEXICO TESS MILLER and CHRISTOPHER JENKINS,

Plaintiffs, vs. No. CIV 21-0473 JB/LF

IPRA CUSTODIAN; APD RECORDS CUSTODIAN; CIVILIAN POLICE OVERSIGHT AGENCY; CIVILIAN POLICE OVERSIGHT AGENCY BOARD; EDWARD HARNESS, Executive Director of CPOA; OFFICERS JOHN/JANE DOES; OFFICER MARTIN SMITH #2175; MICHAEL GEIER, Chief of Police; TIMOTHY M. KELLER, Mayor of the City of Albuquerque; CITY ATTORNEY ESTEBAN A. AGUILAR, JR.; SGT. FNU KENNY #2746 and ALBUQUERQUE POLICE DEPARTMENT,

Defendants.

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER ADOPTING THE MAGISTRATE JUDGE’S PROPOSED FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDED DISPOSITION AND GRANTING DEFENDANT MICHAEL GEIER’S MOTION TO DISMISS

THIS MATTER comes before the Court on the Magistrate Judge’s Proposed Findings and Recommended Disposition, filed February 22, 2022 (Doc. 24)(“PFRD”). In the PFRD, the Honorable Laura Fashing, United States Magistrate Judge for the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico, recommends: (i) granting in part Defendants Ed Harness, Martin Smith, Tim Keller, Esteban A. Aguilar, Sean Kenny, and Non-Suable Entities Civilian Police Oversight Agency, Civilian Police Oversight Agency Board, and Albuquerque Police Department’s Motion to Dismiss and for Qualified Immunity in Lieu of an Answer, filed May 28, 2021 (Doc. 9)(“Motion to Dismiss and for Qualified Immunity”); and (ii) granting Defendants Ed Harness, Martin Smith, Tim Keller, Esteban A. Aguilar, Sean Kenny, and Non-Suable Entities Civilian Police Oversight Agency, Civilian Police Oversight Agency Board, and Albuquerque Police Department’s Motion to Strike Plaintiffs’ “Amended Complaint, Names and Badge Numbers”, filed December 6, 2021 (Doc. 20)(“Motion to Strike”). The PFRD required the parties to file any objections no later than March 8, 2022. See PFRD at 19.

On March 8, 2022, Plaintiffs Tess Miller and Christopher Jenkins filed a document entitled Response to City’s Claim for Immunity, filed March 8, 2022 (Doc. 27)(“Objections”). The Court construes this submission as Objections to Magistrate Judge Fashing’s PFRD. The Court, having carefully reviewed the PFRD and Objections, will adopt Magistrate Judge Fashing’s PFRD. On March 1, 2022, after Magistrate Judge Fashing filed the PFRD, Defendant Geier filed Defendant Michael Geier’s Motion to Dismiss for Lack of Service of Process, filed March 1, 2022 (Doc. 26)(“Geier Motion”). Geier asks the Court to dismiss without prejudice the Plaintiffs’ claims against him because of lack of timely service. See Geier Motion at 5. The Plaintiffs do not respond to the Geier Motion, and the time for doing so has now passed. See D.N.M.LR-Civ. 7.4(a) (“Response must be served and filed within fourteen (14) calendar days after service of the

motion.”). “The failure of a party to file and serve a response in opposition to a motion within the time prescribed for doing so constitutes consent to grant the motion.” D.N.M.LR-Civ. 7.1(b). The Court concludes that the unopposed Geier Motion is well-taken and will grant it. LAW REGARDING OBJECTIONS TO PROPOSED FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

District courts may refer dispositive motions to a Magistrate Judge for a recommended disposition. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 72(b)(1) (“A magistrate judge must promptly conduct the required proceedings when assigned, without the parties’ consent, to hear a pretrial matter dispositive of a claim or defense . . . .”). Rule 72(b)(2) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure governs objections: “Within 14 days after being served with a copy of the recommended disposition, a party may serve and file specific written objections to the proposed findings and recommendations.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 72(b)(2). Finally, when resolving objections to a Magistrate Judge’s proposal, “[t]he district judge must determine de novo any part of the magistrate judge’s disposition that has been properly objected to. The district judge may accept, reject, or modify the recommended disposition; receive

further evidence; or return the matter to the magistrate judge with instructions.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 72(b)(3). Similarly, 28 U.S.C. § 636 provides: A judge of the court shall make a de novo determination of those portions of the report or specified proposed findings or recommendations to which objection is made. A judge of the court may accept, reject, or modify, in whole or in part, the findings or recommendations made by the magistrate judge. The judge may also receive further evidence or recommit the matter to the magistrate judge with instructions.

28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1)(c). “‘The filing of objections to a magistrate’s report enables the district judge to focus attention on those issues -- factual and legal -- that are at the heart of the parties’ dispute.’” United States v. One Parcel of Real Prop., with Buildings, Appurtenances, Improvements, and Contents, Known as: 2121 East 30th Street, Tulsa, Okla., 73 F.3d 1057, 1059 (10th Cir. 1996)(“One Parcel”)(quoting Thomas v. Arn, 474 U.S. 140, 147 (1985)). As the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit has noted, “the filing of objections advances the interests that underlie the Magistrate’s Act,[1] including judicial efficiency.” One Parcel, 73 F.3d at 1059 (citing Niehaus v. Kan. Bar Ass’n, 793 F.2d 1159, 1165 (10th Cir. 1986), superseded by statute on other grounds as stated in De Vargas v. Mason & Hanger-Silas Mason Co., 911 F.2d 1377 (10th Cir. 1990); United States v. Walters, 638 F.2d 947, 950 (6th Cir. 1981)).

1Congress enacted the Federal Magistrates Act, 28 U.S.C. §§ 631-39, in 1968. The Tenth Circuit has held “that a party’s objections to the magistrate judge’s report and recommendation must be both timely and specific to preserve an issue for de novo review by the district court or for appellate review.” One Parcel, 73 F.3d at 1060. “To further advance the policies behind the Magistrate’s Act, [the Tenth Circuit], like numerous other circuits, ha[s]

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