Moore v. County of Suffolk

851 F. Supp. 2d 447, 2012 WL 1059658, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 45721
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. New York
DecidedMarch 30, 2012
DocketNo. 9-CV-2031 (JFB)(AKT)
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 851 F. Supp. 2d 447 (Moore v. County of Suffolk) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Moore v. County of Suffolk, 851 F. Supp. 2d 447, 2012 WL 1059658, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 45721 (E.D.N.Y. 2012).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

JOSEPH F. BIANCO, District Judge:

Plaintiff Duane Moore (“plaintiff’) commenced this action on May 13, 2009 against defendants County of Suffolk (“County”), Town of Southampton (“Town”), Mark Epley in his official capacity as Mayor of the Village of Southampton (“Epley”), and William Wilson, Jr. in his official capacity as Chief of Police of the Southampton Village Police Department (“Wilson”) (collectively “defendants”) seeking to declare Article I, Chapter § 428 of the Suffolk County Local Law (“County Law” or “County Law § 428” or “§ 428”) and Article 1, §§ 215-1 through 215-5 of the Code of the Town of Southampton (“Town Law” or “Town Law § 215” or “ § 215”) unconstitutional and to enjoin defendants from enforcing them. County Law § 428 and Town Law § 215 prohibit sex offenders from living within certain distances of places such as schools, playgrounds, or day-care centers. Specifically, plaintiff alleges that the County and Town Laws violate the Ex Post Facto Clause and the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses of the 14th Amendment. Plaintiff further argues that New York State law preempts these local laws. Plaintiff seeks compensatory, declaratory, and injunctive relief against defendants.

The County moves to dismiss, arguing that the court should abstain from deciding the state preemption claims under the Pullman doctrine. See generally Railroad Comm’n of Texas v. Pullman Co., 312 U.S. 496, 61 S.Ct. 643, 85 L.Ed. 971 (1941). The County argues, in the alternative, that the Court should dismiss the federal law claims and decline to exercise supplemental jurisdiction over the state law claim. The County further argues that the plaintiff lacks standing to challenge the County law without simultaneously challenging the New York State version of the law. Finally, the County argues that the plaintiff fails to state a claim as to any of the alleged constitutional violations.

The Town moves to dismiss, also arguing that the Court should abstain from deciding the state preemption claims under the Pullman doctrine. The Town further argues that the plaintiff fails to state a claim as to any of the alleged constitu[451]*451tional violations, and that New York State law does not preempt the local law. Finally, the Town argues that the plaintiff lacks standing because he fails to allege any concrete, particularized injury-in-fact.

Defendants Epley and Wilson move to dismiss on the grounds that plaintiff fails to state a plausible claim for relief against them, and, arguing that, in any event, they are entitled to qualified immunity.

For the reasons set forth below, the Court denies defendants’ motions to dismiss on the grounds of standing and Pullman abstention. Moreover, the Court, in its discretion, intends to exercise supplemental jurisdiction over the pendent state law claim and decide the state law preemption issue first, because it is likely to render the federal constitutional claims moot. However, because the County had raised a procedural objection at one point to the Court deciding the state law preemption issue without a formal motion by plaintiff for summary judgment and injunctive relief, the Court will require plaintiff to make that motion and allow any party to make additional submissions on the state preemption issue, if they wish. Finally, the motions to dismiss the federal claims are denied without prejudice to renewal, if necessary, after the Court addresses the issue of whether the Town and County laws are preempted by New York State law under New York common law and the Municipal Home Rule Law.1

I. Background

A. Facts

The plaintiff is classified as a Level 3 sex offender under New York State’s Sex Offender Registration Act (“SORA”), N.Y. Correct. Law §§ 168 et seq. (Compl. ¶ 12.)2 Plaintiff is classified as a sex offender because, on May 21, 1982, he pled guilty to rape in the first degree and assault in the second degree in Nassau County, for which he was sentenced to 8 1/3 to 25 years and 2 1/3 to 7 years, respectively. Plaintiff was released on November 2, 2001 to parole supervision. (Compl. ¶ 15.)

On April 27, 2005, plaintiff and his fiancé jointly purchased a home located at 444 North Sea Road in the Village of Southampton. (Id. ¶ 19.) Before the plaintiff could occupy that home, the State of New York enacted legislation that prohibited convicted sex offenders who were on probation, conditional discharge, or parole from residing within 1000 feet of a day care center or school. See N.Y. Penal Law § 65.10(4-a), § 220.00(14); N.Y. Exec. Law § 259-c(14); Compl. ¶ 19. Plaintiffs home at 444 North Sea Road was located within 1000 feet of a day care center, so the New York State Division of Parole prohibited the plaintiff from residing at that location. (Compl. ¶ 19.) Plaintiff was released from parole supervision in November 2011, and thus has regained full rights to live wherever he pleases under applicable state law. (Sealed Declaration of Rudolph M. Baptiste (“Baptiste Deck”), Ex. A, Oct. 13, 2009, ECF No. 22.)

In October 2006, plaintiffs parole officer verbally granted plaintiff permission to purchase a house located at 99 Miller Road in the Village of Southampton, which is in the County of Suffolk. (Id. ¶ 20.) Plaintiff closed on the purchase on December 15, 2006 and moved into the house with his [452]*452flaneé. (Id. ¶ 21.) On December 22, 2006, plaintiffs parole officer updated plaintiffs parole conditions to reflect the change of address. (Id.) On January 3, 2007, plaintiff registered his new address with the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services, Sex Offender Registry. (Id. ¶ 22.) Two days later, plaintiff visited the Southampton Police Department and informed Detective Herman Lamison that he needed to register as a Level 3 Sex Offender. (Id.) Plaintiff provided Detective Lamison with the names and addresses of his parole officer, employer, family members, and friends, as well as his previous address and police jurisdiction. (Id.)

On January 22, 2007, the Southampton School District sent a letter to the parents of school children containing the plaintiffs photograph and details from a website informing them that a dangerous Level 3 sex offender had moved to the Town. (Id. ¶ 23.) On January 29, 2007, Epley, Wilson, County Legislator Jay Schneiderman, and approximately fifty Southampton residents held a community meeting at a local Church to discuss the plaintiffs residence at 99 Miller Road. (Id. ¶ 25.)

On February 1, 2007, three officers of the New York State Division of Parole entered plaintiffs home wearing bulletproof vests and carrying guns. (Id. ¶ 26.) Plaintiff was celebrating his birthday with his fiancée and friends. (Id.) The officers questioned all of the visitors, forced them to leave, and searched the house “extensively.” (Id.) On February 8, 2007, Wilson sent a certified letter to plaintiff stating that plaintiff was in violation of Suffolk County Law § 428 and would be expected to take “immediate action” to comply with the law. (Id. ¶ 27.)

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
851 F. Supp. 2d 447, 2012 WL 1059658, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 45721, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/moore-v-county-of-suffolk-nyed-2012.