Morgan v. United States

United States Court of Federal Claims·Decided June 30, 2017·No. 16-1510·Unpublished

Opinion

oRlCIlNAt lln tbe @nrte! $.tutes @ourt of jfe[ersl @tsrms No. l6-1510 Filed: June 30,2017 FILED :t,f *r.* ** ** * *** * *,t * * * 'i:i*:t +* **** * *** *! ** {. ** * JUN 3 0 20t7 U.S. COURT OF FEDERAL CI-AIMS WILLIAM H. MORGAN,

Plaintiff, pro se,

28 U.S.C. g 1491 (Tucker Act Jurisdiction); Rules ofthe United States Court of Federal Claims C'RCFC) 12(bX I ) (Subject Matter THE T]NITED STATES, Jurisdiction), I 2(b)(6) (Failure To State A Claim Upon Which Defendant. Relief Can Be Granted), 4l(b) (Failure to Prosecute). ,l' * :f * * * * * *,t * * + :! * * *,t,* * * * * * + * * * * * * * {. :t *+*** *

William H. Morgan, La Pine, Oregon, Plaintiff, pro se .

Isaac B. Rosenberg, united states Department of Justice, civil Division, washington, D.c., Counsel for the Government.

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND FINAL ORDER

BRADEN, ChiefJudge.

I. RELEVANTFACTUALBACKGROUND.I

on october 28,2015, the Klamath county circuit court of oregon, convicted william H. Morgan of resisting anest and contempt of court. compl. App. at Ez-sz. Mr. Morgan was sentenced to twelve months of probation and required to pay a $500 fine. compl. app. ai Ez-El.

Mr. Morgan was scheduled 1o be released from probation on october 11,2016. compl. at 2*3; compl. App. at E2-E3. on November 7,2016, Mr. Morgan called the southem oregon

I The relevant facts discussed herein are derived from the November 14,2016 Complaint ("Compl.") and attached Appendices (..Compl. App. A_E',).

?E1? 1q50 0Bn0 13qb 0e3a Monitoring Services, LLC2 to request written confirmation that he completed probation, without any violations. Compl. App. El1. The SOMS informed Mr. Morgan that he successfully completed probation on October 11,2016, however, he did not receive written confirmation. Compl. at 2-3; Compl. App. at El l.

II. PROCEDURALHISTORY.

on November 14,2016, Mr. Morgan ("Plaintiff') filed a complaint in the united states court of Federal claims against the United states, oregon Supreme court, oregon court of Appeals, Klamath county circuit court, Klamath county Defenders office, Klamath county District Attomey, and the SOMS. Compl. at 1.

The November 14,2016 Complaint alleges that the Govemment:

(1) violated the Federal Tort Claims Act, 28 U.S.C. $$ 2671-80, by acting negligently and intentionally inflicting emotional distress on plaintiff, Compl. at 2_3;

(2) violated Plaintiffs constitutional rights, including the Fourth Amendment, Eighth Amendment, Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments' Due process clauses, and Fifth Amendment's Double Jeopardy Clause, Compl. at2,4,5,6;

(3) violated Plaintiff s rights under the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Americans with Disabilities Act ("ADA"), 42 U.S.C. S 12101, Compl. at 1,3, 4,6;

(4) violated the Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. g 1051, the Hobbs Act, lS U.S.C. g l95l,and the Racketeer Influenced and Comrpt Organizations Act (,,RICO Act"i, lg U.S.C $$ 1961-68, Compl. at2, 4,5,6,7;

(5) violated the Fifth Amendment Takings clause, by taking the Morgan family property, Compl. at 6; and

(6) breached various contracts and waranties under the Contracts Dispute act C'CDA), 41 U.S.C. gg 7101-09, Compt. at 4, 5, 6. The November 14,2016 Complaint also requests the United States Court of Federal Claims to reconsider a different complaint, filed on August 2,2016.3 Compl. at 6.

. ' The Southem oregon Monitoring Services, LLC ("soMs') is a bench probation monitoring service for Klamath County Court. The SOMS monitors defendants to ensure they complete bench probation conditions, e.g. treatment, community service, and payment of court fines and fees.

Although the November 14,2016 complaint does not specify the case name or number in which the August 2,2016 complaint *as fiI"d, the court believes the referenced case is Morgan v. united states, No. 16-937. on october 24,2016, the united States Court of Federal claims dismissed Morgan, No. 16-937, pursuant to Rules of the united states court of Federal On November 14,2016, Plaintiff also filed a Motion For Leave To Proceed In Forma Pauperis. ECF No. 1. On December 16,2016, the court granted Plaintiff s motion. ECF No. 6.

On January 13,2017,the Govemment filed a Motion To Dismiss ("Gov't Mot."), pursuant to RCFCF 12(bX1) and 12(bX6). ECF No. 7. On February 22,2017, nine days after plaintiffs response was due, the court issued a Show Cause Order, to ascertain why this case should not be dismissed for failure to prosecute, pursuant to RCFC 41(b). ECF No. 8.

On March 31, 2017, Plaintiff filed a Response to the February 22,2017 Show Cause Order, but did not respond to the January 13,2017 Motion To Dismiss. ECF No. 9.

On April 4, 2017,the court issued a Scheduling Order directing Plaintiffto file a Response to the January 13,2017 Motion To Dismiss by April lS,20lj. ECF No. 10.

On May 2,2017, Plaintiff filed a Response to the January 13,2017 Motion To Dismiss ("P1. Resp."). ECFNo. 12. On May 18,201"1, the Govemment filed a Reply (,,Gov't Reply,,). ECFNo. 15.

m. DISCUSSION.

A. Jurisdiction.

The United States Court of Federal Claims has jurisdiction under the Tucker Act, 28 U.S.C. $ 1491' "to render judgment upon any claim against the United States founded either upon the constitution, or any Act of congress or any regulation of an executive department. or uDon anv express or implied contract with the United States. or lor liquidated or uniiquidated damages in cases not sounding in tort." 28u.s.c. g lagl(a\1). The Tucker Act, however, is..a iurisdictional statute; it does not create any substantive right enforceable against the United Stares for money . damages . . . [T]he Act merely confers jurisdiction upon [the United States Court of Federal claims] whenever the substantive right exists." united siates v. Testan, 424 u.s. 392, 3gg (lg7 6).

To pursue a substantive right under the Tucker Act, a plaintiff must identify and plead an independent contractual relationship, Constitutional provision, federal statute, an-d,/or executive agercy regulation that provides a substantive right to money damages. See Todd v. United States, 386 F.3d 1091, 1094 (Fed. Cir. 2004) ("[J]urisdiction under the Tuiker Act requires the liuganr to idenlif! a substantive right for money damages against the United States ."p*ut" fiom the Tucker Act[.]"); see also Fisher v. (Jnited states,4O2 F.3d 1167,1112 (Fed. cir. 2005) (en banc) (,,The TuckerAct... does not create a substantive cause ofaction; . . . a plaintiff must idintify a separate source of substantive law that creates the right to money damages. . . . [T]hat source must be 'money-mandating'"'). Specifically, a plaintiff must demonstrate that the source of subsranuve law upon which he relies "can fairly be interpreted as mandating compensation by the Federal Government[.]" Testan, 424 u.S. at 400. And, the plaintiff bears the burden oi establishins

claims ("RCFC') 12(bxl). ECF No. 13. on November 7,2016, Morgan, No. 16-937 was appealed to the united states court ofAppeals for the Federal circuit. ECFNo. 16. on April 5, 2017, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed the court,s dismissal. ECF No. 20. jurisdiction by a preponderance of the evidence. See Reynolds v. Army & Air Force Exch. Serv., 846F.2d,746,748 (Fed. Cir. 1988) ("[O]nce the [trial] courr's subject matter jurisdiction [is] put in question . . . . [the plaintiff] bears the burden of establishing subject matter jurisdiction by a preponderance of the evidence.").

B, Standard Of Review For Pra Se Litigants.

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