N.E.W. v. Kennard

952 F. Supp. 714, 1997 WL 27078
CourtDistrict Court, D. Utah
DecidedJanuary 7, 1997
Docket94-C-148 W
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 952 F. Supp. 714 (N.E.W. v. Kennard) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Utah primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
N.E.W. v. Kennard, 952 F. Supp. 714, 1997 WL 27078 (D. Utah 1997).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM & ORDER

BOYCE, United States Magistrate Judge.

Plaintiffs, N.E.W. AND C.M.W., et al„ filed this action against Salt Lake County Sheriff Aaron D. Kennard and Salt Lake County under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 alleging that the policy of the Salt Lake County Metro Jail prohibiting persons younger than eight years old from visitation with inmates was unconstitutional and denied plaintiffs due process and equal protection of the law. Plaintiff Clifford Perry was, at the time the suit was filed, an inmate, pretrial detainee, at the Metro Jail. C.M.W. is under 8 years of age and is the natural’ child of Perry and plaintiffs next friend S.M.W. N.E.W. is a minor child less than 8 years of age. She was bom January 10, 1994 and is the minor child of Perry and S.M.W. N.E.W. was bom while Perry was incarcerated. Perry, because of the metro jail visitation policy, was denied visitation of the children. The policy is metro jail policy and procedures 7705.04. The policy allowed visitation by children under eight years old by approval of the “Jail Command.” Jail visits are non-contact. Plaintiffs sought injunctive relief and compensatory and exemplary damages.

On February 4,1994, the parties stipulated Perry could have visitation with his children and a motion for a temporary restraining order was then deemed moot (File Entry # 11). Defendants filed an answer and challenged plaintiff’s standing, contending the policy was not being applied to them.

On August 24,1994 the N.E.W. case # 94-C-148 W was consolidated with # 94-C-563 S in which W.R. and V.R.. were plaintiffs. # 94-C-148 W is the case assignment. The defendants made a motion to dismiss the actions. The court dismissed damage actions against the defendants Kennard and Glad. 1 The court dismissed injunctive and declaratory claims of the minor children based on due process allegations. The court retained the damage claims against Salt Lake County on the basis of contentions of natural due process and equal protection violations.

Thereafter, plaintiffs made a motion for. summary judgment (File Entry # 57). Plaintiffs asked for $1.00 damages each against Salt Lake County. The issue of injunctive and declaratory relief had been dismissed. Plaintiffs submitted a memorandum in support of their motion for summary *716 judgment (File Entry # 58). The defendant, Salt Lake County, made a motion for summary judgment and submitted a memorandum (File Entry # 60). Salt Lake County, also made a motion to strike, from summary judgment consideration, a newspaper article which was submitted with plaintiffs motion for summary judgment. The newspaper article is hearsay not otherwise reliable or admissible and is stricken. It will not be considered on the motion for summary judgment. Salt Lake County also filed a memorandum in opposition to plaintiffs’ motion for summary judgment (File Entry #61) and plaintiff filed a memorandum in opposition to Salt Lake County’s motion for summary judgment (File Entry #67).

The case has been referred to the magistrate judge under 28 U.S.C. § 636(c); F.R.C.P. 73 on consent of the parties for full disposition by the magistrate judge.

Factual Matter Related to Plaintiffs’ Motion For Summary Judgment

The plaintiffs submitted a statement of undisputed facts with their memorandum in support of summary judgment. D. Utah Rule 202(b)(4). Plaintiffs state that plaintiff Perry was incarcerated in the Salt Lake County Metro Jail in September, 1993 and remained in the jail until he was sentenced in March 1994.' Perry had lived with S.M.W. and helped to raise C.M.W. Perry and S.M.W. produced N.E.W. as their biological offspring, born on January 10,1994.

In October 1993, S.M.W. and C.M.W. went to the jail to visit Perry. The on duty officer asked S.M.W. to leave, citing jail policy preventing young children from visiting jail inmates. S.M.W. believed that there was no procedure whereby the child could visit Perry and C.M.W. was not brought to the jail again. S.M.W. only sought a non-contact visit.

In September, 1993, C.B. brought W.R. to visit her father, Rudy Remora, a pretrial, detainee. The jail officer on duty refused the visit citing that children under eight could not visit inmates. The officer did not disclose alternative means by which visitation could occur. The officer was apparently an operational level staff officer.

After S.M.W. was turned away, Perry filed two grievances with the jail (Exhibit E & F). He sought to have C.M.W. be allowed to visit Perry. The request was denied by staff personnel. On January 18, 1994, eight days after N.E.W.’s birth, Perry filed a grievance asking that N.E.W. be allowed a special visit, which was denied. Jail Policy Rule 7705.04, in effect at the time provided:

No visitors under age eight are permitted in the visiting or waiting areas at any time---- (b) [Ejxceptions must be approved by the Jail Command.

Rule 7705.05 on special visits provides two other exceptions to the visitation rule, but these exceptions were not applicable to the plaintiff’s situation. A set of jail rules issued to inmates states that visitation by children under eight is not allowed. Signs also advised visitors that children zero to seven could not visit. Apparently, no reference was made to the exception with permission of the jail command.

Perry filed this lawsuit on February 4, 1994. During a hearing for a temporary injunction on February 15, 1994 the defendants agreed to allow Perry two thirty minute visits a week with his children. On April 6,1994 the Metro Jail issued a memorandum advising that special visits between prisoners and their children would be allowed and in June 1994, Rule 7705.04 was modified to make clear that visits between inmates and their children could occur. The policy now in Rule 8120.03(2) stated “children under age 8 may visit as a special visit. Contact Jail Administration for arrangements.” Under the new policy visiting with children was allowed during morning hours, at times not open to regular visitation. Signs were posted indicating visiting of children was allowed. No problems have been experienced, except increased workload for staff. The demands were not prohibitive and no administrative problems have been encountered. Prior to the clarification of the policy, special visits were requested three or four times, two were granted and one involving a federal prisoner was refused.

*717 The defendants submitted a memorandum in opposition to summary judgment (File Entry # 66). The defendants challenged some of the essential facts. However, defendants contend since February or March, 1992 special visits have been allowed and offered facts in two instances. Inmates could obtain special visits from jail staff or become informed on reading the rules. If a visiting facility was available at the time of the request, visitation would be allowed.

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Bluebook (online)
952 F. Supp. 714, 1997 WL 27078, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/new-v-kennard-utd-1997.