Peterson v. Miranda

57 F. Supp. 3d 1271, 2014 WL 4828817, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 138432
District Court, D. Nevada·Decided September 29, 2014·No. No. 2:11-cv-01919-LRH-PAL·Published·Cited by 10 cases

Opinion

ORDER

LARRY R. HICKS, District Judge.

Before the court is defendants the Clark County School District (“CCSD”), Filiber-to Arroyo (“Arroyo”), Brian Nebeker (“Nebeker”), Loren Johnson (“Johnson”), and Armando Quintanilla’s (“Quintanilla”) (collectively “moving defendants”) motion for reconsideration of the court’s January 10, 2014 order denying in-part and granting in-part their motion for summary judgment (Doc. # 2541). Doc. # 257. Plaintiffs Linda and Francis Peterson (“the Petersons”) filed an opposition (Doc. # 261) to which moving defendants replied (Doc. # 265).

I. Facts and Procedural History

This action arises from the tragic death of the Petersons’ daughter, Angela Peterson.

On November 28, 2009, non-party Rebecca Wamsley (“Wamsley”), a dispatcher for the CCSD Police Department (“department”), hosted a holiday party at her home and invited members of the department and their families. Defendant Tina Zuniga (“Zuniga”) attended the holiday party with her daughter and her daughter’s eighteen (18) year old boyfriend, defendant Kevin Miranda (“Miranda”). Despite being underage, Miranda drank alcohol provided at the party. Miranda then left the party intoxicated, ran a red light, and crashed his parents’ truck into the vehicle driven by Angela Peterson, killing her. Miranda subsequently pled guilty to a category B felony, and is currently serving an eighty (80) month prison sentence.

On October 20, 2011, the Petersons filed a complaint for wrongful death against all defendants. Doc. # 1, Exhibit 1. On June 5, 2013, the Petersons filed a second amended complaint against defendants alleging thirteen causes of action: (1) negligence against all defendants; (2) negligence against Eric Miranda and Chary Alvarado Miranda (“Miranda’s parents”); (3) violation of NRS § 41.440 against Miranda’s parents; (4) violation of NRS § 41.1305 against defendants Zuniga, Cyn[1275] thia Ruelas, Mark W. Robbins, and Roberto Morales; (5) constitutional violations under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against CCSD and all CCSD employee defendants; (6) intentional infliction of emotional distress against all defendants; (7) negligent infliction of emotional distress against all defendants; (8) negligent hiring, retention, and supervision against CCSD; (9) ratification against CCSD; (10) respondent superior against CCSD; (11) punitive damages against CCSD and all CCSD employee defendants; (12) punitive damages against Miranda; and (13) civil conspiracy against CCSD and all CCSD employee defendants. See Doc. # 172.

In response, moving defendants filed a motion for summary judgment on several of the Petersons’ claims. Doc. # 202. On January 10, 2014, the court granted in-part and denied in-part moving defendants’ motion. Doc. # 254, 991 F.Supp.2d 1109 (D.Nev.2014). Thereafter, moving defendants filed the present motion for reconsideration of the court’s January order. Doc. # 257.

II. Legal Standard

A motion for reconsideration is an “extraordinary remedy, to be used sparingly in the interests of finality and conservation of judicial resources.” Kona Enters., Inc. v. Estate of Bishop, 229 F.3d 877, 890 (9th Cir.2000). Rule 59(e) provides that a district court may reconsider a prior order where the court is presented with newly discovered evidence, an intervening change of controlling law, manifest injustice, or where the prior order was clearly erroneous. Fed.R.CivP. 59(e); see also United States v. Cuddy, 147 F.3d 1111, 1114 (9th Cir.1998); Sch. Dist. No. 1J, Multnomah Cnty., Or. v. ACandS, Inc., 5 F.3d 1255, 1263 (9th Cir.1993). Further, a district court “possesses the inherent procedural power to reconsider, rescind, or modify an interlocutory order” for sufficient cause. City of Los Angeles, Harbor Div. v. Santa Monica Baykeeper, 254 F.3d 882, 887 (9th Cir.2001).

III. Discussion

In their motion for reconsideration, moving defendants raise challenges to the court’s January order. In particular, moving defendants argue that reconsideration is warranted because: (1) the court misapplied the legal standard for police officers acting under color of State law as to defendant Nebeker; (2) the court erred in allowing the Petersons’ post-accident coverup claim to survive summary judgment despite dismissing the Petersons’ similar denial of access to the courts claim; (3) the court erred in allowing the Monell claim against defendant CCSD to survive summary judgment; (4) the court failed to address whether moving defendants were entitled to qualified immunity as to all Section 1983 claims;2 (5) the court failed to address whether Nevada’s public duty doctrine precludes the Petersons’ state law tort claims based upon an alleged failure to enforce the law;3 (6) the court erred in allowing the civil conspiracy claim to pro[1276] ceed when there had been no showing of a concrete and particularized injury; (7) the court misapplied applicable Nevada law concerning the Petersons’ remaining state law tort claims; and (8) the court made improper factual findings unsupported by the evidence.4 Doc. #257. The court shall address the relevant challenges below.

A. Section 1983 Challenges

Section 1983 provides a remedy to individuals whose constitutional rights have been violated by a person acting under color of state law. See Burke v. County of Alameda, 586 F.3d 725 (9th Cir.2009). In order for an individual to bring a successful Title 42 U.S.C. § 1983 claim, the plaintiff must show that the challenged conduct (1) was committed by a person acting under color of state law, and (2) deprived the plaintiff of rights, privileges, or immunities secured by the Constitution or laws of the United States. Marshall v. Sawyer, 301 F.2d 639, 646 (9th Cir.1962).

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Peterson v. Miranda, 57 F. Supp. 3d 1271, 2014 WL 4828817, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 138432 (D. Nev. 2014).

57 F. Supp. 3d 1271 (Peterson v. Miranda) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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