Quint v. Martin

CourtDistrict Court, D. Connecticut
DecidedJune 6, 2025
Docket3:21-cv-01695
StatusUnknown

This text of Quint v. Martin (Quint v. Martin) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Connecticut primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Quint v. Martin, (D. Conn. 2025).

Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT RICHARD R. QUINT, ) CASE NO. 3:21-cv-1695 (KAD) Plaintiff, ) ) v. ) ) MARTIN, et al., ) JUNE 6, 2025 Defendants. )

MEMORANDUM OF DECISION RE: DEFENDANTS’ MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT (ECF NO. 117)1

Kari A. Dooley, United States District Judge: Plaintiff Richard R. Quint (“Quint”) filed this civil rights action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983, alleging violations of his constitutional rights as a pretrial detainee. Following initial review of the operative Third Amended Complaint, the following claims remain: Fourteenth Amendment claims for deliberate indifference to medical needs against Defendants Jackson, Parker, Stephanie, Rader, Phillips, Blumberg, and Oei arising out of their alleged failure to comply with doctor’s orders regarding his medication and against Defendants Tanisha and Jackson for failure to comply with the doctor’s order regarding his need for a wheelchair. See Initial Review Order, ECF No. 42 at 18.2 Defendants Blumberg, Tanisha, Jackson, Parker, and Stephanie (“Defendants”) seek summary judgment on three grounds: Quint failed to exhaust his administrative remedies before commencing this action, Quint’s Fourteenth Amendment deliberate indifference to medical needs claims fail as a matter of law as there is no evidence that any doctor had ordered a wheelchair or

1 This motion was filed by Defendants Blumberg, Tanisha, Jackson, Parker, and Stephanie. Defendant APRN Elizabeth Oei has filed her own motion for summary judgment. See ECF No. 132. Defendants indicate that Defendant Jackson’s name is misspelled as Jacksen in the Third Amended Complaint. Defs.’ Local Rule 56(a) Statement (“LRS”), ECF No. 117-2, at ¶ 4 n.1. The Court uses the correct spelling as indicated by Defendants. 2 All claims against Defendants Rader and Phillips were subsequently dismissed. See Mem. of Decision, ECF No. 106 at 8. medication at the dosage alleged during the relevant time period, and, in any event, Defendants are entitled to qualified immunity. Quint’s opposition was due by October 10, 2023. Despite the passage of many months, to date, he has not responded to the motion.3 Because Quint was aware of the motion but has chosen not to respond, the Court considers the motion to be unopposed.4 For

the following reasons, the motion for summary judgment, ECF No. 117, is GRANTED. Standard of Review A motion for summary judgment may be granted only where there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(a); see also Nick’s Garage, Inc. v. Progressive Cas. Ins. Co., 875 F.3d 107, 113–14 (2d Cir. 2017). “A genuine issue of material fact exists if ‘the evidence is such that a reasonable jury could return a verdict for the nonmoving party.’” Nick’s Garage, 875 F.3d at 113–14 (quoting Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 248 (1986)). Which facts are material is determined by the substantive law. Anderson, 477 U.S. at 248. “The same standard applies whether summary judgment is granted on the merits or on an affirmative defense. . . .” Giordano v. Market Am., Inc.,

599 F.3d 87, 93 (2d Cir. 2010). The moving party bears the initial burden of informing the Court of the basis for its motion and identifying the admissible evidence it believes demonstrates the absence of a genuine issue of material fact. Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 323 (1986). Once the moving party meets this burden, the nonmoving party must set forth specific facts showing that there is a genuine issue

3 Quint was aware of his need to respond to the motion, because on September 25, 2023, six days after the motion was filed, Quint sought appointment of pro bono counsel to assist him with his opposition. The Court denied the motion without prejudice, but no response has been forthcoming. Even where a party has not responded to a motion for summary judgment, the non-movant does not “risk a default judgment.” Jackson v. Federal Express, 766 F.3d 189, 195 (2d Cir. 2014); Vermont Teddy Bear v. 1-800 Beargram Co., 373 F.3d 241, 246 (2d Cir. 2004). The Court is required to “examine the movant’s statement of undisputed facts and the proffered record support and determine whether the movant is entitled to summary judgment.” Jackson, 766 F.3d at 197. 4 The Court notes that Quint is not an inexperienced litigant, having filed twenty cases in this district. for trial. Wright v. Goord, 554 F.3d 255, 266 (2d Cir. 2009). He cannot “rely on conclusory allegations or unsubstantiated speculation” but “must come forward with specific evidence demonstrating the existence of a genuine dispute of material fact.” Robinson v. Concentra Health Servs., 781 F.3d 42, 44 (2d Cir. 2015) (quotation marks and citation omitted). To defeat a motion

for summary judgment, the nonmoving party must present such evidence as would allow a jury to find in his favor. Graham v. Long Island R.R., 230 F.3d 34, 38 (2d Cir. 2000). Although the Court is required to read a self-represented “party’s papers liberally and interpret them to raise the strongest arguments that they suggest,” Willey v. Kirkpatrick, 801 F.3d 51, 62 (2d Cir. 2015), “unsupported allegations do not create a material issue of fact” and do not overcome a properly supported motion for summary judgment. Weinstock v. Columbia Univ., 224 F.3d 33, 41 (2d Cir. 2000). Facts5 Inmates are permitted a wheelchair only upon a doctor’s order. Defs.’ LRS, ECF No. 117- 2 at 1 ¶ 9. When Quint was admitted to the Department of Correction at Bridgeport Correctional

Center (“BCC”) in January 2021, his medical history included a fractured pelvis which had been surgically repaired. Id. at 2 ¶ 7. On admission, he was able to ambulate with the assistance of a

5 The facts are taken from Defendants’ Local Rule 56(a) Statements and supporting exhibits. Local Rule 56(a)2 requires the party opposing summary judgment to submit a Local Rule 56(a)2 Statement which contains separately numbered paragraphs corresponding to the Local Rule 56(a)1 Statement and indicating whether the opposing party admits or denies the facts set forth by the moving party. Each denial must include a specific citation to an affidavit or other admissible evidence. D. Conn. L. Civ. R. 56(a)3. Although Defendants informed Quint of his obligation to respond to the motion for summary judgment and the contents of a proper response, see Defs.’ Notice to Self-Represented Litigant Concerning Motion for Summary Judgment as Required by Local Rule of Civil Procedure 56(b), ECF No. 117-3, Quint has not done so. The fact that Quint is unrepresented does not excuse him from complying with the Court’s procedural and substantive rules. See Evans v. Kirkpatrick, No. 08-CV-6358T, 2013 WL 638735, at *1 (W.D.N.Y. Feb. 20, 2013) (citing Triestman v. Federal Bureau of Prisons, 470 F.3d 471, 477 (2d Cir. 2006); see also Jackson v.

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Quint v. Martin, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/quint-v-martin-ctd-2025.