Shroff v. Spellman

604 F.3d 1179, 2010 U.S. App. LEXIS 12066, 2010 WL 1767216
Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit·Decided May 4, 2010·No. 09-1084·Published·Cited by 32 cases

Opinion

*1181 ORDER

Appellee’s motion to correct the opinion is granted. The corrected opinion filed nunc pro tunc to March 23, 2010, is attached to this order.

ALARCÓN, Circuit Judge.

Frank Spellman, a Denver Police Officer, has appealed from the denial of his motion for summary judgment based on his defense of qualified immunity in this civil rights action filed against him by Amy Shroff pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Officer Spellman contends that Ms. Shroff failed to demonstrate that he violated her federal constitutional rights by arresting her without probable cause and invading her right to privacy by requiring her to be in the presence of a female police cadet while she exposed her breasts to pump milk for her baby.

We affirm because we conclude that the district court did not err in concluding that Officer Spellman arrested Ms. Shroff without probable cause, and subjected her to a strip search in violation of the Fourth Amendment.

I

A

In response to Officer Spellman’s motion for summary judgment, Ms. Shroff presented the following evidence to demonstrate that Officer Spellman is not entitled to qualified immunity as a matter of law. 1

Ms. Shroff and Greg Kruse engaged in a sexual relationship. During that time, she bore a child named Laila Kruse (“Laila”). Laila was born on November 7, 2005. During this relationship, Mr. Kruse subjected Ms. Shroff to several acts of physical violence. Mr. Kruse choked her and threw her against a wall. He also broke the wrist of a friend of Ms. Shroff. During a Thanksgiving dinner party in 2005, Mr. Kruse was extremely intoxicated and was out of control “swinging his fists around.” The police were called because of his conduct.

Ms. Shroff filed an action in the County Court, City and County of Denver (“County Court”) to obtain a civil protection order to restrain Mr. Kruse from committing further violent acts against her or harassing her. The County Court issued a temporary protection order (“restraining order”). It was served on Mr. Kruse.

The restraining order provides as follows:

THE COURT ORDERS THAT YOU THE RESTRAINED PARTY shall not contact, harass, stalk, injure, intimidate, threaten or molest the Petitioner(s) or any of the children if so noted; or otherwise violate this Order. You shall not use, attempt to use or threaten to use physical force against the Petitioner(s) or any of the children if so noted; that would reasonably be expected to cause bodily injury. You shall not engage in any conduct that would place the Petitioner or any of the children if so noted; in resonable [sic] fear of bodily injury.
/ You must keep a distance of at least 100 yards from the Protected Party and or the below named children.
1. No Contact Provisions
J It is ordered that you shall have no contact of any kind and stay at least 100 yards from the Petitioner(s) or any of the children if so noted; and you shall not attempt to contact the Petitioner(s) or any of the children if so noted; through any third person, *1182 except your attorney, except as follows:
NO EXCEPTIONS
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT PROTECTION ORDERS GENERAL INFORMATION
/ This Order or injunction shall be accorded full faith and credit and be enforced in every civil or criminal [court] of the United States, Indian Tribe or United States Territory pursuant to 18 USC [§ ]2265.
/ The Restrained Party may be subject to Pursuant [sic] to 18 USC § 922(d)(g), which makes it unlawful for any person to possess or transfer a firearm who is subject to a Court Order that restrains such person from harassing, stalking or threatening an intimate partner of such person or a child of such intimate partner or person, or engaging in other conduct that would place an intimate partner in reasonable fear of bodily injury to the partner or child.
NOTICE TO RESTRAINED PARTY:
/ You are directed to appear before this Court on the date shown on the front of this form to show cause, if any exists, why this Temporary Protection Order shall not be made permanent.
/ This Temporary Protection Order shall be made permanent without further notice of service or the Court may continue the Temporary Protection Order to a certain date. You are notified that Permanent Civil Protection Order shall remain [in] effect until further Order of the Court. Such Permanent Order will subject you to Federal Laws restricting firearms possession and sale 18 USC § 922(g)(8), § 924(a)(2).
y A violation of a Protection Order may be a misdemeanor, municipal ordinance violation or a delinquent act (if committed by a juvenile) and is a deportable offense. Anyone over the age of 18 who violates this Order may be subject to fines of up to $5,000.00 and up to 18 months in jail. Violation of this Order may constitute contempt of Court. Anyone under the age of 18 who violates this Order may be subject to commitment to the Department of Human Services for up to two years.
y You may be arrested or taken into custody without notice if a law enforcement officer has probable cause to believe that you violated this Order.
y If you violate this Order thinking that the other party or anyone else has given you permission, YOU ARE WRONG, and can be arrested and prosecuted. The terms of this Order can not be changed by agreement of the [sic] ONLY THE COURT CAN CHANGE THIS ORDER.
y Possession of a firearm while this Protection Order is in effect may constitute a felony under the Federal law, 18 USC § 922(d)(8).
NOTICE TO PETITIONER/PROTECTED PARTY:
y You are hearby informed that if this Order is violated you may call law enforcement.
y You may initiate contempt proceedings against the Restrained Person.
y You can not give the Restrained Person permission to change or ignore this Order in any way. ONLY THE COURT CAN CHANGE THIS ORDER.
y $46.00 dollars filing fee
NOTICE TO LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS:
y If the Order has not been personally served, the law enforcement officer responding to a call of assistance, *1183 shall serve a copy of said order on the person named/Restrained Person therin [sic] and shall write the time, date, and manner of service on the Protected Person[’]s copy of such Order and shall sign such statement. The officer shall provide the Court with a completed return of service form. (§ 13-14-102(11-12))

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Shroff v. Spellman, 604 F.3d 1179, 2010 U.S. App. LEXIS 12066, 2010 WL 1767216 (10th Cir. 2010).

604 F.3d 1179 (Shroff v. Spellman) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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