Siebert v. Severino

97 F. Supp. 2d 882, 2000 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7266, 2000 WL 683408
CourtDistrict Court, C.D. Illinois
DecidedMay 24, 2000
DocketNo. 98-1411
StatusPublished

This text of 97 F. Supp. 2d 882 (Siebert v. Severino) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, C.D. Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Siebert v. Severino, 97 F. Supp. 2d 882, 2000 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7266, 2000 WL 683408 (C.D. Ill. 2000).

Opinion

ORDER

MIHM, District Judge.

This matter is before the Court on Defendant, David Severino’s (“Severino”), Motion for Summary Judgment. The other named Defendants were previously dismissed with prejudice as parties by the Court pursuant to Plaintiffs’ Motion for Voluntary Dismissal. For the reasons stated herein, the Motion for Summary Judgment is granted. This case is terminated.

Background

This action arises from the seizure of three of Plaintiff Pamela Siebert’s (“P.Sie-bert”) horses and the investigation that preceded the seizure. She and her husband, Plaintiff Robert Siebert (“R.Sie-bert”), have brought an action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983, alleging that Severino, an approved humane investigator for McLean and Woodford Counties, Illinois, violated their Fourth Amendment right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures and have deprived them of property without due process in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment. In addition to the § 1983 claims, each of the Sieberts has brought pendent state law claims for trespass and violation of the Humane Care for [884]*884Animals Act. Severino is being sued in his individual capacity.

The Sieberts own property in Carlock, Illinois. The property is approximately four and one half acres and a home and barn sits thereon. The barn, which is surrounded by a fence, is approximately 60 feet from the home. In addition to the barn, a riding area with turn-outs and a pasture (“the paddock”) are contained within the fence. The horses kept in the paddock go in and out of the barn at will.

In December, 1996, the three horses relevant to this case were kept on a seven-acre pasture (“the pasture”) that was about a five-minute walk from the Sie-berts’ residence. The pasture is distinct from the paddock, and the Sieberts do not own the pasture. Instead, it is owned by Deb Oberg, who allows the Sieberts use of her property. (P. Siebert Dep. at 27-28). Other than a tepee and a washed-out bridge, there were no structures on the pasture during the times relevant to this ease. However, the contours of the pasture and the trees thereon established a windbreak for the horses. There was no water tank on the pasture from which the horses could drink. However, there was a creek that ran through the property, and it is undisputed that if the creek were frozen, R. Siebert would break the ice so that the horses could drink from the creek.1 The Sieberts would feed the horses in the pasture by tying buckets of grain to the fence posts and throwing hay on the ground. According to R. Siebert, the horses were fed twice a day.

Prior to December 16, 1996, Severino “received a communication that the horses at the Siebert location were in a fenced area with no shelter or water.” (Severino Aff., ¶ 5). On December 16th, Severino inspected the horses in the paddock and the pasture. While inspecting the horses in the paddock, he entered the Sieberts’ barn, which is located approximately 60 feet from their residence. Severino did not have a warrant when he entered the barn. In the barn were the feed and hay for the horses kept in the paddock. He found no problems with the horses in the paddock.

However, after he inspected the horses in the pasture, he taped a Notice of Apparent Violation on the door of the Sieberts’ home. The Notice stated that Sieberts had failed to provide the three horses in the pasture with adequate shelter and protection from the weather and failed to provide them with humane care and treatment. (Dft.Ex.A-2). The Notice also informed the Sieberts that the horses were standing in the mud, there were no dry areas where they could stand, and they were drinking from the creek because there were no water receptacles. (Id.). The Sieberts were given 72 hours to take corrective action.

The maximum and minimum temperatures on December 16th were 42° and 28°, respectively. (DftEx. C, Record River and Climatological Observations at Normal, Illinois). In the days leading up to the investigation, the maximum and minimum temperatures were, respectively: 37° and 24° (10th); 56° and 36° (11th); 41° and 37° (12th); 39° and 27° (13th); 44° and 28° (14th); and 45° and 39° (15th). (Id.).

On December 19, 1996, Severino went back to the pasture and impounded the horses. The Notice of Impoundment described the three horses that were impounded and listed the alleged deficiencies by referencing the deficiencies listed in the Notice of Apparent Violation. The Notice of impoundment further stated, “The violator may request a hearing to appeal the impoundment. A person desiring a hearing shall contact the Department [of Agri[885]*885culture] within 7 days from the date of impoundment.” (Dft.Ex.A-6). The Notice was given to the Sieberts’ son, who was over the age of 12 and under no legal disability. The maximum and minimum temperatures on December 19th were 14 and 4 degrees, respectively. (Dft.Ex. C).

The three horses were removed from the pasture for “a couple of days.” (Dft.SUF, ¶ 31). It is not clear from the parties’ Statements of Undisputed Facts what procedures the Sieberts went through in order to secure the return of the horses. However, it is undisputed that the Sieberts did not request a hearing before the Department of Agriculture to contest the propriety of the impoundment.

Summary Judgment Standard

A motion for summary judgment will be granted where there are no genuine issues of material fact and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. See Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c). The moving party has the responsibility of informing the Court of portions of the record or affidavits that demonstrate the absence of a triable issue. See Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 322, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986). The moving party may meet its burden of showing, an absence of material facts by demonstrating “that there is an absence of evidence to support the non-moving party’s case.” Id. at 323, 106 S.Ct. 2548. Any doubt as to the existence of a genuine issue for trial is resolved against the moving party. See Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 255, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986); Cain v. Lane, 857 F.2d 1139, 1142 (7th Cir.1988).

If the moving party meets its burden, the non-moving party then has the burden of presenting specific facts to show that there is a genuine issue of material fact. See Matsushita Elec. Indus. Co., Ltd. v. Zenith Radio Corp., 475 U.S. 574, 586-87, 106 S.Ct. 1348, 89 L.Ed.2d 538 (1986). Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 56(e) requires the non-moving party to go beyond the pleadings and produce evidence of a genuine issue of fact for trial. See Celotex Corp., 477 U.S. at 324, 106 S.Ct. 2548.

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Bluebook (online)
97 F. Supp. 2d 882, 2000 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7266, 2000 WL 683408, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/siebert-v-severino-ilcd-2000.