Smith v. Town of Dewey Beach

659 F. Supp. 752, 1987 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3906
CourtDistrict Court, D. Delaware
DecidedMay 1, 1987
DocketCiv. A. Nos. 86-393-JLL, 86-405-JLL
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 659 F. Supp. 752 (Smith v. Town of Dewey Beach) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Delaware primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Smith v. Town of Dewey Beach, 659 F. Supp. 752, 1987 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3906 (D. Del. 1987).

Opinion

LATCHUM, Senior District Judge.

INTRODUCTION

Currently before the Court are motions by the defendant William J. Hopkins (“Hopkins”), Director of Parks and Recreation for the State of Delaware, to dismiss all claims against him in both of the above captioned actions. This Court has jurisdiction based on 28 U.S.C. § 1332 due to the complete diversity of the parties. The facts of both cases are virtually identical and the same attorneys represent the plaintiffs in each case. Therefore, the actions were consolidated for the purpose of arguing the present motions and this opinion applies to both cases. For the reasons set forth in this opinion, the Court will grant Hopkins’ motion to dismiss.

BACKGROUND

The facts of these cases are relatively straightforward. On the morning of August 26, 1984, plaintiff Eric Smith was swimming in the ocean off Dewey Beach, Delaware. During his swim, Eric attempted a dive which resulted in contact with the ocean floor. Eric fractured his neck and suffered a severe spinal cord injury as a result of this contact. Because of his injuries, Eric and his family have incurred numerous medical and hospital expenses. Additionally, Eric has allegedly sustained a loss of earning capacity, due to injuries which have left him a permanent quadraplegic. In. a similar accident, the plaintiff Kevin Whalen was injured while attempting a dive in the ocean off of Bethany Beach, Delaware. Like Eric Smith, Kevin fractured his neck and is now a permanent quadraplegic.

William Smith brought this action as next friend and guardian of Eric Smith. William Smith and his wife, Gail Smith, along with their other children William A. Smith, Colin R. Smith, Jacqueline A. Smith, and Janet E. Smith all sued individually. Similarly, Verne Whalen brought suit on behalf of his son and he, his wife, Ruth Whalen, and daughter, Susan Aldrich, sued individually.1 The suits were filed against the “Director of Parks and Recreation for [754]*754the State of Delaware” and the “Commissioners of Dewey Beach” or the “Town of Bethany Beach.” (D.I. 1, ITU 6, 7.)2

The plaintiffs’ complaints against Hopkins and Dewey Beach or Bethany Beach set forth three counts as the basis for recovery. First, the plaintiffs contend the accidents were “directly and proximately caused by the negligent acts and/or omissions of the Defendants.” (Id. at 1113.) The alleged omissions include failure to warn plaintiffs of the dangerous condition of the ocean, failure to have lifeguards supervising swimmers, failure to post adequate warning signs and failure to dredge the beach. The second count claims that the defendants had knowledge of the dangerous conditions and the ability to alleviate these conditions. The plaintiffs allege the defendants’ failure to take any action under these circumstances constitutes gross negligence and willful and wanton misconduct. The final count claims that defendants’ failure to dredge the beaches or to take other measures to ensure the beaches were at a safe level constitutes an intentional failure to act which resulted in an intentional defect and public nuisance.

After these suits were filed, Hopkins petitioned this Court for an appointment of counsel pursuant to 10 Del. C. § 3925 (1975).3 The Court granted this motion and Deputy Attorney General Kevin P. Maloney filed the present motions on Hawkins’ behalf in lieu of an answer to the complaints. Fed. R.Civ.P. 12(b).

The disposition of the motions to dismiss is complicated by the fact that the plaintiffs’ complaints do not clearly indicate whether Hopkins is being sued just in his official capacity as Director of Parks and Recreation or in both his official capacity and individually. To facilitate the efficient resolution of the motions to dismiss, this opinion addresses both possibilities.

ANALYSIS

In the Opening Brief in Support of the Motion to Dismiss, Hopkins asserts that the claims against him should be dismissed for either one of two reasons. First, he contends the Eleventh Amendment bars this Court from exercising subject matter jurisdiction over the plaintiffs’ suits. Alternatively, Hopkins argues that the plaintiffs have failed to state a claim upon which relief can be granted because (1) the doctrine of official immunity precludes recovery, (2) he did not have any duty to protect the plaintiffs from injury, or (3) Eric Smith and Kevin Whalen assumed the risk of injury. Hopkins’ two grounds for dismissal will be discussed in order.

A. Official Capacity

The Eleventh Amendment of the United States Constitution provides in its entirety:

The Judicial Power of the United States shall not be construed to extend to any suit in law or equity, commenced or prosecuted against one of the United States by Citizens of another State, or by Citizens or Subjects of any Foreign State.

This Amendment confers immunity upon a state when sued in a federal court and normally bars a federal district court from asserting subject matter jurisdiction over a [755]*755suit seeking damages from a state, unless the state has waived its immunity to suit in a federal court. Kardon v. Hall, 406 F.Supp. 4, 7 (D.Del.1975), citing Kennecott Copper Corp. v. State Tax Comm’n, 327 U.S. 573, 576, 66 S.Ct. 745, 746, 90 L.Ed. 862 (1946); Ford Motor Co. v. Department of Treasury, 323 U.S. 459, 460-61, 470, 65 S.Ct. 347, 353, 89 L.Ed. 389 (1945).

This Court in Kardon discussed the background of the Eleventh Amendment and analyzed the law relevant to deciding a motion such as the one presently before the Court. Kardon involved a suit brought by landowners against officials of the Delaware Department of Highways and Transportation. All the defendants were sued in their official capacities. The defendants moved to dismiss the suit against them for lack of subject matter jurisdiction in federal court on the basis of the Eleventh Amendment. Their motion was granted.

This Court answered three questions in order to decide the Kardon motion. The same questions apply to Hopkins’ motions to the extent he is being sued in his official capacity. These questions are: “(1) if the State of Delaware were a defendant to this suit, could it assert Eleventh Amendment immunity, (2) if so, does its absence as a named defendant preclude [Hopkins] from also asserting Eleventh Amendment immunity, and (3) has there been a waiver of Eleventh Amendment immunity?”. 406 F.Supp. at 6, citing Edelman v. Jordan, 415 U.S. 651, 662-63, 673, 94 S.Ct. 1347, 1361, 39 L.Ed.2d 662 (1974); Gordenstein v. University of Delaware, 381 F.Supp. 718, 720-21 (D.Del.1974); S.J. Groves & Sons Co. v. New Jersey Turnpike Auth., 268 F.Supp. 568, 570-71 (D.N.J.1967).

The answer to the first Kardon question is clearly in the affirmative. If the State of Delaware had been named as a defendant in these suits, it could assert Eleventh Amendment immunity.

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659 F. Supp. 752, 1987 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3906, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/smith-v-town-of-dewey-beach-ded-1987.