Tift v. Snohomish County

764 F. Supp. 2d 1247, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6292, 2011 WL 219629
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Washington
DecidedJanuary 24, 2011
DocketC10-804 RSL
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 764 F. Supp. 2d 1247 (Tift v. Snohomish County) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Washington primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Tift v. Snohomish County, 764 F. Supp. 2d 1247, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6292, 2011 WL 219629 (W.D. Wash. 2011).

Opinion

ORDER GRANTING IN PART AND DENYING IN PART DEFENDANTS’ MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

ROBERT S. LASNIK, District Judge.

I. INTRODUCTION

This matter comes before the Court on defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment (dkt. # 38) and plaintiffs Motion for Partial Summary Judgment (dkt. # 79). In defendants’ motion, they seek dismissal of every cause of action. Pro se plaintiff Gregory Tift argues that summary judgment is inappropriate because he has demonstrated genuine issues of material fact. Plaintiff requests summary judgment as to his trespass claim against defendants Sant, Giralmo and Jones. Dkt. # 79. Having reviewed the parties’ memoranda, all supporting evidence submitted to the Court, and oral argument, the Court GRANTS in part and DENIES in part defendants’ motion for summary judgment, and DENIES plaintiffs motion for partial summary judgment for the reasons stated below.

II. FACTUAL BACKGROUND

On January 6, 2009, at approximately 7:15 a.m., Snohomish County Deputies (defendants Nicholas Giralmo, Dane Sant and Darrell Jones), Snohomish County Sheriffs Special Services Unit Supervisor Mindy Richardson, and Matthew Green and Elizabeth Hebener of the law firm Williams, Kastner, Gibbs PLLC arrived at plaintiffs home to serve a Writ of Execution (the ‘Writ”). 1 When the deputies rang the doorbell, plaintiffs minor stepchild opened the door, responded to the deputies that her parents were home, closed the door with the sheriffs outside, and went to wake up her parents. 2 Dkt. # 69 [J.J. Deck] ¶ 2. Plaintiff went to the balcony and saw the three deputies, an unidentified man and unidentified woman in civilian clothes in his home. Dkt. # 62 [Tift Deck] ¶ 1. Once plaintiff identified himself, one of the deputies charged up the stairs and escorted him downstairs. Id. ¶¶ 1-2. When Deputy Giralmo served the Writ on plaintiff, plaintiff stated that he could not see without his glasses, but that he was familiar with a writ of attachment and wanted to see a copy of the bond, if any. Id. ¶¶ 2-4. Plaintiff learned that one of the civilians was Matthew Green, who was the attorney for the judgment creditor and against whom plaintiff had obtained an ex parte default judgment in another matter. Id. ¶ 4. Plaintiff had the Writ in both hands, trying to find the paragraphs about choosing exemptions, and when he began asking about exemptions, he realized he “was surrounded by all officers. [He] tried to step out because they had [him] pinned to the wall; as [he] passed between the two officers they grabbed and faced slammed [sic] [him] into the front door, [he] did not resist them [he] really could not move.” Id. ¶ 5. Plaintiff was then handcuffed, placed inside a patrol car, and taken to jail. Id.

The deputies then removed various personal property from the home and provided Rebecca Johnson, plaintiffs wife, with an inventory list of the items taken. Dkt. # 64 [Johnson Deck] ¶¶ 7-8. Plaintiff al *1250 leges that several items went missing that were not listed on the inventory, including Ms. Johnson’s Escrow refund check (id. ¶ 8), cash from plaintiffs wallet, plaintiffs keys, and legal papers (dkt. #62 [Tift Deck] ¶¶ 10-11).

In his First Amended Complaint against Deputies Giralmo, Jones and Sant, and Snohomish County, plaintiff alleges claims for Excessive Use of Force, Violation of State Law and Negligence, Personal Injury Property, Violation of Due Process, Deprivation of Rights, Unlawful Entry and Deprivation of Liberty, Denial of Equal Protection, Imprisonment for Debt, Extra Compensation by Public Officer, Property Theft, and Outrage. Dkt. # 31.

III. ANALYSIS

A. Legal Standard on Summary Judgment

Summary judgment is appropriate if there is no genuine issue of material fact and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(a). The moving party bears the initial burden of demonstrating the absence of a genuine issue of material fact. Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 323, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986). Where the moving party will have the burden of proof at trial, it must affirmatively demonstrate that no reasonable trier of fact could find other than for the moving party. Calderone v. United States, 799 F.2d 254, 259 (6th Cir.1986). On an issue where the nonmoving party will bear the burden of proof at trial, the moving party can prevail merely by pointing out to the district court that there is an absence of evidence to support the nonmoving party’s case. Celotex Corp., 477 U.S. at 325, 106 S.Ct. 2548. If the moving party meets the initial burden, the opposing party must set forth specific facts showing that there is a genuine issue of fact for trial in order to defeat the motion. Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 250, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986). The Court must view the evidence in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party and draw all reasonable inferences in that party’s favor. Reeves v. Sanderson Plumbing Prods., 530 U.S. 133, 150-51, 120 S.Ct. 2097, 147 L.Ed.2d 105 (2000).

B. Fourth Amendment Unlawful Seizure, Arrest or Imprisonment Claim

Whether the individual defendants are entitled to qualified immunity on this claim depends on (1) whether the facts that the plaintiff has alleged or shown make out a constitutional violation and, (2) if so, whether the constitutional right at issue was clearly established at the time of the violation. Saucier v. Katz, 533 U.S. 194, 201, 121 S.Ct. 2151, 150 L.Ed.2d 272 (2001). 3

1. Unlawful Arrest

Probable cause to arrest an individual exists when the facts and circumstances are sufficient to warrant a reasonably prudent person in believing that the individual has committed or is committing a crime. Gerstein v. Pugh, 420 U.S. 103, 111, 95 S.Ct. 854, 43 L.Ed.2d 54 (1975).

It is not disputed that Deputies Giralmo and Jones were the arresting officers. Dkt. #39 [Giralmo Deck] ¶8 & #41 [Jones Deck] ¶ 7. Since Deputy Sant did not arrest plaintiff, he cannot be liable for unlawfully arresting him. The Court grants summary judgment to Deputy Sant on plaintiffs claim for unlawful arrest.

*1251 Plaintiff was arrested for obstruction and resisting arrest under RCW 9A.76.020 and 9A.76.040. Dkt.

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764 F. Supp. 2d 1247, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6292, 2011 WL 219629, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/tift-v-snohomish-county-wawd-2011.