United States v. City and County of Denver

943 F. Supp. 1304, 6 Am. Disabilities Cas. (BNA) 245, 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 15258, 1996 WL 588221
District Court, D. Colorado·Decided October 10, 1996·No. Civil Action 96-K-370·Published·Cited by 15 cases

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER ON MOTIONS FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

KANE, Senior District Judge.

This is a case of first impression in this circuit concerning the burden of proof in a pattern or practice suit under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, (“ADA”), 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq. I hold the burden is the same as. in a “pattern or practice” suit brought by the United States in a case under Title VII of the Civil Rights of Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e et seq.

On February 15, 1996, the United States filed the subject lawsuit “to enforce the provisions of titles I and II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, (“ADA”), 42 U.S.C. § 12111, et seq., and 42 U.S.C. § 12131, et seq., and the implementing regulations, 29 C.F.R. 12133 Part 1630 and 28 C.F.R. Part 35.” (Compl. ¶ 1.)

The complaint describes the employment of Jack L. Davoll with the Denver Police Department, his injuries, his being placed on “limited duty,” and his termination in April 1993 with the direction to apply for disability retirement. (Id. ¶¶ 10-14.) It alleges further that Davoll is a “qualified individual with a disability” as defined in the ADA, (id. ¶ 16), and that he and “other qualified individuals with disabilities” who have been employed by Defendants as police officers and who have become disabled “have similarly been denied •reassignment to available positions for which they are qualified with the Police Department or within the City of Denver,” (id. ¶ 17).

The United States asserts Defendants “have pursued and continue to pursue policies and practices that discriminate in employment on the basis of disability in violation of Section 102 of title 1 of the ADA, 42 U.S.C. § 12112 ... and Section 202 of title II of the ADA, 42 U.S.C. § 12132....” (Id. *1306 ¶ 18.) It maintains such “acts, omissions, policies and practices of [Defendants] constitute a pattern or practice of resistance to the full enjoyment by persons with disabilities of their rights to equal employment opportunities without discrimination based on disability in violation of Section 107(a) of title I of the ADA, 42 Ú.S.C. § 12117(a), which incorporates by reference Section 707 of Title VII, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-6.” (Id. ¶ 19.)

The government seeks an order declaring Defendants have violated Titles I and II of ADA, and enjoining them from engaging in discriminatory practices against employees with disabilities based on their disabilities and specifically from, inter alia, “[flailing or refusing to award make whole relief to Jack L. Davoll and similarly situated individuals....” (Mat 6.)

On June 7, 1996, I denied Defendants’ motion to dismiss. See United States v. City and County of Denver, 927 F.Supp. 1396 (D.Colo.1996).

■ On August 15, 1996, the United States’ Motion for Summary Judgment on Liability under Title I in Civil Action No. 96-K-370 and Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment were filed.

I. Standard for Motion for Summary Judgment.

Under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 56(e), a court may grant summary judgment where there is no issue of material fact and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, 477 U.S. 242, 247, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 2509-10, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986). The burden of establishing the non-existence of a material fact is initially on the moving party. Celotex Corp., v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 322, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 2552, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986), Thrifty Rent-A-Car Sys., Inc. v. Brown Flight Rental One Corp., 24 F.3d 1190, 1194 (10th Cir.1994). When the moving party has met its initial burden, it then shifts to the non-moving party to establish that there is a triable issue of fact. Id. A triable issue of fact exists where “there is sufficient evidence favoring the non-moving party for a jury to return a verdict in favor of that party. Merrick v. Northern Natural Gas Co., 911 F.2d 426, 429 (10th Cir.1990). The facts presented, and the appropriate inferences that may be drawn from them; must be construed in the light most favorable to the non-moving party. Anderson, 477 U.S. at 247—48, 106 S.Ct. at 2509-10. However, in the face of a properly supported motion for summary judgment, the nonmoving party may not rely on unsupported allegations without “any significant probative evidence tending to support the complaint.” Id. at 249, 106 S.Ct. at 2510.

II. Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment.

Defendants request their Motion for Summary Judgment filed on February 1, 1996 in Civil Action No. 93-K-2263, Davoll v. Webb, be fully incorporated by reference as to the claims of the United States “now consolidated herein. 1

The United States, in opposition, incorporates its memorandum in support of its motion for summary judgment on liability under Title I in 96-K-370 and its Memorandum as Amicus Curiae Opposing Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment in 93-K-2263.

Defendants’ summary judgment motion in 93-K-2263 seeks to dismiss the individual defendants and the Civil Service Commission. This aspect of the motion is applicable here only insofar as the Civil Service Commission is concerned because no individual defendants are named in 93-K-370. In that case, I have dismissed the Civil Service Commission. I make the same ruling here.

Defendants!, motion in 93-K-2263 also seeks judgment on the ADA claim in that case, asserting Plaintiffs have not met the administrative prerequisites to bringing an individual ADA action. I have already determined that the United States had met the procedural requisites for filing a claim under Titles I and II of the ADA. See United *1307 States v.

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United States v. City and County of Denver, 943 F. Supp. 1304, 6 Am. Disabilities Cas. (BNA) 245, 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 15258, 1996 WL 588221 (D. Colo. 1996).

943 F. Supp. 1304 (United States v. City and County of Denver) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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