United States v. Supreme Court of New Mexico

980 F. Supp. 2d 1334, 2013 WL 5874206, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 157253
CourtDistrict Court, D. New Mexico
DecidedNovember 1, 2013
DocketCase No. 13cv0407 WJ/LFG
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 980 F. Supp. 2d 1334 (United States v. Supreme Court of New Mexico) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. New Mexico primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Supreme Court of New Mexico, 980 F. Supp. 2d 1334, 2013 WL 5874206, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 157253 (D.N.M. 2013).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER DENYING DEFENDANTS’ MOTION TO DISMISS FOR LACK OF JURISDICTION AND FAILURE TO JOIN NECESSARY AND INDISPENSABLE PARTIES

WILLIAM P. JOHNSON, District Judge.

THIS MATTER comes before the Court upon Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss under Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(1) and 12(b)(7) for Lack of Jurisdiction and Failure to Join Necessary and Indispensible Parties, filed July 5, 2013 (Doc. No. 15). Having considered the parties’ briefs and the applicable law, the Court finds that Defendants’ motion is not well-taken and, therefore, is DENIED.

Background

. The United States instituted this action facially challenging the New Mexico Rule of Professional Conduct 16-308(E) (“Rule 16-308(E)”) as it applies to federal prosecutors. Rule 16-308(E) provides a prosecutor shall not:

subpoena a lawyer in a grand jury or other criminal proceeding to present evidence about a past or present client unless the prosecutor reasonably believes:
(1) the information sought is not protected from disclosure by any applicable privilege;
(2) the evidence sought is essential to the successful completion of an ongoing investigation or prosecution; and
(3) there is no other feasible alternative to obtain the information.

Plaintiff argues that Rule 16-308(E) as it applies to federal prosecutors is preempted by federal law.1 Further, Plaintiff argues that although no federal prosecutors have been disciplined under Rule 16-308(E), federal prosecutors have changed their behavior in order to conform to the rule. Defendants argue that this action should be dismissed because Plaintiff has not sufficiently alleged an injury in fact, a requirement for Article III standing. Additionally, Defendants argue, this matter is not ripe for adjudication. Finally, Defendants argue that the lawyers whose rights may be potentially affected under Rule 16-308(E) are necessary and indispensable parties and Plaintiffs failure to join them in this proceeding mandates dismissal of this action under Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(7).

Discussion

I. Legal Standard

Article III of the Constitution limits the jurisdiction of federal courts to cases and controversies. U.S. Const, art. Ill, § 2, cl. 1; Valley Forge Christian College v. Americans United for Separation of Church and State, Inc., 454 U.S. 464, 471, 102 S.Ct. 752, 70 L.Ed.2d 700 [1337]*1337(1982). The case or controversy limitation requires that a plaintiff have standing. Lujan v. Defenders of Wildlife, 504 U.S. 555, 559-61, 112 S.Ct. 2130, 119 L.Ed.2d 351 (1992). The plaintiff bears the burden of establishing the elements of standing. Defenders of Wildlife, 504 U.S. at 559-61, 112 S.Ct. 2130. In deciding the issue of standing, the Court must accept as true all well-pleaded facts, and construe all reasonable allegations in the light most favorable to the plaintiff. Warth v. Seldin, 422 U.S. 490, 501, 95 S.Ct. 2197, 45 L.Ed.2d 343 (1975).

“In essence the question of standing is whether the litigant is entitled to have the court decide the merits of the dispute or of particular issues.” Warth, 422 U.S. at 498, 95 S.Ct. 2197. A plaintiff has standing when (1) she has suffered an injury in fact, (2) there is a causal connection between the injury and the conduct complained of, and (3) it is likely that the injury will be redressed by a favorable decision. Defenders of Wildlife, 504 U.S. at 559-61, 112 S.Ct. 2130. An “injury in fact” is an invasion of a legally protected interest that is concrete, particularized, and actual or imminent, not conjectural or hypothetical. Id. These three elements of standing are “an indispensable part of the plaintiffs case,” and thus the plaintiff must support each element “with the manner and degree of evidence required at the successive stages of the litigation.” Id.

Accordingly at this stage in the litigation, Plaintiff must plead the elements of standing in accordance with Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007) and Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 129 S.Ct. 1937, 173 L.Ed.2d 868 (2009). “Threadbare recitals of the elements,” which are “supported by mere conclusory statements,” will no longer suffice at the pleadings stage. Iqbal, 556 U.S. at 678, 129 S.Ct. 1937. Plaintiff’s claims for standing “do not require detailed factual allegations,” but must set forth “more than labels and conclusions, and a formulaic recitation of the element of a cause of action will not do.” Twombly, at 555, 127 S.Ct. 19552.

II. Plaintiff has Sufficiently Alleged an Injury in Fact.

The Tenth Circuit case of United States v. Colorado Supreme Court, 87 F.3d 1161 (10th Cir.1996), is on all fours with the instant case and the Court is bound by its holding. In Colorado Supreme Court, the United States brought an action for an injunction and declaratory judgment challenging two Colorado Rules of Professional [1338]*1338Conduct which applied to all attorneys practicing in Colorado including federal prosecutors. Id., 87 F.3d at 1163. The challenged rules were Rule 3.3(d) and 3.8(f). Id. Rule 3.3(d) provided “In an ex parte proceeding, a lawyer shall inform the tribunal of all material facts known to the lawyer which will enable the tribunal to make an informed decision, whether or not the facts are adverse.” Id. Rule 3.8(f) provided that “a prosecutor in a criminal case shall ... not subpoena a lawyer in a grand jury or other criminal proceeding to present evidence about a past or present client unless” certain requirements are met, including that “the evidence sought is essential to the successful completion of an ongoing investigation or prosecution” and “there is no other feasible alternative to obtain the information.” Id. In addition, Rule 3.8(f) forbids a prosecutor from subpoenaing an attorney to present evidence about a client before a grand jury unless she “obtains prior judicial approval after the opportunity for an adversarial proceeding.” Id. The United States alleged the challenged rules “alter[ed] the nature of the federal grand jury, conflicted] with federal law, and interfere[d] with federal prosecutors in their conduct of criminal investigations and prosecutions.” Id., 87 F.3d at 1164.

Defendants in Colorado Supreme Court moved to dismiss Plaintiffs claims on the basis that Plaintiff lacked subject matter jurisdiction because Plaintiff had not alleged an injury in fact.

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Bluebook (online)
980 F. Supp. 2d 1334, 2013 WL 5874206, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 157253, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-supreme-court-of-new-mexico-nmd-2013.