Walker v. City of Toledo

923 N.E.2d 688, 185 Ohio App. 3d 212
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedNovember 20, 2009
DocketNo. L-09-1004
StatusPublished

This text of 923 N.E.2d 688 (Walker v. City of Toledo) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Walker v. City of Toledo, 923 N.E.2d 688, 185 Ohio App. 3d 212 (Ohio Ct. App. 2009).

Opinion

Pietrykowski, Judge.

{¶ 1} This is an appeal of a judgment denying appellants’ pretrial motion for judgment on the pleadings based upon the defense of immunity under R.C. Chapter 2744. The Lucas County Court of Common Pleas overruled appellants’ motion in a judgment filed on December 9, 2008.

{¶ 2} A judgment denying a Civ.R. 12(C) motion for judgment on the pleadings based upon claimed immunity under R.C. Chapter 2744 is subject to immediate appeal under R.C. 2744.02(C). Jones v. Lucas Cty. Sheriffs Dept., 183 Ohio App.3d 331, 2009-Ohio-3805, 916 N.E.2d 1134, ¶ 9; see Sullivan v. Anderson, 122 Ohio St.3d 83, 2009-Ohio-1971, 909 N.E.2d 88, at ¶ 3; Hubbell v. Xenia, 115 Ohio St.3d 77, 2007-Ohio-4839, 873 N.E.2d 878, at syllabus.

{¶ 3} Appellants are Detective Bruce Birr, Sergeant Robb Ellis, Deputy Jerry Taylor, Madeline Saionzkowski, Sheriff James Telb, and John and Jane Doe, probation officers. Appellee is Jacquelyn O. Walker. In the amended complaint, [214]*214appellee alleges that she was arrested by Toledo Police on a capias warrant that provided for the arrest of another person, named Jacquelyn R. Walker. According to the amended complaint, Jacquelyn O. Walker was then transported to the jail and held for an extended period of time.

{¶ 4} Appellants are persons named as defendants by appellee in the amended complaint and in the third-party complaint by defendant and third-party plaintiff, city of Toledo. They appeal the trial court’s denial of their motion for judgment on the pleadings on the basis of sovereign immunity. They assert one assignment of error on appeal:

{¶ 5} “The trial court erred in failing to grant motion for judgment on the pleadings filed by Appellants pursuant to Ohio Rev.Code 2744.03 as neither Appellee’s Amended Complaint nor City of Toledo’s Third Party Complaint alleged any fact sufficiently that would strip Appellants of their statutorily imposed governmental immunity.”

{¶ 6} We review a trial court’s order granting a Civ.R. 12(B)(6) motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted on a de novo basis. Perrysburg Twp. v. Rossford, 103 Ohio St.3d 79, 2004-Ohio-4362, 814 N. E.2d 44, ¶ 5; Firelands Regional Med. Ctr. v. Jeavons, 6th Dist. No. E-07-068, 2008-Ohio-5031, 2008 WL 4408600, ¶ 17. “A motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted is procedural and tests the sufficiency of the complaint.” State ex rel. Hanson v. Guernsey Cty. Bd. of Commrs. (1992), 65 Ohio St.3d 545, 548, 605 N.E.2d 378. In considering such a motion, we accept as true the factual allegations of the complaint. Perrysburg Twp. v. Rossford at ¶ 5.

{¶ 7} “The standard for determining whether to grant a Civ.R. 12(B)(6) motion is straightforward. In order for a complaint to be dismissed under Civ.R. 12(B)(6) for failure to state a claim, it must appear beyond a doubt from the complaint that the plaintiff can prove no set of facts entitling him to relief. O'Brien v. Univ. Community Tenants Union, Inc. (1975), 42 Ohio St.2d 242, 71 O.O.2d 223, 327 N.E.2d 753, syllabus.” Cincinnati v. Beretta U.S.A. Corp., 95 Ohio St.3d 416, 2002-Ohio-2480, 768 N.E.2d 1136, ¶ 5.

{¶ 8} The trial court granted the motion for judgment on the pleadings of co-defendant Lucas County Sheriffs Department based upon the immunity afforded political subdivisions under R.C. 2744.02. As to appellants, however, the trial court found that the amended complaint set forth a claim for which an exception to immunity is provided under R.C. 2744.03(A)(6).

{¶ 9} R.C. 2744.03(A)(6)(a), (b), and (c) set forth three exceptions to sovereign immunity for employees of political subdivisions in this state. The statute provides:

[215]*215{¶ 10} “(6) In addition to any immunity or defense referred to in division (A)(7) of this section and in circumstances not covered by that division or sections 3314.07 and 3746.24 of the Revised Code, the employee is immune from liability unless one of the following applies:
{¶ 11} “(a) The employee’s acts or omissions were manifestly outside the scope of the employee’s employment or official responsibilities;
{¶ 12} “(b) The employee’s acts or omissions were with malicious purpose, in bad faith, or in a wanton or reckless manner;
{¶ 13} “(c) Civil liability is expressly imposed upon the employee by a section of the Revised Code.”

{¶ 14} The trial court concluded that the allegations of both the amended complaint and the third-party complaint set forth a claim within an exception to immunity set forth in R.C. 2744.03(A)(6)(b) based upon claimed reckless and wanton conduct. As to the amended complaint, the trial court reasoned:

{¶ 15} “Presuming that all factual allegations of the amended complaint are true and making all reasonable inference in favor of the non-moving party, Plaintiff has set forth a viable negligence claim by alleging that ‘the named deputy defendants herein, reckless, and in wanton disregard for the rights of the plaintiff, failed to properly follow procedures and policies by not verifying or making certain that the capias warrant was issued for the correct individual, proximately resulting in plaintiffs wrongful arrest.’ ”

{¶ 16} The trial court concluded that the third-party complaint also included allegations of reckless conduct:

{¶ 17} “Third-Party Plaintiffs have set forth a viable negligence claim by alleging that ‘[a]s a direct result of the Lucas County Sheriffs Department and the above named Third Party Defendants’ negligent and reckless failure to have properly issued a capias warrant for Jacquelyn R. Walker, the City of Toledo is being sued and will continue to incur costs and expense * * * as the result of the improper conduct of the Lucas County Defendants.’ ”

{¶ 18} Appellants argue that the allegations of the amended complaint and third-party complaint are conclusory and that use of “magic words” asserting recklessness or wanton misconduct is insufficient to allege a claim coming within one of the exceptions under R.C. 2744.03(A)(6) to immunity afforded employees of political subdivisions. In response, appellee argues that the allegations of the amended complaint were specific:

{¶ 19} “Rather, the Amended Complaint specifically alleged that employee(s) of the Lucas County Sheriffs Department ‘had a duty to ascertain the proper identity of the plaintiff, issue a capias warrant in the proper name of the arrestee, [216]*216and had information available to them that was perversely disregarded, knowing that a mistake in issuance of a warrant would inflict an innocent person to arrest, and despite such knowledge, chose to disregard established procedures that would have prevented the arrest of the plaintiff.’ ”

Recklessness

{¶ 20} In Thompson v. McNeill (1990), 53 Ohio St.3d 102, 104-105, 559 N.E.2d 705

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Related

Sullivan v. Anderson Township
2009 Ohio 1971 (Ohio Supreme Court, 2009)
Firelands Regional Med. Ctr. v. Jeavons, E-07-068 (9-30-2008)
2008 Ohio 5031 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2008)
Jones v. Lucas County Sheriff's Department
916 N.E.2d 1134 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2009)
O'Brien v. University Community Tenants Union, Inc.
327 N.E.2d 753 (Ohio Supreme Court, 1975)
Hawkins v. Ivy
363 N.E.2d 367 (Ohio Supreme Court, 1977)
Thompson v. McNeill
559 N.E.2d 705 (Ohio Supreme Court, 1990)
Fabrey v. McDonald Village Police Department
639 N.E.2d 31 (Ohio Supreme Court, 1994)
Perrysburg Township v. City of Rossford
103 Ohio St. 3d 79 (Ohio Supreme Court, 2004)
Hubbell v. City of Xenia
873 N.E.2d 878 (Ohio Supreme Court, 2007)
O'Toole v. Denihan
889 N.E.2d 505 (Ohio Supreme Court, 2008)
Cincinnati v. Beretta U.S.A. Corp.
2002 Ohio 2480 (Ohio Supreme Court, 2002)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
923 N.E.2d 688, 185 Ohio App. 3d 212, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/walker-v-city-of-toledo-ohioctapp-2009.