Ware v. Donahue

831 F. Supp. 2d 851, 2011 WL 6444271, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 147332
CourtDistrict Court, D. Delaware
DecidedDecember 22, 2011
DocketCiv. No. 10-629-SLR
StatusPublished

This text of 831 F. Supp. 2d 851 (Ware v. Donahue) 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
Ware v. Donahue, 831 F. Supp. 2d 851, 2011 WL 6444271, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 147332 (D. Del. 2011).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

SUE L. ROBINSON, District Judge.

I. INTRODUCTION

Plaintiff Christopher J. Ware (“plaintiff’), who proceeds pro se, filed this lawsuit alleging violations of his constitutional rights pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. He also raises supplemental claims. Plaintiff has been granted leave to proceed without prepayment of fees. (See D.I. 4) Presently before the court is the motion to dismiss pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6) filed by defendant Kimberly Pfaff (nee Donohue) (“defendant”). (D.I. 20) The court has jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1331. Also before the court are two discovery motions filed by defendants. For the reasons discussed, the court will deny the motion the dismiss and will grant the discovery motions.

II. BACKGROUND

The court screened the case and dismissed all claims against the City of Wilmington. (See D.I. 5) Plaintiffs claims arise from actions taken by defendant police officers during their investigation of a suspected break-in at plaintiffs residence following the triggering of an alarm system. Plaintiff is not the owner of the property. Police entered the premises and plaintiff heard them but chose not to announce his presence because the home was dark and he did not wish to alarm the police. Four officers, with their sidearms drawn, kicked open plaintiffs bedroom door. Plaintiff recognized two of the officers and identified himself. Defendant stated to the officers that plaintiff was a bail bondsman and that she did not think highly of him.

Plaintiff was naked and asked to dress, but his request was denied. Plaintiff provided the officers his driver’s license to verify his identity. In addition, plaintiff telephoned the owner of the property to confirm his identify and handed the telephone to a police officer. During this time, defendant seized plaintiffs business card holder, rifled through its contents, and tossed them on the floor. The complaint alleges that, while the property (i.e., business card holder) may have been in plain sight, its contents were not. Plaintiff alleges defendant violated his rights against unlawful search and seizure and that defendant police officer Todd Riley (“Riley”) used excessive force.1

III. STANDARD OF REVIEW

Rule 12(b)(6) permits a party to move to dismiss a complaint for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted. Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6). The court must accept all factual allegations in a complaint as true and take them in the light most favorable to a pro se plaintiff. Phillips v. County of Allegheny, 515 F.3d 224, 229 (3d Cir.2008); Erickson v. Pardus, 551 U.S. 89, 93, 127 S.Ct. 2197, 167 L.Ed.2d 1081 (2007). Because plaintiff proceeds pro se, his pleading is liberally construed and his complaint, “however inartfully pleaded, must be held to less stringent standards than formal pleadings drafted by lawyers.” Erickson v. Pardus, 551 U.S. at 94, 127 S.Ct. 2197 (citations omitted).

A well-pleaded complaint must contain more than mere labels and conclusions. See Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 129 [853]*853S.Ct. 1937, 173 L.Ed.2d 868 (2009); Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007). When determining whether dismissal is appropriate, the court conducts a two-part analysis. Fowler v. UPMC Shadyside, 578 F.3d 203, 210 (3d Cir.2009). First, the factual and legal elements of a claim are separated. Id. The court must accept all of the complaint’s well-pleaded facts as true, but may disregard any legal conclusions. Id. at 210-11. Second, the court must determine whether the facts alleged in the complaint are sufficient to show that plaintiff has a “plausible claim for relief.” Id. at 211; see also Iqbal, 129 S.Ct. at 1949; Twombly, 550 U.S. at 570, 127 S.Ct. 1955. In other words, the complaint must do more than allege plaintiffs entitlement to relief; rather, it must “show” such an entitlement with its facts. A claim is facially plausible when its factual content allows the court to draw a reasonable inference that the defendant is liable for the misconduct alleged. Iqbal, 129 S.Ct. at 1949 (citing Twombly, 550 U.S. at 570, 127 S.Ct. 1955). The plausibility standard “asks for more than a sheer possibility that a defendant has acted unlawfully.” Id. ‘Where a complaint pleads facts that are ‘merely consistent with’ a defendant’s liability, it ‘stops short of the line between possibility and plausibility of ‘entitlement to relief.’ ’ ” Id. The assumption of truth is inapplicable to legal conclusions or to “[tjhreadbare recitals of the elements of a cause of action supported by mere conclusory statements.” Id. “[W]here the well-pleaded facts do not permit the court to infer more than a mere possibility of misconduct, the complaint has alleged-but it has not shown-that the pleader is entitled to relief.” Id. (quoting Fed.R.Civ.P. 8(a)(2)).

Defendant moves for dismissal on the grounds that the complaint fails to state a claim upon which relief can be granted. (D.1.10,11)

IV. DISCUSSION

The complaint alleges that defendant Donahue conducted an unlawful search of plaintiffs business card holder in violation of his constitutional rights. Defendant argues that, even assuming the allegations are true, the claim fails as a matter of law because plaintiff has not alleged any unlawful activity.

When bringing a § 1983 claim, a plaintiff must allege that some person has deprived him of a federal right, and that the person who caused the deprivation acted under color of state law. West v. Atkins, 487 U.S. 42, 48, 108 S.Ct. 2250, 101 L.Ed.2d 40 (1988). The Fourth Amendment provides that “[t]he right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.” U.S. Const, amend. IV.

“[T]he Fourth Amendment protects two types of expectations, one involving searches, and the other seizures. A search occurs when an individual’s reasonable expectation of privacy is infringed. A seizure of property occurs where there is some meaningful interference with an individual’s possessory interests in that property.” Soldal v. Cook Cnty., 506 U.S.

Related

Mincey v. Arizona
437 U.S. 385 (Supreme Court, 1978)
Steagald v. United States
451 U.S. 204 (Supreme Court, 1981)
New Jersey v. T. L. O.
469 U.S. 325 (Supreme Court, 1985)
United States v. Montoya De Hernandez
473 U.S. 531 (Supreme Court, 1985)
West v. Atkins
487 U.S. 42 (Supreme Court, 1988)
Brower Ex Rel. Estate of Caldwell v. County of Inyo
489 U.S. 593 (Supreme Court, 1989)
Minnesota v. Olson
495 U.S. 91 (Supreme Court, 1990)
Soldal v. Cook County
506 U.S. 56 (Supreme Court, 1992)
Groh v. Ramirez
540 U.S. 551 (Supreme Court, 2004)
Brigham City v. Stuart
547 U.S. 398 (Supreme Court, 2006)
Erickson v. Pardus
551 U.S. 89 (Supreme Court, 2007)
Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly
550 U.S. 544 (Supreme Court, 2007)
Ashcroft v. Iqbal
556 U.S. 662 (Supreme Court, 2009)
Phillips v. County of Allegheny
515 F.3d 224 (Third Circuit, 2008)
Fowler v. UPMC SHADYSIDE
578 F.3d 203 (Third Circuit, 2009)
Parkhurst v. Trapp
77 F.3d 707 (Third Circuit, 1996)

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Bluebook (online)
831 F. Supp. 2d 851, 2011 WL 6444271, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 147332, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ware-v-donahue-ded-2011.