Williams v. WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY BD. OF GOV.

782 F. Supp. 2d 219
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. West Virginia
DecidedMarch 2, 2011
DocketCivil Action No. 1:08-CV-199
StatusPublished

This text of 782 F. Supp. 2d 219 (Williams v. WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY BD. OF GOV.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. West Virginia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Williams v. WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY BD. OF GOV., 782 F. Supp. 2d 219 (N.D.W. Va. 2011).

Opinion

782 F.Supp.2d 219 (2011)

Kenneth WILLIAMS, Plaintiff,
v.
WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY BOARD OF GOVERNORS, James P. Clements, in his capacity as President of West Virginia University, and Bob Roberts, individually and in his capacity as Director and Chief of the West Virginia University Police Department, Defendants.

Civil Action No. 1:08-CV-199.

United States District Court, N.D. West Virginia, Clarksburg.

March 2, 2011.

*220 Allan N. Karlin, Jane E. Peak, Sarah Wagner Montoro, Allan N. Karlin & Associates, Morgantown, WV, for Plaintiff.

Christi R. Stover, Steptoe & Johnson, PLLC, Morgantown, WV, Richard M. Yurko, *221 Jr., Steptoe & Johnson PLLC, Bridgeport, AW, for Defendants.

ORDER GRANTING PLAINTIFF'S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT AND DENYING DEFENDANTS' MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

JOHN PRESTON BAILEY, District Judge.

The above-styled case is presently before the Court on Plaintiff's Motion for Summary Judgment [Doc. 62], filed on October 4, 2010; Defendants' Motion for Summary Judgment [Doc. 61], filed on October 4, 2010; plaintiff's Response [Doc. 65], filed on October 21, 2010; defendants' Response [Doc. 64], filed on October 21, 2010; plaintiff's Reply [Doc. 67], filed on November 4, 2010; and defendant's Reply [Doc. 66], filed on November 4, 2010. The Court has reviewed the record and the arguments of the parties and finds that Plaintiff's Motion for Summary Judgment [Doc. 62] should be GRANTED and the Defendants' Motion for Summary Judgment [Doc. 61] should be DENIED.

I. BACKGROUND AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

West Virginia University ("WVU") has a policy whereby WVU police can issue a "Trespassing Form" to any individual that an officer deems, in his discretion, to have acted in such a manner that the individual should be banned from some or all WVU property and to determine, in his discretion, the scope and length of time of the ban. In the present case, the plaintiff, an African American male, was issued a West Virginia University Department of Public Safety Trespassing Form ("Trespassing Form"), because of alleged conduct in the Mountainlair that "interfered with the peaceful or orderly operations" of WVU. [Doc. 62-1]. The Trespassing Form barred him from "all buildings in or adjacent to West Va. University without written permission of the Director of Public Safety." Id. It stated that, if he returned to "all buildings in or adjacent to West Va. University without written permission of the Director of Public Safety," "a warrant for your arrest will be obtained." Id. The Trespassing Form had no expiration date and did not identify or advise Mr. Williams of any appeal rights. (See Id.).

In his motion for summary judgment, Mr. Williams contends that the policy and practice at WVU, including WVU's action in issuing the Trespass Form in this case, violates the constitutions of West Virginia and of the United States in one or more of the following respects: (1) WVU has no written policies that articulate guidelines or standards as to when to issue a Trespassing Form, as to the type of conduct or behavior that justifies the issuance of a Trespassing Form, as to the scope of the area covered by the Trespassing Form, or as to the duration of time that the Trespassing Form will be in effect; (2) WVU provides no training to its officers on how or when to issue the Trespassing Forms, the area to be covered by the Form, or the duration that the Trespassing Form is to remain in effect; (3) at the time that Mr. Williams was issued a Trespassing Form, WVU issued the Trespassing Form to individuals without any articulated procedure for the individual to contest the form or to appeal its issuance[1]; and (4) if there were notice of an appeal, that appeal procedure would not offer due process because there are no guidelines or standards to guide the appellate officer in his decision.

Mr. Williams contends that issuing the Trespassing Forms under current WVU policies criminalizes behavior, stigmatizes the individual receiving the form, and interferes *222 with liberty interests without due process of law. Plaintiff asks that this Court: (a) declare that the current policies and practices regarding the issuance of Trespassing Forms violate the West Virginia and United States constitutions; (b) enjoin WVU from continuing to issue Trespassing Forms until such time as it puts in place a policy and procedure that meets constitutional requirements; (c) enjoin WVU from enforcing the Trespassing Form issued to Mr. Williams; and (d) award the plaintiff the damages stipulated by the parties and attorney fees and costs.

In response, defendants argue that the Mountainlair is not a public place for purposes of constitutional analysis and that plaintiff was properly excluded from the Mountainlair based on West Virginia Code § 61-3B-4. ([Doc. 61] at 9). Specifically, the defendants argue that the officer's discretion in issuing Trespass Forms is sufficiently limited. Further, defendants contend that there was an appeal process available to plaintiff and that he availed himself of that appeal process when he contacted the Chief of Police to request permission to attend an on-campus event. ([Doc. 61] at 14).

II. UNDISPUTED MATERIAL FACTS

1. On October 11, 2007, Mr. Williams, an African American male, visited the Mountainlair. (Compl. [Doc. 1] ¶ 8); 36, 48 (describing Mr. Williams' location at the Mountainlair); see also Answer to First Amended Complaint [Doc. 40] at 1 ("Defendants admit that Plaintiff is an African American male").

2. The Mountainlair is the student union building at WVU which is generally open to the public. (Aff. of Joplin [Doc. 61-1]; Roberts Depo. [Doc. 62-2] at 40 (acknowledging that the public is generally welcome at the Mountainlair); Goins Depo. [Doc. 62-3] at 49 ("Q. The Mountain Lair is open to the public; correct? A. That's correct.")).

3. The area of the Mountainlair in which the plaintiff was observed is a large open area containing multiple storefront eating establishments, a convenience store, an enclosed restaurant, and dozens of tables and chairs where students can sit to eat, study, or gather. (Aff. of Joplin [Doc. 61-1]).

4. On October 11, 2007, someone called the WVU Facility Manager, Michael Joplin, at the Mountainlair and stated that a man had stuffed "a bag under a table" in the Mountainlair and walked away. (WVU DPS Report [Doc. 62-4] (statement of Michael Joplin, WVU00060)).

5. Mr. Joplin and another man went to investigate and found Mr. Williams "sitting in the McCoy's area with a bag under the table." (WVU DPS Report [Doc. 62-4] (statement of Michael Joplin, WVU00060)).

6. The bag was from the Dollar General Store. (Goins Depo. [Doc. 62-3] at 48).

7. Mr. Joplin after finding Mr. Williams at the table with the bag under the table, then called the DPS. (Id.).

8. Two DPS officers went to the Mountainlair where they found "a black male, wearing a trench coat, sitting down with a yellow bag lying on floor [sic] next to his feet." (WVU DPS Case Report Narrative [Doc. 62-4] at WVU00063).

9. The officers were also told that the African American male's "mannerisms caused fear in some of the employees and the individual had previously worked for WVU." (Id.).

9. The officers told Mr. Williams that his "actions and mannerisms were upsetting to some employees of the University and that basically is the reason for DPS's appearance at the Mountainlair." (Id.).

10. The officers detained Mr. Williams and searched him for a weapon. (Id.).

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Williams v. West Virginia University Board of Governors
782 F. Supp. 2d 219 (N.D. West Virginia, 2011)

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Bluebook (online)
782 F. Supp. 2d 219, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/williams-v-west-virginia-university-bd-of-gov-wvnd-2011.