Wright v. Reynolds

703 F. Supp. 583, 1988 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 15362, 1988 WL 142812
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Texas
DecidedAugust 18, 1988
DocketCiv. A. 4-87-305-E
StatusPublished
Cited by15 cases

This text of 703 F. Supp. 583 (Wright v. Reynolds) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Wright v. Reynolds, 703 F. Supp. 583, 1988 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 15362, 1988 WL 142812 (N.D. Tex. 1988).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

MAHON, District Judge.

Now before the Court are the motions for summary judgment of the Defendants to which responses have been filed. After a thorough review of the motions and the *585 applicable law, the Court makes the following determination.

FACTS

On November 24, 1985, a Municipal Judge in the City of Runaway Bay issued four warrants for the arrest of Plaintiff Billy Wayne Wright for Class “C” misdemeanor offenses. Wright failed to pay three traffic citations or to appear in Court to defend his nonpayment. Because Wright failed to pay or to appear in court, four warrants were issued — one warrant for each of the traffic citations and one warrant because Wright failed to appear in court. The Runaway Bay Municipal Judge also set bond on each of the charges and set a court date for December 15, 1986.

The warrants instructed the marshal of Runaway Bay to arrest Billy Wayne Wright and bring him “instanter” (immediately) before the municipal judge in Runaway Bay. Wright’s name was placed into a regional computer system for outstanding warrants.

On December 8,1986, a police officer for the City of Irving stopped Wright in his car. The Irving officer ran a computer check on Wright and discovered the warrants which had been issued for Wright’s arrest. The officer arrested Wright and brought him to the Irving jail. At approximately 8:00 a.m. the next day, the Irving Municipal Court Judge arraigned Wright. The Irving Judge informed Wright of the reason for his arrest and of the bond for each of the charges against him. After the arraignment, Wright was returned to the Irving jail to await the arrival of the police officers from Runaway Bay.

Later on December 9, 1986, B.J. Reynolds, Chief of Police of Runaway Bay transported Wright from the Irving jail to the City of Bridgeport’s jail. Runaway Bay and Bridgeport have an agreement whereby Runaway Bay prisoners are housed in the Bridgeport jail. Leonard Denny is the Chief of Police for the City of Bridgeport.

Wright remained in the custody of the City of Bridgeport for seven days without being brought before the Municipal Judge of Runaway Bay. On December 15, 1986, the police of Runaway Bay tried to transfer Wright to another facility however no other facility would accept him. Consequently, Wright finally was released on a personal recognizance bond issued by the Runaway Bay police. Wright was never taken before a judge or magistrate of Runaway Bay. The decision to release Wright on a personal recognizance bond apparently was made by the Runaway Bay police! 1 Wright was indigent at all times relevant to this lawsuit and was not able to make the required bond or bail.

Chief Denny of the City of Bridgeport did not see a copy of the warrant which required Wright to be brought before the Municipal Judge of Runaway Bay. In addition, Chief Denny was under the impression that Wright was brought before the Municipal Judge of Runaway Bay because of oral conversations which he had with a Runaway Bay officer.

DISCUSSION

Plaintiff brought suit against state officials and two cities under section 1983 of Title 42 of the United States Code. Plaintiff has also brought a state law claim for false imprisonment against the state officials. Since the Court is now ruling on the motions for summary judgment of Defendants, the Court must consider whether Plaintiff has made out a cause of action based upon the facts taken most favorable to Plaintiff.

FALSE IMPRISONMENT

The Court finds that the evidence, taken in a light most favorable to the Plaintiff, supports a claim for false imprisonment under state law. The essential elements of a cause of action for false imprisonment are willful detention, lack of consent and an absence of authority of law. Sears, Roebuck & Co. v. Castillo, 693 S.W.2d 374 (Tex.1985).

*586 SECTION 1983

Section 1983 provides a method of redress for violations of the Federal Constitution and of Federal Laws. 42 U.S.C. § 1983; Middlesex County Sewerage Authority v. National Sea Clammers Assoc., 453 U.S. 1, 19, 101 S.Ct. 2615, 2625-2626, 69 L.Ed.2d 435 (1981); Maine v. Thiboutot, 448 U.S. 1, 100 S.Ct. 2502, 65 L.Ed.2d 555 (1980). Plaintiffs suit against the Defendants alleges violations of the Federal Constitution and of State law. Plaintiff does not allege any violation of Federal Law. The violations of state law are not relevant to the claim under section 1983.

The first inquiry under a section 1983 suit is whether Plaintiff has been deprived of a right “secured by the Constitution and laws.” Only after it is determined that Plaintiff is deprived of such a right does the Court consider whether Defendants are protected by absolute or qualified immunity-

I. Due Process Violations

Plaintiff contends that his rights under the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution were violated. Specifically, Plaintiff alleges that the Defendants violated his Fourteenth Amendment protection against deprivations of liberty without due process of law.

The Courts have looked to the Bill of Rights to define the “liberty” protected by the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Some of the provisions of the Bill of Rights that have been incorporated into the Due Process Clause include the right to be free from unreasonable seizures, the right to bail and the right to a speedy trial. See Baker v. McCollan, 443 U.S. 137, 147, 99 S.Ct. 2689, 2696, 61 L.Ed.2d 433 (1979) (Blackman, J., concurring).

The Courts have also looked outside of the Bill of Rights for guidance in defining liberty. For instance, due process is denied if government action “shocks the conscience” or is otherwise offensive to the “concept of ordered liberty.” Id.

Plaintiff in this case suggests that the restraint of Plaintiff so “shocks the conscience” that Plaintiffs due process rights were violated. More specifically, Plaintiff claims that confining him in jail for seven days without taking him before the Runaway Bay Municipal Judge when he was only charged with non-jailable offenses and when the warrant directs the police officer to bring Wright before the issuing judge “instanter” so shocks the conscience that Plaintiffs due process rights are violated.

This Court finds that Plaintiff alleges both a procedural and substantive due process claim. In order for either claim to succeed, Plaintiff must demonstrate that he was deprived of a liberty interest recognized under the Constitution.

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Bluebook (online)
703 F. Supp. 583, 1988 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 15362, 1988 WL 142812, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/wright-v-reynolds-txnd-1988.