Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca10-90-06247/USCOURTS-ca10-90-06247-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 550
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Civil Rights (U.S. defendant)
Cause of Action: 

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UNITED STATES COURT OP APPEALS 

POR THE TENTH CIRCUIT 

ROBERT TAYLOR, 

Plaintiff-Appellant, 

v. 

TIMOTHY C. REESE, and 

BRUCE E. FOSTER, 

Defendants-Appellees. 

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;J =·c 2 o 1990 

ROBERT L. HOECKER 

Clerk 

No. 90-6247 

(D. C. No. CIV-90-401-B) 

(W. D. Okla.) 

ORDER AND JODGMENT* 

Before MCKAY, MOORE, and BRORBY, Circuit Judges. 

After examining the briefs and appellate record, this panel 

has determined unanimously that oral argument would not materially 

assist the determination of this appeal. See Fed. R. App. P . 

34(a)~ 10th Cir. R. 34.1.9. 

submitted without oral argument. 

The cause is therefore ordered 

Mr. Taylor is an inmate in the Federal Correctional 

Institution at El Reno, Oklahoma. Mr. Taylor commenced a prose 

* This order and judgment has no precedential value and shall not 

be cited, or used by any court within the Tenth Circuit, except 

for purposes of establishing the doctrines of the law of the case, 

res judicata, or collateral estoppel. 10th Cir. R. 36.3. 

Appellate Case: 90-6247 Document: 010110097287 Date Filed: 12/20/1990 Page: 1 
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Bivens-type suit under 28 u.s.c. S 1331 for violations of various 

constitutional rights, basically alleging that two correctional 

officers conspired to deprive him of employment in prison on 

account of his race. The district court dismissed the claims and 

held that Mr. Taylor had failed to exhaust his available 

administrative remedies. 

Mr. Taylor appeals prose asserting that "the District Court 

eradicated my civil suit in part by stipulating failure to exhaust 

administrative rights." He argues that a prisoner does not have 

to exhaust administrative remedies as these remedies fail to 

provide an adequate remedy in that they do not provide for damages 

and he is seeking damages. He also maintains he is entitled to 

bring a suit against the federal officers under 42 u.s.c. S 1983. 

In the instant case, the defendants moved to dismiss on 

numerous grounds, including failure to exhaust remedies, and Mr. 

Taylor was provided with an opportunity to respond. In his 

response, Mr. Taylor implicitly acknowledged that administrative 

remedies exist and are available to him but claims they were 

inadequate as they fail to provide him damages. Mr. Taylor then 

sought to amend his pleadings to convert his action to one based 

upon 42 u.s.c. S 1983; sought a writ of habeas corpus; charged the 

defendants with criminal acts; requested an FBI investigation; and 

asked to maintain a RICO suit against defendants. 

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Appellate Case: 90-6247 Document: 010110097287 Date Filed: 12/20/1990 Page: 2 
This court has long required that the administrative route 

must first be followed by a prisoner prior to initiating a Bivenstype suit even where the sole relief sought is money damages. 

Brice v. Day, 604 F.2d 664, 667 (10th Cir. 1979), cert. denied, 

444 U.S. 1086 (1980). We regard this case as being dispositive. 

Concerning Mr. Taylor's asserted S 1983 claim, it is 

axiomatic that 42 U.S.C. S 1983 provides a claim for relief only 

against defendants acting under color of state law. Campbell v. 

Amax Coal Co., 610 F.2d 701 (10th Cir. 1979). The defendants in 

this case are federal employees acting under federal law. 

Mr. Taylor may well have a claim should he be able to prove 

his allegations; however, he must first pursue his available 

administrative remedies. 

The judgment of the trial court is AFFIRMED. 

The mandate shall issue forthwith. 

Entered for the Court: 

WADE BRORBY 

Circuit Judge 

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Appellate Case: 90-6247 Document: 010110097287 Date Filed: 12/20/1990 Page: 3