Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_15-cv-00939/USCOURTS-caed-2_15-cv-00939-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 440
Nature of Suit: Other Civil Rights
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Civil Rights Act

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ORDER RE: GAL

2:15-CV-00939-MCE-DAD

PETER W. ALFERT, SBN 83139

HINTON ALFERT & KAHN LLP

200 Pringle Ave., Suite 450

Walnut Creek, California 94596

Telephone: (925) 279-3009

Facsimile: (925) 279-3342

TODD BOLEY, SBN 68119

ZOYA YARNYKH, SBN 258062

LAW OFFICE OF TODD BOLEY

2381 Mariner Square Drive, Suite 280

Alameda, CA 94501

Telephone: (510) 836-4500

Facsimile: (510) 649-5170

Attorneys for PLAINTIFFS JENNIFER 

HUGUNIN, PATRICK HUGUNIN, D.H., KEITH 

CALDWELL, NICOLE HILL, X.C., TRISHA PITTS,

CARL PITTS, and N.P.

ALLISON S. HYATT, SBN 217567

HYATT LAW, PC

915 Highland Pointe Drive, Suite 250

Roseville, CA 95678

Telephone: (916) 724-5205

Facsimile: (916) 724-5201

Attorney for PLAINTIFS TODD VROOMAN

LAURA VROOMAN, and S.V., RICHARD ROGERS, 

TERRILL ROGERS and P.R., MICHELLE MANCOUR

and G.I.

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

JENNIFER HUGUNIN, PATRICK HUGUNIN, 

D.H., a minor by and through his guardian ad 

litem JENNIFER HUGUNIN; KEITH 

CALDWELL, NICOLE HILL, X.C., a minor by 

and through his guardian ad litem KEITH 

CALDWELL, TRISHIA PITTS, CARL PITTS, 

N.P., a minor by and through his guardian ad 

litem TRISHIA PITTS, TODD VROOMAN, 

LAURA VROOMAN, S.V., a minor by and 

through his guardian ad litem TODD 

VROOMAN, RICHARD ROGERS, TERRILL 

ROGERS, P.R., a minor by and through his 

guardian ad litem RICHARD ROGERS,

MICHELLE MANCOUR and G.I., a minor by 

and through his guardian ad litem MICHELLE 

MANCOUR,

Plaintiffs,

v.

ROCKLIN UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, 

SHERRY MCDANIEL, CHARLES 

THIBIDEAU, BETTY JO WESSINGER, 

JANNA CAMBRA, KEVIN BROWN, ROGER 

STOCK, DR. TODD CUTLER, and DOES 1-30,

Defendants.

2:15-cv-00939-MCE-DAD

ORDER GRANTING THE MOTION 

TO APPOINT PLAINTIFF JENNIFER 

HUGUNIN AS GUARDIAN AD LITEM 

FOR D.H, KEITH CALDWELL AND 

NICOLE HILL AS GUARDIANS AD 

LITEM FOR X.C., AND TRISHIA 

PITTS AS GUARDIAN AD LITEM 

FOR N.P.

Case 2:15-cv-00939-MCE-DB Document 21 Filed 08/06/15 Page 1 of 4
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ORDER RE: GAL

2:15-cv-00939-MCE-DAD

INTRODUCTION

In this case, Jennifer Hugunin, Keith Caldwell and Nicole Hill, and Trishia Pitts, along with 

their children D.H., X.C., and N.P., respectively, have sued Defendants ROCKLIN UNIFIED

SCHOOL DISTRICT, SHERRY MCDANIEL, CHARLES THIBIDEAU, BETTY JO 

WESSINGER, JANNA CAMBRA, KEVIN BROWN, ROGER STOCK, DR. TODD CUTLER

under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 for violation of their Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment rights and other 

state and federal laws. The substance of their complaint is that Ms. McDaniel, the special day class 

teacher, subjected the minor plaintiffs and other students in her classroom to ongoing verbal, 

psychological and physical abuse during class, that they suffered physical and emotional injuries as 

a result, and that the District and school employees and administrators responded to the incidents 

improperly. Plaintiffs move for Jennifer Hugunin to be appointed as guardian ad litem for her son 

D.H., Keith Caldwell and Nicole Hill to be appointed as guardians ad litem for their son X.C., and 

for Trishia Pitts to be appointed as guardian ad litem for her son N.P.

STANDARD

“A minor or an incompetent person who does not have a duly appointed representative may 

sue by a next friend or by a guardian ad litem. The court must appoint a guardian ad litem – or 

issue another appropriate order – to protect a minor or incompetent person who is unrepresented in 

an action.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 17(c)(2)1

An individual’s capacity to sue is determined by the law of the individual’s domicile. Fed. 

R. Civ. P. 17(b). Under California law, an individual under the age of eighteen is a minor. Cal. 

 1 “A ‘next friend’ who initiates suit in federal court bears the burden of proving his 

suitability according to three general factors that are independent of the law of the forum state. 

These factors are: 1) an adequate explanation of why the minor may not bring suit himself; 2) a 

true dedication to the best interest of the minor; and 3) some significant relationship with the 

minor.” Anthem Life Ins. Co. v. Olguin, No. 1:6-cv-101165, 2007 WL 1390672, at *2 (E.D. Cal. 

May 9, 2007) (citing T.W. v. Brophy, 954 F.Supp. 1306, 1309 (E.D. Wis. 1996), aff’d, 124 F.3d 

893, 896-97 (7th Cir. 1997)). “It appears to be the common practice to appoint a parent to act as 

next friend for a child.” Anthem Life Ins. Co., 2007 WL 190672, at *2 (citing Gonzalez v. Reno, 

212 F.3d 1338, 1352 (11th Cir. 2000)).

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ORDER RE: GAL

2:15-cv-00939-MCE-DAD

Fam. Code § 6502. A minor may bring suit as long as a guardian conducts the proceedings. Cal. 

Fam. Code § 6601. The court may appoint a guardian ad litem to represent a minor’s interests in 

the litigation. Cal. Code Civ. P. § 372(a). In making the determination concerning the 

appointment of a particular guardian ad litem, the court shall consider whether the minor and the 

guardian have divergent interests. Cal. Code Civ. P. § 372(b)(1).

“’When there is a potential conflict between a perceived parental responsibility and an 

obligation to assist the court in achieving a just and speedy determination of the action,’ a court has 

the right to select a guardian ad litem who is not a parent if that guardian would best protect the 

child’s interests.” Williams v. Super. Ct., 54 Cal. Rptr. 3d 13, 22-23 (Cal. Ct. App. 4th 2007) 

(citing M.S. v. Wermers, 557 F.2d 170, 175 (8th Cir. 1977)). “[I]f the parent has an actual or 

potential conflict of interest with his child, the parent has no right to control or influence the child’s 

litigation.” Williams, 54 Cal. Rptr. 3d at 23. 

ANALYSIS

D.H., X.C., and N.P. are under the age of eighteen, and are minors under California law. 

Cal. Fam. Code § 6502. As minors, their ability to bring suit is contingent upon appointment by 

the court of a guardian ad litem. A parent may serve as their guardian ad litem so long as the 

parent does not have an interest adverse to the child’s interests.

Upon review of the complaint and motion and supporting declarations, the Court finds that 

the parents have no adverse interests to those of the minors. The parents brought this action on 

behalf of themselves and their minor children, but the Court finds no conflict between the claims. 

Therefore, their appointment as guardians ad litem for their children is appropriate. See Burke v. 

Smith, 252 F.3 d 1260, 1264 (11 th Cir. 2001)(“Generally, when a minor is represented by a parent 

who is a party to the lawsuit and who has the same interests as the child there is no inherent 

conflict of interest.”); see also Gonzalez v. Reno, 86 F. Supp. 2 d 1167, 1185 (S.D. Fla. 2000), aff’d

212 F.3 d 1338 (11 th Cir. 2000)(“[W]hen a parent brings an action on behalf of a child, and it is 

evident that the interests of each are the same, no need exists for someone other than the parent to 

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ORDER RE: GAL

2:15-cv-00939-MCE-DAD

represent the child’s interests under Rule 17(c).”); Robidoux v. Wacker Family Trust, No. CIVS06-2334 LKK-DAD, 2009 WL 1531785, at *1 (E.D. Cal. May 29, 2009), rev’d on other grounds 

by No. 09-16674, 2011 WL 1136241 (appointing plaintiff mother as guardian ad litem for plaintiff 

children in housing discrimination case).

CONCLUSION

Based on the foregoing, the motion to appoint Jennifer Hugunin as guardian ad litem for 

D.H., Keith Caldwell and Nicole Hill as guardians ad litem for X.C., and Trishia Pitts as guardian 

ad litem for N.P. (ECF No. 18) is GRANTED. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: 

Case 2:15-cv-00939-MCE-DB Document 21 Filed 08/06/15 Page 4 of 4