Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_04-cv-00376/USCOURTS-caed-2_04-cv-00376-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 210
Nature of Suit: Land Condemnation
Cause of Action: 28:1983 Civil Rights

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

ROSIE L. HALL,

Plaintiff,

v.

U.S. BANKRUPTCY COURT, U.S.

BANKRUPTCY APPELLATE PANEL,

JUDGE RUSSELL DAVIS, U.S.

TRUSTEE, JUDITH HOTZE, HELGA

A. WHITE, and ROBERT WEGNER,

Defendants.

CIV. S-04-0376 LKK PAN PS

FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

—NFN—

On February 23, 2004, plaintiff Rosie L. Hall filed this

action. The named defendants are the U.S. Bankruptcy Court,

Judge Russell Davis, the U.S. Bankruptcy Appellate Panel, the

U.S. Trustee, Judith Hotze (attorney for the U.S. Trustee),

Robert Wenger (sued as Robert Wegner), and Helga A. White

(attorney for Wenger). Plaintiff alleges she filed a bankruptcy

petition October 13, 1993, that Robert Wenger was appointed

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trustee of the assets of the estate, that he was unqualified, and

that his errors and omissions caused significant financial loss

to plaintiff.

The federal defendants, viz., the bankruptcy court,

bankruptcy appellate panel, Judge Russell, U.S. Trustee and

Judith Hotze, move to dismiss. Defendants contend that the

bankruptcy court and appellate panel, as arms of the federal

government, enjoy sovereign immunity from suit, that Judge

Russell enjoys absolute judicial immunity from suit for actions

taken in his official capacity, and that the U.S. Trustee and

Hotze share the federal government’s sovereign immunity to suit

for acts taken in their official capacity and, because trustees

assumed judicial functions historically vested in bankruptcy and

district courts, enjoys judicial immunity for acts in their

individual capacity.

Plaintiff does not meaningfully oppose the federal

defendants’ motion.

For the reasons urged by the federal defendants and

because plaintiff’s complaint avers no wrongdoing by any of them,

all claims against the federal defendants should be dismissed.

Robert Wenger moves to dismiss upon the ground

plaintiff’s claims against him are barred by any applicable

limitation period. He argues that plaintiff affirmatively

alleges that she filed her bankruptcy petition in October 1993, 

that all of Wenger’s alleged delicts occurred in 1994 and 1995,

and that her claims are barred by any limitation period that

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might be applied.

In fact, plaintiff alleges wrongdoing by Wenger up to the

time she filed her complaint. Accordingly, Wenger’s motion to

dismiss should be denied.

Nevertheless the court is skeptical that plaintiff has

alleged any facts that would justify relief against Wenger

because all of his actions as trustee necessarily would have been

approved by the bankruptcy court and any challenges decided in

that court. Accordingly, I recommend that Wenger be accorded 20

days within which to renew his motion to dismiss on different

grounds.

These findings and recommendations are submitted to the

Honorable Lawrence K. Karlton, the United States District Judge

assigned to this case. 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(l). Written

objections may be filed within ten days after being served with

these findings and recommendations. The document should be

captioned “Objections to Magistrate Judge’s Findings and

Recommendations.” The failure to file objections within the

specified time may waive the right to appeal the District Court’s

order. Martinez v. Ylst, 951 F.2d 1153 (9th Cir. 1991).

Dated: April 18, 2005. 

 /s/ Peter A. Nowinski 

 PETER A. NOWINSKI

 Magistrate Judge

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