Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-4_13-cv-00114/USCOURTS-azd-4_13-cv-00114-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 442
Nature of Suit: Civil Rights Employment
Cause of Action: 28:1441 Petition for Removal- Civil Rights Act

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WO 

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA 

Jerold Wolf, 

Plaintiff, 

v. 

Sierra Vista, et al., 

Defendants.

No. CV-13-00114-TUC-JGZ

ORDER 

Pending before the Court is a Motion for Summary Judgment filed by Defendants 

City of Sierra Vista, Sierra Vista City Manager Charles P. Potucek and Sierra Vista Chief 

of Police Ken Kimmel (“Defendants”) on January 31, 2014.1

 (Doc. 19.) Plaintiff Jerold 

Wolf (“Wolf”) filed a response to the Motion on March 17, 2013. (Doc. 23.) Defendants 

filed a reply on April 4, 2014. (Doc. 25.) Defendants seek summary judgment on 

Plaintiff’s claims of libel, slander, false light, defamation, arbitrary demotion in violation 

of Arizona law, unreasonable discipline in violation of A.R.S. § 38-1104 and violation of 

due process under Arizona and federal law. For the reasons stated herein, the Court will 

grant the Motion in part and remand this case to the Cochise County Superior Court.2

FACTUAL / PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND 

 Plaintiff worked as an officer with the City of Sierra Vista Police Department 

 

1 Defendants Charles Potucek and Ken Kimmel were never served in their individual 

capacities and are therefore sued only in their official capacities. (Doc. 1-2, pg. 2; Doc. 10, pg. 

18.) 

2 This case is suitable for decision without oral argument. See L.R. Civ. 7.2(f). 

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(“SVPD”) for 15 years. (DSOF 1; PSOF 1.)3 On July 5, 2010, Plaintiff was promoted to 

Corporal on a six-month probationary basis. (DSOF 2-3; PSOF 2-3.) 

In October 2010, Plaintiff received an unfavorable performance evaluation.4

 (Doc. 

20-2, pgs. 2-16.) On October 28, 2010, Chief Kimmel wrote a “Memorandum of Record” 

to Plaintiff stating that the evaluation was unacceptable and that if Plaintiff did not 

immediately improve, Chief Kimmel would recommend that his probationary period be 

extended. (Doc. 20-2, pg. 2.) 

On January 2, 2011, Plaintiff received another evaluation of his performance 

following the October 2010 assessment. (DSOF 8; PSOF 8; Doc. 20-2, pgs. 18-32.) The 

evaluation stated that Plaintiff was not performing to expectation. (Id.) Plaintiff refused 

to sign the evaluation and wrote in the “employee comments” section of the evaluation 

that the evaluation did not reflect his performance. (Doc. 20-1, pg. 9; Doc. 20-2, pg. 18.) 

On January 10, 2011, Plaintiff’s probationary status was extended for an additional six 

months. (DSOF 15; PSOF 15.) 

On September 26, 2011, Donna Hilton of the City of Sierra Vista Human 

Resources Department sent a letter to Plaintiff informing him that Chief Kimmel had 

recommended that Plaintiff be demoted from Corporal to his former position as a police 

officer. (Doc. 20-2, pg. 39.) The letter advised Plaintiff that he would have an 

 

3 Defendants’ Statement of Facts in Support of Defendants’ Motion for Summary 

Judgment (Doc. 20) is abbreviated herein as “DSOF.” Plaintiff’s Controverting Statement of 

Facts (Doc. 24, pgs. 1-27) is abbreviated herein as “PSOF.” Plaintiff’s Additional Statements of 

Fact (Doc. 24, pgs. 27-30) is abbreviated herein as “PPSOF.”

4 Plaintiff objects to the admissibility of nearly every exhibit attached to DSOF on the 

grounds that the exhibits are unauthenticated, lack foundation and contain hearsay. Because the 

Court does not rely on the exhibits in reaching its decision in this matter, it need not address 

Plaintiff’s objections. However, the Court notes that Plaintiff established a foundation for most 

of Defendant’s exhibits during his deposition. In addition, the evaluations and the internal 

memoranda related to Plaintiff’s employment are admissible under the business records hearsay 

exception. See Fed. R. Evid. 803(6). Plaintiff’s statements contained in the affidavit of Mary 

Chatham are admissible as party admissions. See Fed. R. Evid. 801(d)(2). The Court also notes 

that Plaintiff relies on statements contained in his evaluation in his PSOF. (Doc. 24, pgs. 2-5.) 

Finally, Rule 56(c)(2), Fed. R. Civ. P., permits a party to object to material cited to support a fact 

only if that material cannot be presented in a form that would be admissible in evidence. 

Plaintiff fails to demonstrate that Defendants would be unable to properly authenticate, lay 

foundation for, or overcome hearsay issues related to the documents attached to DSOF. 

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opportunity to address the grounds for the demotion at an internal administrative hearing 

on October 6, 2011. (Id.) On that date, Plaintiff attended a hearing with City Manager 

Potucek. (Doc. 20-1, pg. 17.) Ms. Hilton and a representative of the police officer’s 

association also attended the meeting. (Id.) Plaintiff explained why he disagreed with 

the recommendation that he be demoted. (Id.) Following the October 6, 2011 hearing, 

the City adopted the Chief’s recommendation and demoted Plaintiff effective October 13, 

2011. (DSOF 19; PSOF 19.) 

Plaintiff appealed the City’s decision and, pursuant to the City’s policies, was 

afforded the opportunity to present his appeal to a hearing officer in the form of an 

evidentiary hearing. At the November 8, 2011 hearing, Plaintiff was represented by 

counsel, testified and cross-examined witnesses. (DSOF 20-21; PSOF 20-21.) On 

November 28, 2011, the hearing officer recommended that the City Manager rescind the 

discipline and reinstate Plaintiff as a Corporal in the SVPD. (DSOF 22; PSOF 22.) 

 The parties dispute what happened next. According to Defendants, their attorney 

sent an email to Plaintiff’s attorney on December 5, 2011, stating that City Manager 

Potucek was not inclined to adopt the hearing officer’s recommendation and that it was 

within City Manager Potucek’s authority to demote Plaintiff back to the job of regular 

line officer. (DSOF 23-24.) Defendants’ counsel indicated that, as a compromise, City 

Manager Potucek was willing to allow Plaintiff to choose an assignment as either the 

School Resource Officer or as an officer in the property crimes unit following his 

demotion. (DSOF 26; Doc. 20-3, pg. 16.) On that same date, Plaintiff’s counsel emailed 

Defendants’ counsel and stated that Plaintiff had agreed to accept the position in the 

property crimes unit. (DSOF 26; Doc. 20-3, pg. 18.) On December 7, 2011, City 

Manager Potucek issued a Memorandum to Plaintiff stating: “On October 14, 2011, you 

submitted an appeal to your demotion from the position of Police Corporal to Police 

Officer. During the process an agreement was reached that you would be assigned to the 

Property Crimes Unit effective December 7, 2011.” (DSOF 29; Doc. 20-3, pg. 20.) 

 Plaintiff objects to the admissibility of the emails between his counsel and 

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Defendants’ counsel on the grounds that the emails have not been authenticated, contain 

hearsay and lack foundation. (Doc. 24, pgs. 15-19.) Plaintiff acknowledges that he 

received the December 7, 2011 Memorandum from City Manager Potucek, but denies 

that he reached an agreement with Defendants to forego his appeal of his demotion in 

exchange for assignment in the property crimes unit. (Doc. 24, pg. 20.) According to 

Plaintiff, the property crimes position was offered to him as an “olive branch,” but was 

not intended to end his appeal. (Doc. 20-1, pg. 23.) 

 It is undisputed that Officer Mary Chatham had been slated to fill the open 

property crimes position. (DSOF 30; PSOF 30.) Officer Chatham stated in an affidavit 

that Plaintiff told her he had accepted the property crimes position as part of a 

compromise with the City to resolve his appeal of his demotion from Corporal. (Doc. 20-

3, pg. 22.) 

 On June 2, 2012, Plaintiff filed a Notice of Claim pursuant to A.R.S. § 12-821.01. 

(DSOF 38; PSOF 38.) Plaintiff filed the instant action on November 6, 2012 in Cochise 

County Superior Court. (Doc. 1.) Plaintiff’s Complaint alleges eight counts against 

Defendants: (1) libel and slander per quod in violation of Arizona law; (2) libel and 

slander per se in violation of Arizona law; (3) libel and slander (false light) in violation of 

Arizona law; (4) defamation in violation of Arizona law; (5) arbitrary demotion in 

violation of Arizona law; (6) unreasonable discipline of a law enforcement officer in 

violation of A.R.S. § 38-11045

; (7) violation of Arizona’s Due Process clause, Ariz. 

Const. Art. II.4; and (8) violation of the due process rights guaranteed by the Fifth and 

Fourteenth Amendments of the United States Constitution. 

 Defendants removed the action to this Court on February 25, 2013. (Id.) Review 

of the docket indicates that while Defendants served Plaintiff with disclosure and 

discovery requests and deposed Plaintiff, Plaintiff did not provide Defendants with any 

 

5 On April 25, 2014, portions of Title 38 of the Arizona Revised Statutes were repealed 

and the statutes were renumbered. See 2014 Arizona House Bill No. 2562, Arizona Fifty-First 

Legislature - Second Regular Session (Apr 25, 2014). Accordingly, Plaintiff’s claim for 

unreasonable discipline of a law enforcement officer now arises under A.R.S. § 38-1103.

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disclosure and did not engage in any discovery in this matter.6 Defendants filed the 

instant Motion following the close of discovery. 

STANDARD OF REVIEW 

In deciding a motion for summary judgment, the Court views the evidence and all 

reasonable inferences therefrom in the light most favorable to the party opposing the 

motion. See Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 255 (1986); Eisenberg v. 

Insurance Co. of North America, 815 F.2d 1285, 1289 (9th Cir. 1987). 

 Summary judgment is appropriate if the pleadings and supporting documents 

"show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is 

entitled to a judgment as a matter of law." Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(c); Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 

477 U.S. 317, 322 (1986). Material facts are those "that might affect the outcome of the 

suit under the governing law." Anderson, 477 U.S. at 248. A genuine issue exists if "the 

evidence is such that a reasonable jury could return a verdict for the nonmoving party." 

Id. 

 A party moving for summary judgment initially must demonstrate the absence of a 

genuine issue of material fact. Celotex, 477 U.S. at 325. The moving party merely needs 

to point out to the Court the absence of evidence supporting its opponent's claim; it does 

not need to disprove its opponent's claim. Id.; see also Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(c). 

 If a moving party has made this showing, the nonmoving party "may not rest upon 

the mere allegations or denials of the adverse party's pleading, but . . . must set forth 

specific facts showing that there is a genuine issue for trial." Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(e). See 

also Anderson, 477 U.S. at 256; Brinson v. Linda Rose Joint Venture, 53 F.3d 1044, 1049 

(9th Cir. 1995). The nonmoving party may not "replace conclusory allegations of the 

complaint or answer with conclusory allegations of an affidavit." Lujan v. National 

Wildlife Federation, 497 U.S. 871, 888 (1990). 

 

6 Some of the documents attached to Defendants’ Statement of Facts contain Bates 

numbers which suggest that Plaintiff provided some disclosure to Defendants (see, e.g., Doc. 20-

2, pgs. 39-42), but Plaintiff did not file any notice of service of disclosure as required by LRCiv 

5.2. 

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ANALYSIS

Defendants move for summary judgment on six grounds: (1) Plaintiff’s claims for 

libel, slander, defamation and violation of due process under Arizona law are untimely; 

(2) Plaintiff’s claims for libel, slander and defamation fail as a matter of law; (3) 

Plaintiff’s claims that he was arbitrarily demoted and unreasonably disciplined are barred 

by his agreement to accept the demotion in exchange for the opportunity to choose his 

assignment; (4) Plaintiff’s claims that he was arbitrarily demoted and unreasonably 

disciplined are time-barred; (5) Plaintiff’s claims that he was arbitrarily demoted and 

unreasonably disciplined fail as a matter of law; and (6) Plaintiff’s due process claims fail 

as a matter of law. Because the Court concludes that Plaintiff’s only federal claim is 

without merit, the Court declines to reach the merits of Defendants’ other arguments and 

remands this case to the Cochise County Superior Court. 

1. Plaintiff’s due process claims fail as a matter of law. 

Seven of the eight counts in Plaintiff’s Complaint arise under state law. The only 

federal claim alleged by Plaintiff is Count 8, in which Plaintiff alleges a § 1983 claim for 

violation of his procedural due process rights. (Doc. 1-3, pg. 11.) Plaintiff’s sole federal 

claim is without merit as to both the City of Sierra Vista and the individual Defendants 

sued in their official capacity. In order for a municipality to be liable for a section 1983 

violation, the action alleged to be unconstitutional must implement a policy officially 

adopted by the municipality. See Miranda v. City of Cornelius, 429 F.3d 858, 869 (9th

Cir. 2005). Plaintiff has failed to allege that the City of Sierra Vista adopted a formal 

policy of depriving employees’ of their due process rights.7

 Similarly, an action against a 

municipal officer in his official capacity is the functional equivalent of a direct action 

against a municipality. See Newman v. City of Phoenix, 2013 WL 1947412, *2 (D. Ariz. 

2013). Because Plaintiff has failed to state a claim against the City of Sierra Vista, he has 

also failed to state a claim against Defendants Kimmel and Potucek, sued in their official 

 

7 Plaintiff did not respond to Defendants’ argument that Plaintiff had not alleged a formal 

policy adopted by the City of Sierra Vista (Doc. 19, pg. 13), and apparently concedes this point.

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capacities. Although Plaintiff makes a cursory allegation that Defendants Kimmel and 

Potucek were policymakers who ratified the violation of his due process rights (Doc. 24, 

pg. 29), that allegation is not supported by any admissible evidence.8

 Accordingly, 

Plaintiff’s Complaint does not include a viable federal claim. 

 Because Defendants are entitled to summary judgment on Plaintiff’s only federal 

claim, the Court declines to exercise jurisdiction over the remaining state law claims. A 

district court may decline supplemental jurisdiction over state law claims if any of four 

factors are met: (1) the claim raises a novel or complex issue of State law, (2) the claim 

substantially predominates over the claim or claims over which the district court has 

original jurisdiction, (3) the district court has dismissed all claims over which it has 

original jurisdiction, or (4) in exceptional circumstances, there are other compelling 

reasons for declining jurisdiction. See 28 U.S.C. § 1367(c); Acri v. Varian Associates, 

Inc., 114 F.3d 999, 1001 (9th Cir. 1997) (in the usual case in which all federal-law claims 

are eliminated before trial, the balance of factors will point toward declining to exercise 

jurisdiction over the remaining state-law claims). 

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8 Pursuant to Monell v. Dept. of Soc. Services, 436 U.S. 658, 694 (1978), a plaintiff may 

establish municipal liability by proving that the alleged constitutional deprivation was ratified by 

an official with final policymaking authority. Plaintiff elected not to conduct any discovery on 

this issue (or any other issue in this case). Instead, in support of his claim that Defendants 

Kimmel and Potucek were policymakers, Plaintiff cites to his deposition testimony. However, 

nothing in his deposition relates to Defendant Kimmel’s or Defendant Potucek’s final policymaking authority. (Doc. 20-21, pg. 20.) 

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Defendants present numerous arguments in support of their Motion for Summary 

Judgment on Plaintiff’s state law claims. Because these arguments arise solely under 

Arizona law and concern the merits of Plaintiff's surviving state law claims, this Court 

would defer to the state court's consideration of these issues—should Defendant raise 

them—following remand of this case.9

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9 The Court notes that it appears that Counts 1-4 of Plaintiff’s Complaint are without 

merit. Under Arizona's notice of claim statute, a plaintiff with a claim against a public entity or 

employee must first file a notice of claim with the person authorized to accept service on behalf 

of that entity or employee within 180 days after the cause of action accrues. A.R. S. § 12–

821.01(A). Compliance with the notice provision is a “mandatory and essential prerequisite,” 

Martineau v. Maricopa County, 86 P.3d 912, 914 (Ariz. App. 2004), and a plaintiff's failure to 

comply bars any claim. Falcon v. Maricopa County, 144 P.3d 1254, 1256 (2006). In addition, 

Arizona law imposes a one-year statute of limitations for all state law claims against a 

municipality. See A.R.S. § 12-821. A claim accrues when the plaintiff realizes he has been 

damaged and knows or should know the cause of the damage. See A.R.S. § 12-821.01 (B). At 

his deposition, Plaintiff identified two letters that he believed defamed his reputation: (1) a 

September 23, 2011 memorandum from Chief Kimmel to City Manager Potucek in which Chief 

Kimmel states that Plaintiff “fails to recognize [his] shortcomings when presented to him by his 

supervisors”; and (2) an October 11, 2011 memorandum from City Manager Potucek to Plaintiff 

stating “I cannot overlook your lack of acknowledgement of the errors in judgment.” (Doc. 20-

1, pgs. 26-27; Doc. 20-2, pg. 41, 42.) Plaintiff’s June 2, 2012 notice of claim was not served 

within 180 days of the date these allegedly defamatory statements were made. In addition, 

Plaintiff’s November 6, 2012 lawsuit was filed more than one year after the statements were 

made. Accordingly, Plaintiff’s libel, slander and defamation claims would be barred by A.R.S. § 

12-821.01(A) and A.R.S. § 12-821. Plaintiff’s defamation claims suffer from a number of other 

deficits. Arizona law applies a one-year statute of limitations to defamation, libel and slander 

claims. See A.R.S. § 12-541; Gulley v. Southwestern Eye Center, 2008 WL 2115299 (D. Ariz. 

2008). Plaintiff’s claims would be time-barred under this statute. In addition, in a defamation 

case, qualified immunity will protect a public official if the facts establish that a reasonable 

person, with the information available to the official, “could have formed a reasonable belief that 

the defamatory statement in question was true and that the publication was an appropriate means 

for serving the interests which justified the privilege.” Chamberlain v. Mathis, 729 P.2d 905, 

913 (Ariz. 1986). As for Plaintiff’s 11th hour claim that Defendants defamed him by disregarding 

the recommendations of the hearing officer and move forward with demoting Plaintiff, (Doc. 23, 

pg. 6), Plaintiff has not presented any admissible evidence in support of this assertion and it is 

directly contradicted by his deposition testimony. Plaintiff has also failed to demonstrate that 

Defendants’ continued efforts to demote him despite the hearing officer’s recommendation 

somehow constitute a “false statement.” Defendants were not under a legal obligation to adopt 

the findings of the hearing officer. See A.R.S. § 38-1107(A). Finally, Plaintiff’s claim that the 

applicable statutes of limitations for his defamation claims were tolled by the “continuing tort” 

doctrine is without merit; the continuing tort doctrine does not apply to defamation actions 

arising from a single, identifiable incident. See Flowers v. Carville, 310 F.3d 1118, 1126 (9th 

Cir. 2002). 

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CONCLUSION 

 For the foregoing reasons, IT IS ORDERED THAT Defendants’ Motion for 

Summary Judgment filed on January 31, 2014 (Doc. 19) is GRANTED IN PART; 

 IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that this matter is REMANDED to the Superior 

Court of the State of Arizona, in and for the County of Cochise. 

 IT IS FURTHER ORDERED THAT the Clerk of the Court shall enter judgment 

in favor of Defendants as to Count 8 only and close the file in this matter. 

 Dated this 25th day of June, 2014. 

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