Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-5_05-cv-05143/USCOURTS-cand-5_05-cv-05143-0/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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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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*E-filed 3/15/06*

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SAN JOSE DIVISION

RICK M. REINHARDT,

Plaintiff,

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, SAN JOSE

POLICE DEPARTMENT, SANTA CLARA

COUNTY PUBLIC DEFENDER, SANTA

CLARA COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY,

WILL MANION, ENRIQUE GARCIA,

ROBERT MAYS, DOROTHY

MOTSCHENBACHER, and DOES 1-50,

Defendants. /

Case No. C05-05143 HRL 

ORDER SEVERING CLAIMS 

AGAINST DEFENDANTS 

MAYS AND MOTSCHENBACHER

Rick Reinhardt brings claims for damages for “illegal and unconstitutional jailing”

against two public entities, two police officers, and two private citizens. He bases his claims on

42 U.S.C. § 1983, the California Constitution, and certain California statutes. The damages

stem from the ten months he spent in jail, accused of murder, before authorities figured out he

had been framed and released him. 

The County of Santa Clara (the District Attorney's and Public Defender's Officers), the

City of San Jose, and Officers Manion and Garcia move to dismiss the claims against them. 

Pursuant to 28, U.S.C. Section 636(c) and Fed. R. Civ. P. 73, those defendants, as well as

plaintiff, have voluntarily consented to have a United States Magistrate Judge conduct any and

all proceedings in this case, including trial, and order the entry of a final judgment.

Case 5:05-cv-05143-HRL Document 25 Filed 03/15/06 Page 1 of 3
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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The court was contacted by a court-appointed attorney representing Motschenbacher in the case,

People of the State of California v. Motschenbacher, a criminal action in state court for homicide and

conspiracy stemming from the same events at issue in this action. The attorney informed this court that

Motschnebacher had recently pled guilty to reduced charges and was sentenced to four years in state prison. 

Motschenbacher was served a copy of the civil complaint while in custody and has no funds to defend herself. 

She requested that the court appoint pro bono counsel to represent her and prevent a default from being taken

against her.

2

Defendants Mays and Motschenbacher have not appeared in the action and have neither

consented nor declined to have the case heard by a United States Magistrate Judge.1

Under Fed. R. Civ. P. 21, a court has discretion to sever parties or any claims against a

party “on such terms as are just.” See FED. R. CIV. P. 21 (“Parties may be dropped or added by

order of the court on motion of any party or of its own initiative at any stage of the action and

on such terms as are just. Any claim against a party may be severed and proceeded with

separately.”).

In this case, the court concludes that severance of the claims against the defaulting

defendants will prevent any further delay in the adjudication of the claims between plaintiff and

the City and County defendants. Further, the court finds that no substantial right will be

impaired by the severance. Accordingly, all claims against defendants Robert Mays and

Dorothy Motschenbacher are SEVERED, and the action is STAYED with respect to those

defendants.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: 3/15/06 /s/ Howard R. Lloyd 

HOWARD R. LLOYD

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Case 5:05-cv-05143-HRL Document 25 Filed 03/15/06 Page 2 of 3
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT A COPY OF THIS ORDER WILL BE SENT TO:

Robert Baker Burchfiel CAO.Main@ci.sj.ca.us 

David Michael Rollo david.rollo@cco.sccgov.org, anna.espiritu@cco.sccgov.org

Loren Bryan Vaccarezza lorenbvaccarezza@yahoo.com

Dated: 3/15/06

 /s/ RNR 

Chambers of Magistrate Judge Howard R. Lloyd

Case 5:05-cv-05143-HRL Document 25 Filed 03/15/06 Page 3 of 3