Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_07-cv-02351/USCOURTS-azd-2_07-cv-02351-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 442
Nature of Suit: Civil Rights Employment
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Civil Rights (Employment Discrimination)

---

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

WO

NOT FOR PUBLICATION

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Montye Fuse, a married man, 

Plaintiff, 

vs.

Arizona Board of Regents, a political

subdivision of the State of Arizona; Neal

Lester, a married man, 

Defendants. 

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

No. CV 07-2351-PHX-FJM

ORDER

Montye Fuse brings this action against the Arizona Board of Regents and Neal Lester

for discrimination in violation of federal and state law. Defendants move for judgment on

the pleadings on plaintiff’s claims against the Arizona Board of Regents under the Arizona

Civil Rights Act, A.R.S. § 41-1463, and state tort law (counts 3, 4, and 5). We have before

us defendants’ motion for partial judgment on the pleadings (doc. 40), plaintiff’s response

(doc. 53), and defendants’ reply (doc. 57). 

 Defendants argue, and plaintiff concedes, that plaintiff’s state law claims are not

within our jurisdiction pursuant to the Eleventh Amendment. We agree. See Pennhurst State

Sch. & Hosp. v. Halderman, 465 U.S. 89, 106, 104 S. Ct. 900, 911 (1984) (“[I]t is difficult

to think of a greater intrusion on state sovereignty than when a federal court instructs state

officials on how to conform their conduct to state law”). Plaintiff requests that we either: (1)

remand his state law claims to the Superior Court of Arizona in Maricopa County; or (2)

Case 2:07-cv-02351-FJM Document 67 Filed 03/27/09 Page 1 of 2
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

- 2 -

extend the statute of limitations under A.R.S. § 12-504 so he may refile these claims in

Superior Court. First, we cannot remand plaintiff’s claims to state court because this action

was originally filed in federal court (doc. 1). See 28 U.S.C. § 1447(c). Second, the state

court in which plaintiff refiles his claims must decide whether the statute of limitations

should be extended under A.R.S. § 12-504. 

Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED GRANTING defendants’ motion for partial

judgment on the pleadings (doc. 40). Counts 3, 4, and 5 of plaintiff’s complaint are

dismissed without prejudice to his right to reassert these claims in state court. 

DATED this 27th day of March, 2009.

Case 2:07-cv-02351-FJM Document 67 Filed 03/27/09 Page 2 of 2