Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-arwd-2_05-cv-02136/USCOURTS-arwd-2_05-cv-02136-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 440
Nature of Suit: Other Civil Rights
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Civil Rights (Employment Discrimination)

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

WESTERN DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS

FORT SMITH DIVISION

ROBERT JOHNSON PLAINTIFF

v. Civil No. 05-2136

CITY OF FORT SMITH, ARKANSAS;

THE FORT SMITH AIRPORT COMMISSION;

WILLIAM STRANDELL, individually;

JOHN R. DALLAS, individually;

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA;

WILLIAM HARDING, individually;

JOHN POLINSKY, JR., individually;

R. MARK HORN, individually;

KENNETH PYLE, individually;

GARY W. CAMPBELL, individually;

COLE GOODMAN, individually;

JERRY R. STEWART, individually;

JOSEPH HERMANN, individually;

RICK DERAMUS, individually, DEFENDANTS

O R D E R

NOW on this 9th day of August, 2006, the above referenced

matter comes on for this Court’s consideration of Plaintiff’s

Motion to Permit Filing of First Amended Complaint (document #37)

and Plaintiff’s Amended Motion to Permit Filing of First Amended

Complaint (document #44), and the various responses thereto.

Having reviewed the pleadings of the parties, and all other

matters of relevance before it, the Court, being well and

sufficiently advised, finds and orders as follows:

1. Plaintiff Robert A. Johnson filed this action against

the City of Fort Smith, Arkansas, the Fort Smith Airport

Commission, William Strandell, John R. Dallas, the United States

of America, William Harding, John Polinsky, Jr., R. Mark Horn,

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Kenneth Pyle, Gary W. Campbell, Cole Goodman, Jerry R. Stewart,

Joseph Herrmann, and Rick Deramus. Plaintiff’s complaint contains

seven (7) separate counts: breach of contract, intentional

interference with contract or business expectancy, denial of due

process under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, denial of due process under Ark.

Code Ann. § 16-123-105, defamation, civil conspiracy, and age

discrimination under Ark. Code Ann. § 21-3-203. 

2. Various motions to dismiss have been filed by the

defendants – and in the midst of the briefing on the motions to

dismiss – the plaintiff filed the instant motions seeking to amend

his complaint for the purpose of clarifying his alternative claims

of employment by the City of Fort Smith. 

Several defendants oppose the plaintiff’s motion to amend,

arguing that the court should not consider the motion until the

motions to dismiss have been ruled upon. 

3. The Court, having extensively reviewed all pending

pleadings, now finds that the amended complaint may impact the

arguments and should be filed prior to the ultimate consideration

of the issues presented in the pending motions to dismiss. 

The Court, therefore, finds that Plaintiff’s Motion to Permit

Filing of First Amended Complaint (document #37) and Plaintiff’s

Amended Motion to Permit Filing of First Amended Complaint

(document #44) should be, and hereby are, granted. The plaintiff

should file his amended pleading within ten (10) days. 

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The Court, further, finds that the following motions should

be, and hereby are, denied as moot:

* Motion to Dismiss of Separate Defendants, City of Fort

Smith, Arkansas, William Harding and Gary W. Campbell (document

#2);

* Motion to Dismiss of Kenneth Pyle (document #5);

* Motion to Dismiss of the Separate Defendant, Cole

Goodman (document #7); and

* Motion to Substitute the United States for Individually

Named Defendants William Strandell and John R. Dallas and to

Dismiss the Complaint (document #30).

After the filing of the amended complaint, the defendants are

invited to re-file their motions to dismiss, as originally

submitted, or in an amended fashion, whichever may be appropriate.

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

/s/ Jimm Larry Hendren 

JIMM LARRY HENDREN

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

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