Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_06-cv-02775/USCOURTS-azd-2_06-cv-02775-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Jeanann Skeens
Plaintiff
State of Arizona
Defendant

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WO

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

JEANANN SKEENS, a single person, 

Plaintiff, 

vs.

STATE OF ARIZONA, A Body Politic, 

Defendant. 

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No. CV 06-02775-PHX-NVW

ORDER

Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss (doc. # 7) poses the question whether the Eleventh

Amendment to the United States Constitution bars Congress from giving federal courts

original jurisdiction of money damage claims against a State for violation of the self-care

provision of the Family Medical Leave Act, 29 U.S.C. § 2612(a)(1)(D). Others have

surveyed this ground and found the self-care provision of the FMLA beyond the metes and

bounds of Congress’ Fourteenth Amendment enforcement power to abrogate the Eleventh

Amendment limitation on the federal judicial power. Miles v. Bellfontaine HabilitationCtr.,

481 F.3d 1106 (8th Cir. 2007); Touvell v. Ohio Dep’t of Mental Retardation and Dev.

Disabilities, 422 F3d 392, 397-405 (6th Cir. 2005); Brockman v. Wyoming Dep’t of Family

Servs., 342 F.3d 1159, 164-65 (10th Cir. 2003); Wennihan v. AHCCCS, 2005 WL 1876297

(D. Ariz. 2005); see Kurtis A. Kemper, Annotation, Immunity of States in Private Actions for

Damages Under Family and Medical Leave Act (29 U.S.C.A. § 2601 et seq.), 180 A.L.R. Fed

579 (2002). Plaintiff is not without a forum. She may bring this claim in the State courts.

Case 2:06-cv-02775-NVW Document 16 Filed 05/04/07 Page 1 of 2
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IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss (doc. # 7) is

granted.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Clerk enter judgment dismissing this action for

lack of subject matter jurisdiction. The Clerk shall terminate this action.

DATED this 3rd day of May 2007.

Case 2:06-cv-02775-NVW Document 16 Filed 05/04/07 Page 2 of 2