Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-arwd-5_05-cv-05203/USCOURTS-arwd-5_05-cv-05203-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Joe Powell
Defendant
Angie Walker
Plaintiff
Kevin P. Walker
Plaintiff

Document Text:

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

WESTERN DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS

FAYETTEVILLE DIVISION

KEVIN P. WALKER and

ANGIE WALKER PLAINTIFFS

v. Civil No. 05-5203

DEPUTY JOE POWELL,

BENTON COUNTY, ARKANSAS

SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT, in

his official and individual

capacities DEFENDANT

O R D E R

Now on this 5th day of May, 2006, comes on for consideration

defendant’s Motion To Dismiss (document #2), and from said motion,

and a review of the pleadings, the Court finds and orders as

follows:

1. Plaintiffs filed this suit on December 20, 2005,

alleging that defendant, acting in both his individual and

official capacities, committed a violation of their constitutional

rights by stopping them, and arresting Kevin Walker, on or about

December 21, 2002.

2. Defendant contends that, insofar as he is sued in his

official capacity, plaintiffs’ claims against him must be

dismissed pursuant to A.C.A. §16-56-109, which provides that

“[a]ll actions against sheriffs . . . upon any liability incurred

by them by doing any act in their official capacity . . . shall be

brought within two (2) years after the cause of action has accrued

and not thereafter.”

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3. Because the Complaint was filed more than two years

after the actions complained of, and because A.C.A. §16-56-109 is

applicable to deputy sheriffs as well as sheriffs, Brown v. U.S.,

342 F.Supp. 987 (E.D. Ark. 1972), affirmed in relevant part,

reversed in part, 486 F.2d 284 (8th Cir. 1973), the Court agrees

that plaintiffs’ claims against defendant in his official capacity

should be dismissed.

IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that defendant’s Motion To Dismiss

(document #2) is granted, and plaintiffs’ claims against defendant

- in his official capacity only - are hereby dismissed.

Plaintiffs’ claims against defendant in his individual capacity

remain pending for trial.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

 /s/ Jimm Larry Hendren 

JIMM LARRY HENDREN

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

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