Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca10-89-01363/USCOURTS-ca10-89-01363-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Wilbert Johnson
Appellant
Victor M. F. Reyes
Appellee
David Vela
Appellee

Document Text:

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS 

TENTH CIRCUIT 

WILBERT JOHNSON, ) 

) 

Plaintiff-Appellant, ) 

) 

FIL.ED 

United States Court of Appeals 

Tenth Circuit 

APR .. 5 1990 

«OBERT L. HOECKER 

Clerk 

V • ) 

) 

DAVID VELA and VICTOR M. F. REYES, ) 

) 

No. 89-1363 

(D.C. No. 89-C-1034) 

(District of Colorado) 

Defendants-Appellees. ) 

ORDER AND JUDGMENT* 

Before McKAY, ANDERSON, and TACHA, Circuit Judges. 

After examining the briefs and appellate record, this panel 

has determined unanimously that oral argument would not materially 

assist the determination of this appeal. See Fed. R. App. P. 

34(a); 10th Cir. R. 34.1.9. The case is therefore ordered submitted without oral argument. 

Plaintiff sued under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 two attorneys who represented him as public defenders in a state criminal proceeding. 

The trial court dismissed on the ground that the Supreme Court has 

clearly held that even though appointed by the state, public 

* This order and judgment has no precedential value and shall 

not be cited, or used by any court within the Tenth Circuit, 

except for purposes of establishing the doctrines of the law of 

the case, res judicata, or collateral estoppel. 10th Cir. R. 

36.3. 

Appellate Case: 89-1363 Document: 01019970797 Date Filed: 04/05/1990 Page: 1 
j 

defenders are not acting under color of state law when they carry 

out those duties. Polk County v. Dodson, 454 U.S. 312 (1981). 

Acting under color of state law is an essential element in a 

section 1983 case. The trial court correctly dismissed this case 

pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(d). We AFFIRM that dismissal. 

The mandate shall issue forthwith. 

-2-

Entered for the Court 

Monroe G. McKay 

Circuit Judge 

Appellate Case: 89-1363 Document: 01019970797 Date Filed: 04/05/1990 Page: 2