Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_11-cv-01271/USCOURTS-caed-1_11-cv-01271-14/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Nicholas Hart
Plaintiff
Kenneth Hockett
Defendant
Darlene Hutchins
Defendant
Brian Machado
Defendant
Benjamin C. Oyarzo
Plaintiff
Toney Powers
Defendant
Tuolumne Fire District
Defendant
Tuolumne Fire Protection District
Defendant
Joseph Turner
Defendant

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

BENJAMIN C. OYARZO and NICHOLAS

HART,

 Plaintiffs, 

 v. 

TUOLUMNE FIRE DISTRICT (A.K.A. 

“TUOLUMNE FIRE PROTECTION 

DISTRICT”), JOSEPH TURNER, in his

individual and official capacities, DARLENE 

HUTCHINS, in her individual and official 

capacities, KENNETH HOCKETT, in his 

individual and official capacities, BRIAN 

MACHADO, in his individual and official 

capacities, TONEY POWERS, in his individual 

and official capacities, and DOES 1 THROUGH 

20, Inclusive

 Defendants.

1:11-CV-01271 LJO SAB

REQUEST FOR SUPPLEMENTAL 

BRIEFING RE PLAINTIFF OYARZO’S 

RANK.

The Court has reviewed the documents filed in connection with the Individual Defendants’ 

motions for summary judgment and hereby requests supplemental briefing on the subject of Plaintiff 

Oyarzo’s rank prior to his placement on leave in June 2010. 

It is undisputed that Oyarzo was appointed “Fire Chief” by Tuolumne Fire District’s (TFD)

Board in May 2008. Oyarzo Decl., Ex. D1, OH 281-283. Plaintiffs argue Oyarzo was never legally a 

“Fire Chief” because Joe Turner, one of the three TFD Board members who voted for Oyarzo’s 

appointment to Chief,1did not satisfy the requirements for Board membership. Doc. 82 at 8-9. In July 

2010, more than two years after his appointment to the rank of Chief, Oyarzo filed a validation action 

challenging several Board members, including Turner. JSF O; Oyarzo Ex. A4. Among other things, the 

action also requested invalidation of all votes taken since on or about May 2008 in which Joe Turner 

 

1 Two of the five directors recused themselves from voting; the remaining three members (Joe Turner, Rommie Jones, and 

Craig Flores) voted unanimously in favor of promoting Oyarzo to Chief. Oyarzo Decl., Ex. D1, OH 281-283.

Case 1:11-cv-01271-SAB Document 96 Filed 06/03/13 Page 1 of 2
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participated as part of a three person majority. Id. Joe Turner resigned from the Board on August 3, 

2010. JSF O; Turner Depo. 126:20-127:1. On August 30, 2010, the TFD Board reconsidered several 

previous votes, including “appointing Ben Oyarzo Fire Chief effective May 12, 2008 due to Director Joe 

Turner not residing within the District.” Oyarzo Ex. A2, TFD 836. That motion did not pass. Id. 

Notwithstanding the August 30, 2010 vote, California Health and Safety Code § 13806 requires 

that actions to determine the validity of any action taken by a fire protection district be brought under the 

provisions of California Code of Civil Procedure § 860, et seq. Oyarzo invoked both of these provisions 

in his validation action. Oyarzo Ex. A4. California Code of Civil Procedure § 860 allows only a 60-day 

window for a public agency to bring an action to invalidate its own action. The same limitations period 

applies to validation actions brought by individual citizens. Cal. Code Civ. Pro. § 863. Absent a timely 

challenge to the validity of an action taken by a California public entity, such an action “become[s] 

immune from attack whether it is legally valid or not.” McLeod v. Vista Unified Sch. Dist., 158 Cal. 

App. 4th 1156, 1166 (2008). Oyarzo’s validation challenge, filed in July 2010, was far too late to fall 

within the 60-day window to challenge his own appointment to Chief in May 2008. 

In light of these authorities, Plaintiffs are directed to file a supplemental brief, no longer than five 

pages in length, providing any available authority indicating why Oyarzo’s appointment as Chief, a 

position he held at least until he was placed on leave in June 2010, should be deemed a disputed fact (as 

opposed to a fact established as a matter of law) by this Court. This supplemental brief shall be filed on 

or before June 10, 2013. Defendants shall have until June 14, 2013 to file a five page response.

SO ORDERED

Dated: June 3, 2013

 /s/ Lawrence J. O’Neill

United States District Judge

Case 1:11-cv-01271-SAB Document 96 Filed 06/03/13 Page 2 of 2