### IN THE UNI TED STAT ES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE FIF TH CIRCU IT

N o

. 0 9

- 3 1 1 1 0

R O S E D A L E M I S S I O N A R Y B A P T I S T C H U R C H

,

P l a i n t i f f

- A p p e l l e e

,

v e r s u s

N E W O R L E A N S C I T Y

,

D e f e n d a n t

- A p p e l l a n t

.

A p p e a l f

r o m t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s D i s t r i c t C o u r t

f o r t h e E a s t e r n D i s t r i c t o f L o u i s i a n a

N o

. 2 : 0 8

- C V

- 4 4 5 8

B e f o r e S M I T H

, W I E N E R

, a n d O W E N

, C i r c u i t J u d g e s

.

J E R R Y E

. S M I T H

, C i r c u i t J u d g e : *

T h e C i t y o f N e w O r l e a n s a p p e a l s a j u r y v e r d i c t f o r R o s e d a l e M i s s i o n a r y

B a p t i s t C h u r c h f

i n d i n g t h a t t h e c i t y v i o l a t e d t h e c h u r c h ’ s F o u r t e e n t h A m e n d

m e n t r i g h t t o d u e p r o c e s s b y d e m o l i s h i n g t h e c h u r c h b u i l d i n g w i t h o u t n o t i c e

. U n i te d S ta te s C o u rt o f A p p ea l s

F i ft h C i rc u i t



### F I L E D

April 5, 201 1

Lyle W . Cayce

Clerk

Pursua nt to 5 T H C I R

. R. 47.5

, the cour t has d ete rm ined t hat this op inion s hould not *

be publ ish ed and is not pr ece dent excep t unde r the lim ite d cir cum st ance s se t for th in 5 T H C I R

. R. 47.5 .4. Case: 09-31110 Document: 00511435945 Page: 1 Date Filed: 04/05/2011N o

. 0 9

- 3 1 1 1 0

B e c a u s e t h e c h u r c h r a i s e s o n l y a p r o c e d u r a l d u e p r o c e s s c l a i m

, a n d t h e r e s o l u

t i o n o f t h a t c l a i m d e p e n d s o n t h e r e s o l u t i o n o f t h e c h u r c h ’ s s t a t e c o u r t t a k i n g s

c l a i m

, w e r e v e r s e t h e j u d g m e n t a n d r e n d e r a j u d g m e n t o f d i s m i s s a l

.

I

.

H u r r i c a n e G u s t a v s t r u c k N e w O r l e a n s i n S e p t e m b e r 2 0 0 8

. A f e w d a y s l a

t e r

, t h e c i t y i s s u e d t w e n t y

- f i v e G u s t a v

- r e l a t e d d e m o l i t i o n n o t i c e s

, i n c l u d i n g o n e

f o r 4 0 0 1 R e y n e s S t r e e t

, w h e r e t h e c h u r c h w a s l o c a t e d

. T h e c i t y t h e n d e m o l i s h e d

t h e p r o p e r t y w i t h o u t g i v i n g n o t i c e t o t h e c h u r c h

. A c o n s e n t d e c r e e i n p l a c e a t

t h e t i m e r e q u i r e d t h e c i t y t o g i v e n o t i c e o f t h e p r o p o s e d d e m o l i t i o n o f a n y s t r u c

t u r e i t d e t e r m i n e d t o b e a t h r e a t t o t h e “ p u b l i c h e a l t h

, s a f e t y

, a n d w e l f a r e

. . . a s

a r e s u l t o f d a m a g e f

r o m H u r r i c a n e K a t r i n a

, H u r r i c a n e R i t a

, o r w i n d a n d f l o o d

d a m a g e a s s o c i a t e d w i t h t h o s e h u r r i c a n e s

. ” C o n s e n t D e c r e e

, Jo s h u a v

. C i t y o f

N e w O r l e a n s

, N o

. 0 7

- 4 2 0 5 ( E

. D

. L a

. J a n

. 2 5

, 2 0 0 8 )

, E C F N o

. 7 3

. T h e c o n s e n t d e

c r e e a p p l i e d t o a n y o n e w h o o w n e d p r o p e r t y i n O r l e a n s P a r i s h

. I d

. T h e d a m a g e

t o t h e c h u r c h w a s c a u s e d b y K a t r i n a a n d p r e

- d a t e d G u s t a v

. T h e p a r t i e s d o n o t

d i s p u t e t h a t t h e d e m o l i t i o n o c c u r r e d w h i l e t h e c o n s e n t d e c r e e w a s i n e f f e c t

. T h e

c i t y m a i n t a i n s t h a t t h e d e c r e e d i d n o t a p p l y t o p r o p e r t y i n i m m i n e n t d a n g e r o f

c o l l a p s e

, b u t t h e j u r y f o u n d t h a t t h e c h u r c h w a s n o t i n s u c h i m m i n e n t d a n g e r

.

T h e c h u r c h d i d n o t

, h o w e v e r

, s e e k s a n c t i o n s f o r t h e c i t y ’ s v i o l a t i o n o f t h e

c o n s e n t d e c r e e

. I t o n l y s u e d f o r d a m a g e s f

o r v i o l a t i o n s o f i t s p r o c e d u r a l a n d s u b

s t a n t i v e d u e p r o c e s s r i g h t s a n d f o r j u s t c o m p e n s a t i o n u n d e r t h e T a k i n g s C l a u s e

.

T h e d e c r e e e x p l i c i t l y s t a t e s t h a t i t “ d o e s n o t c o v e r o r s e t t l e a n y a s p e c t s o f i n d i

v i d u a l c l a i m s f

o r d a m a g e s a s s o c i a t e d w i t h p a s t o r f u t u r e w r o n g f

u l d e m o l i t i o n

. ”

I d

. S o t h e d e c r e e

, b y i t s p l a i n t e r m s

, d o e s n o t c o v e r t h e c h u r c h ’ s t a k i n g s o r d u e

p r o c e s s c l a i m s

.

N e v e r t h e l e s s

, m i s t a k e n l y b e l i e v i n g t h a t t h e c o n s e n t d e c r e e g a v e i t t h e

r i g h t t o d o s o

, t h e c h u r c h b r o u g h t a t a k i n g s c l a i m a n d a s u b s t a n t i v e a n d p r o c e

2 Case: 09-31110 Document: 00511435945 Page: 2 Date Filed: 04/05/2011N o

. 0 9

- 3 1 1 1 0

d u r a l d u e p r o c e s s c l a i m a g a i n s t t h e c i t y i n f e d e r a l c o u r t

. B e f o r e t r i a l

, t h e d i s

t r i c t c o u r t d i s m i s s e d t h e t a k i n g s c l a i m a s u n r i p e b a s e d o n W i l l i a m s o n C n t y

.

R e g ’ l P l a n n i n g C o m m ’ n v

. H a m i l t o n B a n k

, 4 7 3 U

. S

. 1 7 2

, 1 8 6

, 1 9 4 ( 1 9 8 5 )

, b u t t h e

c i t y d i d n o t r a i s e a r i p e n e s s a r g u m e n t w i t h r e s p e c t t o t h e d u e p r o c e s s c l a i m s

,

a n d t h e p a r t i e s w e n t t o t r i a l

.

T h e c i t y a r g u e s t h a t i t r a i s e d a r i p e n e s s c h a l l e n g e t o t h e d u e p r o c e s s

c l a i m s i n i t s p r e t r i a l m e m o r a n d u m o f l a w

, s e v e n d a y s b e f o r e t r i a l

, b u t t h a t m o r e

a c c u r a t e l y a p p e a r s t o h a v e b e e n a n a r g u m e n t t h a t t h e c h u r c h f a i l e d t o s t a t e a

p r o c e d u r a l d u e p r o c e s s c l a i m b e c a u s e n o p r e

- t a k i n g p r o c e s s w a s c o n s t i t u t i o n a l l y

r e q u i r e d u n d e r P a r r a t t v

. T a y l o r

, 4 5 1 U

. S

. 5 2 7 ( 1 9 8 1 )

, a n d H u d s o n v

. P a l m e r

,

4 6 8 U

. S

. 5 1 7 ( 1 9 8 4 )

. A t t h e c l o s e o f t h e c h u r c h ’ s c a s e a t t r i a l

, h o w e v e r

, t h e c i t y

d i d r a i s e a r i p e n e s s c h a l l e n g e t o t h e d u e p r o c e s s c l a i m s

, a n d i t d i d s o a g a i n a f t e r

t r i a l

, b u t t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t d e n i e d b o t h m o t i o n s

.

T h e j u r y f

o u n d t h a t t h e c i t y h a d v i o l a t e d t h e c h u r c h ’ s “ F i f t h o r F o u r t e e n t h

A m e n d m e n t c o n s t i t u t i o n a l r i g h t s ” a n d w a s n o t “ e x c u s e d b e c a u s e t h e c h u r c h w a s

i n i m m i n e n t d a n g e r o f c o l l a p s e

. ” I t a w a r d e d $ 3 0 0

, 0 0 0 i n d a m a g e s

. T h e c i t y a p

1

p e a l e d t h e v e r d i c t

, b u t t h e c h u r c h d i d n o t a p p e a l t h e d i s m i s s a l o f t h e t a k i n g s

c l a i m a s u n r i p e

.

I I

.

T h e c i t y a r g u e s t h e c a s e s h o u l d b e d i s m i s s e d b e c a u s e t h e c h u r c h ’ s p r o c e

d u r a l a n d s u b s t a n t i v e d u e p r o c e s s c l a i m s a r e u n r i p e f o r r e v i e w u n d e r W i l l i a m

s o n C o u n t y

, 4 7 3 U

. S

. a t 1 8 6

, 1 9 4

, a n d Jo h n C o r p

. v

. C i t y o f H o u s t o n

, 2 1 4 F

. 3 d

5 7 3

, 5 8 4 ( 5 t h C i r

. 2 0 0 0 )

. T h e c h u r c h r e s p o n d s t h a t t h e c i t y w a i v e d a n y r i p e n e s s

a r g u m e n t s w i t h r e s p e c t t o i t s d u e p r o c e s s c l a i m s b e c a u s e t h e y w e r e n o t r a i s e d

u n t i l t h e c l o s e o f t h e c h u r c h ’ s c a s e a t t r i a l

. T h e c i t y c o u n t e r s t h a t t h e r i p e n e s s

The chur ch als o sue d Mayo r Ray Nagin, but the jury did not find him liable

, and the 1

chur ch doe s not app eal that d ete rm inati on.

3 Case: 09-31110 Document: 00511435945 Page: 3 Date Filed: 04/05/2011N o

. 0 9

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o f a t a k i n g s c l a i m u n d e r W i l l i a m s o n C o u n t y i s a j u r i s d i c t i o n a l r e q u i r e m e n t t h a t

c a n n o t b e w a i v e d o r f o r f e i t e d

, c i t i n g S a m a a d v

. C i t y o f D a l l a s

, 9 4 0 F

. 2 d 9 2 5

, 9 3 4

( 5 t h C i r

. 1 9 9 1 )

. T h a t i s i n d e e d w h a t w e h e l d i n S a m a a d

, b u t t h e S u p r e m e C o u r t

h a s s i n c e e x p l i c i t l y h e l d t h a t W i l l i a m s o n C o u n t y ’ s r i p e n e s s r e q u i r e m e n t s a r e

m e r e l y p r u d e n t i a l

, n o t j u r i s d i c t i o n a l

, s o a l t h o u g h a c o u r t m a y r a i s e t h e m s u a 2

s p o n t e

, i t m a y c o n s i d e r t h e m w a i v e d o r f o r f e i t e d a s w e l l

. A s a r e s u l t

, o u r h o l d

3 4

i n g i n S a m a a d t h a t W i l l i a m s o n C o u n t y r i p e n e s s i s a n u n w a i v a b l e j u r i s d i c t i o n a l

r e q u i r e m e n t i s n o l o n g e r g o o d l a w

.

W e d o n o t n e e d t o a d d r e s s t h e n o v e l q u e s t i o n w h e t h e r w e m a y d e e m W i l

l i a m s o n C o u n t y r i p e n e s s a r g u m e n t s f o r f e i t e d i f t h e y a r e r a i s e d o n l y a t t h e c l o s e

o f t h e p l a i n t i f

f ’ s c a s e a t t r i a l

, b e c a u s e t h e c h u r c h ’ s d u e p r o c e s s c l a i m i s u n r i p e

b a s e d n o t o n W i l l i a m s o n C o u n t y b u t o n g e n e r a l r i p e n e s s p r i n c i p l e s

. Jo h n C o r p

. ,

2 1 4 F

. 3 d a t 5 8 6

. B e c a u s e t h e c h u r c h d o e s n o t a l l e g e a s u b s t a n t i v e d u e p r o c e s s

c l a i m t h a t i s i n d e p e n d e n t o f i t s p r o c e d u r a l d u e p r o c e s s c l a i m

, a n d w e c a n n o t a d

d r e s s t h e p r o c e d u r a l d u e p r o c e s s c l a i m w i t h o u t k n o w i n g t h e o u t c o m e o f t h e t a k

i n g s c l a i m

, w h i c h i s n o t b e f o r e u s

, w e d i s m i s s t h e c a s e a s u n r i p e

.

Stop the Beac h Reno uri shm ent, Inc. v. Fla

. De p’t of Envtl

. Prot.

, 130 S. Ct. 2592, 2610 2

(201 0) (ho ldi ng that Wil li am son County ’s “j u st co mp en sa ti on ” pr on g is me rely pr uden tial ); Suitum v. Tah oe Reg’l Pla nning Agen cy

, 520 U. S. 725, 733- 34 (199 7) (s tat ing that both Wil li am son

County pr ongs are prude ntial ); Luca s v. S.C. Coas tal Counc il , 505 U. S. 1003, 1011- 13 (199 2)

(ho ldi ng that Wil li am son County ’s “f inal dec isi on” pr ong is pr uden tial ); see al so San Rem o Ho

tel v. City & Cnty. of San Fran ci sco

, 545 U. S. 323, 340 (200 5) (Rehn quis t, J., conc urr ing in the

judgm ent) (“ The Court in Wil li am son County pur por ted to inte rp ret the Fift h Ame ndm ent in

divini ng t his s tat e-l itigat ion requ irem ent. Mo re rec entl y, we have refe rre d to it as me rely a

pr uden tial r equir em ent. ” (c itat ions om itt ed) ).

See Na t’l Park Ho sp ital ity As s’n v. De p’t of Interi or

, 538 U. S. 803, 808 (200 3) (“ [E] ven 3

in a cas e rais ing on l y pr uden tial conc erns

, the ques tio n of rip enes s may be cons ide red on a

cour t’s ow n m oti on. ”)

.

Stop the Beac h

, 130 S. Ct. at 2610; Gu ggenhei m v. City of Go le ta

, 582 F.3d 996, 1009 4

(9t h Cir. 2009)

, va ca ted on other grounds on reh ’g en banc

, 2010 U. S. App

. LEXIS 25981 (9t h

C i r

. De c. 22, 2010) (en banc)

, pe titio n for cer t. fi le d (M ar. 11, 2011) (N o. 10-1 125) ; s e e S to l tNi el sen S.A

. v. Ani ma lFe eds Int’l Corp

. , 130 S. Ct. 1758, 1767 n.2 (201 0) (d eem ing a pr uden tial

rip enes s argum ent wa ived in an a rbit rat ion dis put e).

4 Case: 09-31110 Document: 00511435945 Page: 4 Date Filed: 04/05/2011N o

. 0 9

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A

.

A l t h o u g h “ n o b r i g h t

- l i n e r u l e e x i s t s f o r d e t e r m i n i n g w h e t h e r a m a t t e r w a s

r a i s e d b e l o w

, ” f

o r a l i t i g a n t t o p r e s e r v e a n a r g u m e n t f o r a p p e a l

, i t m u s t “ p r e s s 5

a n d n o t m e r e l y i n t i m a t e t h e a r g u m e n t d u r i n g t h e p r o c e e d i n g s b e f o r e t h e d i s t r i c t

c o u r t

, ” e

. g

. , F

D I C v

. M i

j a l i s

, 1 5 F

. 3 d 1 3 1 4

, 1 3 2 7 ( 5 t h C i r

. 1 9 9 4 )

. T h e a r g u m e n t

m u s t b e r a i s e d “ t o s u c h a d e g r e e t h a t t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t h a s a n o p p o r t u n i t y t o

r u l e o n i t

. ” I

d

. I n H o

p k i n s v

. S a u n d e r s

, 1 9 9 F

. 3 d 9 6 8

, 9 7 4

- 7 5 ( 8 t h C i r

. 1 9 9 9 )

, a l

t h o u g h t h e p l a i n t i f

f “ m a r g i n a l l y a s s e r t e d ” F i r s t A m e n d m e n t a n d T i t l e V I I v i o l a

t i o n s i n h i s c o m p l a i n t

, h e n e v e r a s s e r t e d t h e m a g a i n

, t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t d i d n o t

a d d r e s s t h e m i n i t s f i n a l j u d g m e n t

, a n d t h e p l a i n t i f f d i d n o t o b j e c t

. T h e c o u r t

h e l d t h e c l a i m s w a i v e d o n t h e g r o u n d t h a t “ [ a ] p a r t y m a y n o t s t a n d i d l y b y

,

w a t c h i n g t h e p r o c e e d i n g s a n d a l l o w i n g t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t t o c o m m i t e r r o r o n

w h i c h t h e p a r t y s u b s e q u e n t l y c o m p l a i n s

. ” I d

. a t 9 7 5 ( c i t a t i o n o m i t t e d )

. T h e

f a c t s o f t h i s c a s e w i t h r e s p e c t t o t h e c h u r c h ’ s s u b s t a n t i v e d u e p r o c e s s c l a i m a r e

v i r t u a l l y i d e n t i c a l t o t h o s e i n H o p k i n s

.

A l t h o u g h t h e c h u r c h a s s e r t e d i n i t s c o m p l a i n t t h a t i t w a s m a k i n g a s u b

s t a n t i v e d u e p r o c e s s a r g u m e n t

, i t n e v e r e x p l a i n e d w h a t t h a t a r g u m e n t w a s

. A

s u b s t a n t i v e d u e p r o c e s s v i o l a t i o n i s a n “ a c t i o n [ ] g o v e r n m e n t o f f i c i a l s m a y n o t

t a k e n o m a t t e r w h a t p r o c e d u r a l p r o t e c t i o n s a c c o m p a n y t h e m

. ” B y c o n t r a s t

, t h e 6

c h u r c h ’ s s o

- c a l l e d “ s u b s t a n t i v e ” d u e p r o c e s s c l a i m w a s l i s t e d w i t h i n t h e s a m e

N. Y. Li fe Ins. Co. v

. Brow n

, 84 F.3d 137, 141 n.4 (5t h Cir. 1996) ( inte rnal quot atio n 5

mar ks and c itat ion om itt ed)

.

Augus tine v. D oe

, 740 F.2d 322, 326 (5t h Cir

. 1984) ( quot ing Hu dson v. Pa lm er

, 468 6

U. S. 517, 541 n.4 (198 4) (S teven s, J., conc urr ing in par t and dis se nting in par t) ); see Sim i Inv.

Co. v. H ar ri s Cnty.

, 236 F.3d 240, 249 (5t h Cir. 200 0) (ad dr es sin g a sub st antive d ue pr oce ss

clai m in the tak ings cont ext by det erm ining wh ethe r a rat ional bas is exis ted for the st ate’ s actio ns)

. Unli ke the plai ntif f that mad e a sub st a n t i v e d u e pr oce ss allegat ion in Wil li am son

County

, 473 U. S. at 197, the chu r c h n e v e r allege d that so me governm ent law or regula tio n

sho uld be invali dat ed bec aus e it had the sam e eff ect as a tak ing. The only pos sib le sub st antive due pr oce ss clai m the chur ch coul d have rais ed, bas ed on the fac ts in its com plai nt, wo uld

have been lik e t he one in Sim i

, 236 F.3d at 249

, but it never mad e t hat clai m.

5 Case: 09-31110 Document: 00511435945 Page: 5 Date Filed: 04/05/2011N o

. 0 9

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c a u s e o f a c t i o n i n i t s c o m p l a i n t a s i t s p r o c e d u r a l d u e p r o c e s s c l a i m a n d i n v o l v e d

t h e s a m e p r o c e d u r a l a l l e g a t i o n s

, n a m e l y t h a t “ [ t ] h e d e m o l i t i o n a t i s s u e w a s e f

f e c t e d w i t h o u t n o t i c e t o [ t h e c h u r c h ] a n d w i t h o u t a n o p p o r t u n i t y f o r [ t h e c h u r c h ]

t o b e h e a r d i n o p p o s i t i o n ” a n d t h a t “ [ t ] h e d e m o l i t i o n a t i s s u e w a s e f f e c t e d w i t h

o u t r e g a r d t o p r o c e d u r a l s a f e g u a r d s w i t h i n t h e C i t y ’ s o w n a d m i n i s t r a t i o n a n d

i n f u r t h e r v i o l a t i o n o f p r o c e d u r a l s a f e g u a r d s s e t f o r t h i n a C o n s e n t D e c r e e

. ”

R e g a r d l e s s o f w h e t h e r t h e f a c t s a l l e g e d i n t h e c o m p l a i n t c o u l d b e f a i r l y r e a d t o

s t a t e a s u b s t a n t i v e d u e p r o c e s s c l a i m

, t h e c o m p l a i n t o n l y v a g u e l y a s s e r t e d o n e

.

T h e c h u r c h d i d n o t o n c e m e n t i o n i t s s u b s t a n t i v e d u e p r o c e s s c l a i m f o r t h e

r e m a i n d e r o f t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t p r o c e e d i n g s

. T h e o n l y o t h e r t i m e i t c a m e u p w a s

w h e n t h e c o u r t d e n i e d a m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s t h e c o m p l a i n t p r e t r i a l b e c a u s e t h a t

m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s w a s u n t i m e l y

. A t t r i a l

, t h e c h u r c h d i d n o t a r g u e t h a t i t s d u e

p r o c e s s r i g h t s w e r e v i o l a t e d i n d e p e n d e n t l y o f i t s a l l e g a t i o n t h a t t h e c i t y h a d

f a i l e d t o f

o l l o w a d e q u a t e p r o c e d u r a l s a f e g u a r d s

. O n t h e c o n t r a r y

, t h e c h u r c h ’ s

c o u n s e l t w i c e a s s e r t e d a t t r i a l t h a t t h e o n l y i s s u e w a s w h e t h e r p r e

- d e m o l i t i o n

p r o c e s s s h o u l d h a v e b e e n p r o v i d e d

.

M o r e o v e r

, t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t n e v e r r u l e d o n t h e m e r i t s o f t h e s u b s t a n t i v e

d u e p r o c e s s i s s u e

. A t t h e c l o s e o f t r i a l

, i t a d d r e s s e d o n l y t h e p r o c e d u r a l d u e p r o

c e s s c l a i m : “ [ T h e c h u r c h ] a s s e r t s t h a t t h e c i t y ’ s d e m o l i t i o n o f i t s c h u r c h w i t h o u t

p r i o r n o t i c e a n d a n o p p o r t u n i t y t o b e h e a r d v i o l a t e d i t s p r o c e d u r a l d u e p r o c e s s

r i g h t s u n d e r b o t h t h e s t a t e a n d f e d e r a l D u e P r o c e s s C l a u s e s o f t h e F i f t h a n d

F o u r t e e n t h A m e n d m e n t s

. ” T h e c o u r t t h e n i n s t r u c t e d t h e j u r y o n l y o n t h e e l e

m e n t s o f

a p r o c e d u r a l d u e p r o c e s s c l a i m

, r e c i t i n g t h e f a m i l i a r f a c t o r s d i s c u s s e d

i n M a t h e w s v

. E l d r i d g e

, 4 2 4 U

. S

. 3 1 9

, 3 3 5 ( 1 9 7 6 )

, a n d c o n c l u d e d b y s a y i n g t h a t

t h e d u e p r o c e s s i s s u e t u r n e d o n w h e t h e r t h e c i t y h a d g o o d r e a s o n n o t t o p r o v i d e

n o t i c e

, a l l w i t h o u t o b j e c t i o n f r o m t h e c h u r c h

. T h e v e r d i c t f o r m d i d n o t s e p a r a t e

l y d i s c u s s p r o c e d u r a l a n d s u b s t a n t i v e d u e p r o c e s s c l a i m s

.

T h u s

, t o t h e e x t e n t t h e s u b s t a n t i v e d u e p r o c e s s c l a i m

, w h a t e v e r i t m a y b e

,

6 Case: 09-31110 Document: 00511435945 Page: 6 Date Filed: 04/05/2011N o

. 0 9

- 3 1 1 1 0

m a y d i f f e r f r o m t h e p r o c e d u r a l d u e p r o c e s s c l a i m

, t h a t a r g u m e n t w a s n o t

p r e s s e d b e f

o r e t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t a n d i s w a i v e d

. T h e m e r e r e c i t a t i o n o f t h e v a g u e

w o r d s “ s u b s t a n t i v e d u e p r o c e s s ” i n o n e ’ s c o m p l a i n t

S S w i t h o u t a w o r d m o r e o f

e l a b o r a t i o n b y e i t h e r t h e p a r t i e s o r t h e c o u r t o v e r t h e c o u r s e o f a n e n t i r e t r i a l

S S

i s i n s u f f i c i e n t t o p r e s e r v e s u c h a c l a i m o n a p p e a l

.

B

.

T h e r e m a i n i n g q u e s t i o n i s w h e t h e r t h e p r o c e d u r a l d u e p r o c e s s c l a i m i s

r i p e u n d e r g e n e r a l r i p e n e s s p r i n c i p l e s

. Jo h n C o r p

. , 2 1 4 F

. 3 d a t 5 8 6

. W e m a y

r a i s e r i p e n e s s s u a s

p o n t e a n d “ c a n n o t b e b o u n d b y t h e w i s h e s o f t h e p a r t i e s

. ” 7

T h e r i p e n e s s i n q u i r y i n v o l v e s “ ( 1 ) t h e f i t n e s s o f t h e i s s u e s f o r j u d i c i a l d e c i s i o n

a n d ( 2 ) t h e h a r d s h i p t o t h e p a r t i e s o f w i t h h o l d i n g c o u r t c o n s i d e r a t i o n

. ” N a t ’ l

P a r k H o s

p i t a l i t y A s s ’

n

, 5 3 8 U

. S

. a t 8 0 8

.

Jo h n C o r

p

. , l i k e t h e i n s t a n t c a s e

, w a s b r o u g h t b y a p l a i n t i f f a l l e g i n g t h a t

i t w a s n o t p r o v i d e d s u f f i c i e n t p r o c e s s b e f

o r e t h e s t a t e d e m o l i s h e d i t s p r o p e r t y

.

Jo h n C o r

p

. , 2 1 4 F

. 3 d a t 5 8 5

. W e h e l d t h a t “ i t w i l l o n l y b e w h e n a c o u r t m a y a s

s e s s t h e t a k i n g s c l a i m t h a t i t w i l l a l s o b e a b l e t o e x a m i n e w h e t h e r [ t h e o w n e r o f

t h e d e m o l i s h e d p r o p e r t y w a s ] a f f o r d e d l e s s p r o c e d u r e t h a n i s c o n s t i t u t i o n a l l y r e

q u i r e d

. ” I

d

. U n t i l t h e n

, “ a d d i t i o n a l f a c t u a l d e v e l o p m e n t i s n e c e s s a r y

. ” I d

. a t

5 8 6

. T h e r e a s o n i s t h a t

, w h e r e t h e i n j u r y t h a t r e s u l t e d f r o m a n a l l e g e d p r o c e

d u r a l d u e p r o c e s s v i o l a t i o n i s m e r e l y a t a k i n g w i t h o u t j u s t c o m p e n s a t i o n

, w e

c a n n o t k n o w w h e t h e r t h e p l a i n t i f f s u f f e r e d a n y i n j u r y u n t i l t h e t a k i n g s c l a i m

h a s b e e n a d j u d i c a t e d

. A n d b e c a u s e W i l l i a m s o n C o u n t y

, 4 7 3 U

. S

. a t 1 9 4

, r e 8

Roa rk & Ha rde e LP v. City of Aus tin

, 522 F.3d 533, 544 (5t h Cir. 2008) (quo ting Reno 7

v. Ca tholi c Soci al Se rv s.

, 509 U. S. 43, 57 n.18 ( 1993) ).

See John Corp

. , 214 F.3d at 585- 86 (d ist inguis hing Hi dden Oa ks v. City of Aus tin

, 138 8

F.3d 103 6, 1045 n.6 (5t h Cir. 1998)

, on the ground t hat ther e “ plai ntif fs as se rte d a vio lati on

of thei r pr oce dur al due pr oce ss right s that infl ict ed an injury se par ate fr om any tak ings clai m

(c onti nued

.. .)

7 Case: 09-31110 Document: 00511435945 Page: 7 Date Filed: 04/05/2011N o

. 0 9

- 3 1 1 1 0

q u i r e s t h a t t h e t a k i n g s c l a i m b e a d j u d i c a t e d “ t h r o u g h t h e p r o c e d u r e s t h e S t a t e

h a s p r o v i d e d f

o r d o i n g s o

, ” w e c a n n o t d e c i d e t h e t a k i n g s c l a i m o u r s e l v e s

. 9

W e m u s t t h e r e f

o r e a l l o w s t a t e t a k i n g s p r o c e d u r e s t o r u n t h e i r c o u r s e b e

f o r e w e c a n a d j u d i c a t e t h e p r o c e d u r a l d u e p r o c e s s c l a i m

. I n d e e d

, t h e s t a t e a d j u

d i c a t i o n o f t h e t a k i n g s c l a i m i s l i k e l y t o m o o t t h i s c a s e

, a l l o w i n g u s t o a v o i d t h e

c o n s t i t u t i o n a l q u e s t i o n w h e t h e r n o t i c e i s r e q u i r e d b e f o r e a t a k i n g u n d e r t h e D u e

P r o c e s s C l a u s e

. C o n v e r s e l y

, a d e c i s i o n b y t h i s c o u r t t h a t t h e c h u r c h w a s e n t i

1 0

t l e d t o t h e v a l u e o f i t s d e m o l i s h e d p r o p e r t y w o u l d p e r m i t a n e n d

- r u n a r o u n d

W i l l i a m s o n C o u n t y

. F i n a l l y

, t h e c h u r c h h a s n o t a l l e g e d t h a t a n y h a r d s h i p 1 1

w o u l d r e s u l t f

r o m a l l o w i n g i t s s t a t e

- c o u r t t a k i n g s c l a i m t o r u n i t s c o u r s e

. A c

c o r d i n g l y

, w e d i s m i s s t h e p r o c e d u r a l d u e p r o c e s s c l a i m a s u n r i p e

.

T h e j u d g m e n t i s R E V E R S E D

, a n d a j u d g m e n t o f d i s m i s s a l w i t h o u t p r e j u

d i c e i s R E N D E R E D

.

(

.. .c onti nued ) 8

that w as dis mi ss ed pr ior to tri al”)

.

See John Corp

. , 214 F.3d at 585 (“ Unt il the stat e cour ts have rule d on the pl ainti ff ’s 9

invers e cond em natio n clai m, this cour t canno t det erm ine wh ethe r a tak ing has occ urr ed

. . . .”

(quo ting Bigel ow v. Mi ch. De p’t of Nat. Re s. , 970 F.2d 154, 160 (6t h Cir. 1992) )) . The matt er

wo uld be dif

fer ent if the cit y had wa ived or for fei ted its right to have the tak ings clai m liti gated in st ate pr oce edi ngs pur sua nt to Wil li am son County

, but here the dis tri ct cour t dis mi ss ed

the tak ings clai m as unrip e pr e-t rial

, and the chur ch doe s not app eal that dis mi ss al. The tak

ings clai m is ther efo re not bef ore us

.

See Mc Innis -M

is enor v. Ma ine Me d. Ctr.

, 319 F.3d 63, 70 (1s t Cir. 2003) (no ting that 1 0

“[ i]n th e fit nes s inqui ry [f or ripenes s]

. . . pr uden tial conc erns foc us[ ] on the po licy of judicia l

res tra int fr om unnec es sar y dec isi ons ”) ; cf

. Wil li am son Cnty.

, 473 U. S. at 195 n.14 (“ Unli ke the

Du e Proc es s Claus e

. . . the Jus t Com pens atio n Claus e has never been held to requ ire pr etak

ing p roc es s or com pens atio n.” ).

See Bigel ow

, 970 F.2d at 160 (no ting that the pur pos e of ass ert ing the pr oce dur al due 1 1

pr oce ss clai m in fed eral cour t is to “ci rcu mven t the rip enes s requ irem ent” for tak ings clai ms ).

8 Case: 09-31110 Document: 00511435945 Page: 8 Date Filed: 04/05/2011