FI L ED

U.S. COURT OF APPEAL S

EL EVENTH CI RCUI T

MAY 12, 2010

J OHN L EY

CL ERK [ D O N O T P U B L I S H ]

I N T H E U N I T E D S T A T E S C O U R T O F A P P E A L S

F O R T H E E L E V E N T H C I R C U I T

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

N o

. 0 9

- 1 6 2 8 8

N o n

- A r g u m e n t C a l e n d a r

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

D

. C

. D o c k e t N o

. 0 9

- 0 0 0 5 0

- C V

- W L S

- 1

L A V A R N W A T S O N

,

P l a i n t i f f

- A p p e l l a n t

,

v e r s u s

W I L L I E E

. L O C K E T T E

,

E V O N N E S

. M U L L

,

D e f e n d a n t s

- A p p e l l e e s

.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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 M i d d l e D i s t r i c t o f G e o r g i a

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

( M a y 1 2

, 2 0 1 0 )

B e f o r e B L A C K

, H U L L a n d P R Y O R

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

.

P E R C U R I A M :L a v a r n W a t s o n f i l e d a p r o s e c o m p l a i n t u n d e r 4 2 U

. S

. C

. § 1 9 8 3 a s s e r t i n g

t h a t J u d g e W i l l i e E

. L o c k e t t e a n d C l e r k E v o n n e S

. M u l l o f t h e S u p e r i o r C o u r t o f

D o u g h e r t y C o u n t y

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

. T h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t

s u a s p o n t e d i s m i s s e d W a t s o n ’ s § 1 9 8 3 c o m p l a i n t p u r s u a n t t o 2 8 U

. S

. C

.

§ 1 9 1 5 ( e ) ( 2 ) ( B ) ( i i )

. W a t s o n f i l e d t h i s p r o s e a p p e a l

. A f t e r r e v i e w

, w e a f

f i r m

.

I

. B A C K G R O U N D

A

. S t a t e C o u r t P e r s o n a l I n j u r y A c t i o n

A c c o r d i n g t o W a t s o n ’ s § 1 9 8 3 c o m p l a i n t

, W a t s o n f i l e d a p e r s o n a l i n

j u r y

a c t i o n i n t h e D o u g h e r t y C o u n t y S u p e r i o r C o u r t a f t e r h e w a s i n

j u r e d i n a c a r

a c c i d e n t

. W a t s o n a l s o f i l e d a n a f f i d a v i t o f i n d i g e n c e a n d w a s r e l i e v e d o f s t a t e

c o u r t c o s t s

.

O n M a r c h 2 8

, 2 0 0 8

, S u p e r i o r C o u r t J u d g e L o c k e t t e o r d e r e d W a t s o n ’ s

p e r s o n a l i n

j u r y c a s e t r a n s f

e r r e d t o t h e c i t y o f S y l v e s t e r

, G e o r g i a

. T h e t r a n s f e r

o r d e r i m p o s e d u p o n W a t s o n a $ 5 0 t r a n s f e r f e e

. T h e s u p e r i o r c o u r t c l e r k s e n t

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

t r a n s f e r r e d a f t e r W a t s o n p a i d t h e t r a n s f e r f e e

.

O n A p r i l 1 8

, 2 0 0 8

, W a t s o n t o o k h i s n o t i c e o f a p p e a l a n d o t h e r a p p e a l p a p e r s

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

. T h e c l e r k ’ s o f

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

a n o t h e r o f

f i c e w o r k e r l o o k e d o v e r W a t s o n ’ s a p p e a l p a p e r s

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

2t o l d W a t s o n s h e c o u l d n o t a c c e p t t h e m b e c a u s e t h e y w e r e n o t p r o p e r

. S h e a l s o t o l d

W a t s o n h e c o u l d n o t f

i l e a n a p p e a l i n f

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

.

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

a p p e a l

.

W a t s o n l e f

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

, s e v e r a l d a y s l a t e r

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

a p p e a l

, a f

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

. O n

A p r i l 2 7

, 2 0 0 8

, W a t s o n ’ s d e a d l i n e f o r a p p e a l i n g t h e t r a n s f

e r o r d e r e x p i r e d

. T w o

d a y s l a t e r

, o n A p r i l 2 9

, 2 0 0 8

, t h e c l e r k ’ s o f f i c e r e t u r n e d W a t s o n ’ s a p p e a l p a p e r s b y

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

o r e h i s

a p p e a l c o u l d b e f

i l e d

. T h e c l e r k ’ s o f

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

.

B

. F e d e r a l C o u r t § 1 9 8 3 A c t i o n

W a t s o n f i l e d h i s § 1 9 8 3 c o m p l a i n t i n f e d e r a l c o u r t o n M a r c h 2 3

, 2 0 0 9

.

W a t s o n ’ s c o m p l a i n t a l l e g e d t h a t J u d g e L o c k e t t e a n d C l e r k M u l l “ a n d t h e i r a g e n t s ”

v i o l a t e d W a t s o n ’ s c o n s t i t u t i o n a l r i g h t s

. S p e c i f i c a l l y

, W a t s o n ’ s c o m p l a i n t a l l e g e d

t h a t t h e c l e r k ’ s o f

f i c e v i o l a t e d h i s F i r s t A m e n d m e n t r i g h t w h e n “ t h e y r e f u s e d t h e

p l a i n t i f f ’ s c o u r t p a p e r s ” o n A p r i l 1 8

, 2 0 0 8 a n d h i s E i g h t h a n d F o u r t e e n t h

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

t h e a p p e a l p e r i o d h a d e x p i r e d

. A s t o J u d g e L o c k e t t e

, W a t s o n ’ s c o m p l a i n t a l l e g e d

t h a t “ t h e c o u r t v i o l a t e d t h e E i g h 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 w h e n i t o r d e r e d t h e

3p l a i n t i f

f t o p a y f i f t y d o l l a r s f

o r t r a n s f e r f e e s u n d e r F o r m a P a u p e r i s

. ” T h e

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

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

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

. ”

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

.

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

, 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 W a t s o n ’ s

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

j u d i c e f o r f a i l u r e t o s t a t e a c l a i m

, p u r s u a n t t o

§ 1 9 1 5 ( e ) ( 2 ) ( B ) ( i i )

. B e c a u s e W a t s o n ’ s p r o s e c o m p l a i n t d i d n o t s p e c i f y t h e

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

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

w a n t e d t h e c o u r t t o d e c l a r e t h a t t h e a c t i o n s o f J u d g e L o c k e t t e a n d C l e r k M u l l w e r e

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

c o n t i n u e h i s a p p e a l i n t h e D o u g h e r t y C o u n t y S u p e r i o r C o u r t

. T h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t

c o n c l u d e d t h a t i t l a c k e d j u r i s d i c t i o n o v e r W a t s o n ’ s c o m p l a i n t u n d e r t h e R o o k e r

F e l d m a n d o c t r i n e

. W a t s o n a p p e a l e d

. 1

I I

. D I S C U S S I O N

A

. S u a S p o n t e D i s m i s s a l s

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

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

. ”

2 8 U

. S

. C

. § 1 9 1 5 ( e ) ( 2 ) ( B ) ( i i )

. A d i s m i s s a l u n d e r § 1 9 1 5 ( e ) ( 2 ) ( B ) ( i i ) i s g o v e r n e d

See Rooker v. F id. Trust Co., 263 U.S. 413, 44 S . Ct. 149 (1923); District of Columbia 1

Court of Appea ls v. Feldman, 460 U .S. 462, 103 S. C t. 1303 (1983).

4b y t h e s a m e s t a n d a r d a s a d i s m i s s a l u n d e r F e d e r a l R u l e o f C i v i l P r o c e d u r e

1 2 ( b ) ( 6 )

. M i t c h e l l v

. F a r c a s s

, 1 1 2 F

. 3 d 1 4 8 3

, 1 4 9 0 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 1 9 9 7 )

. D i s m i s s a l f o r

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

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

. A s h c r o f

t v

. I q b a l

, 5 5 6 U

. S

.

_ _ _ , 1 2 9 S

. C t

. 1 9 3 7

,

1 9 4 9 ( 2 0 0 9 ) ( R u l e 1 2 ( b ) ( 6 ) d i s m i s s a l ) ; D o u g l a s v

. Y a t e s

, 5 3 5 F

. 3 d 1 3 1 6

, 1 3 2 1

( 1 1 t h C i r

. 2 0 0 8 ) ( S e c t i o n 1 9 1 5 ( e ) ( 2 ) ( B ) ( i i ) d i s m i s s a l )

. I n a d d i t i o n

, a d i s t r i c t c o u r t

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

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

l a c k i n g

. S e e F e d

. R

. C i v

. P

. 1 2 ( h ) ( 3 ) ; A r b a u g h v

. Y & H C o r p

. , 5 4 6 U

. S

. 5 0 0

, 5 0 6

,

5 1 4

, 1 2 6 S

. C t

. 1 2 3 5

, 1 2 4 0

, 1 2 4 4 ( 2 0 0 6 )

.

“ P r o s e p l e a d i n g s a r e h e l d t o a l e s s s t r i n g e n t s t a n d a r d t h a n p l e a d i n g s d r a f t e d

b y a t t o r n e y s a n d w i l l

, t h e r e f o r e

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

. ” T a n n e n b a u m v

. U n i t e d

S t a t e s

, 1 4 8 F

. 3 d 1 2 6 2

, 1 2 6 3 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 1 9 9 8 )

. A f t e r l i b e r a l l y c o n s t r u i n g W a t s o n ’ s

c o m p l a i n t

, w e f

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

. 2

B

. R o o k e r

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

We review de novo a district c ourt’s sua sponte dismissal for f ailure to state a

claim 2

pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)( 2)(B )(ii) a nd take the w ell-plea ded fa ctual alleg ations in the

complaint as true. Mitche ll v. Far cass, 112 F .3d 1483, 1489-90 (11th Cir. 1997). L ikewise, we

revie w de novo a

district court’s dismissal for lac k of subject matter jurisdiction based on the

Rooker-F eldman doctr ine. Nicholson v. Shafe , 558 F.3d 1266, 1270 ( 11th Cir. 2009).

5T h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t d i s m i s s e d W a t s o n ’ s § 1 9 8 3 c o m p l a i n t a s b a r r e d b y t h e

R o o k e r

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

. U n d e r t h e R o o k e r

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

, l o w e r f e d e r a l

c o u r t s “ d o n o t h a v e j u r i s d i c t i o n t o a c t a s a p p e l l a t e c o u r t s a n d [ a r e ] p r e c l u d e [ d ]

. . .

f r o m r e v i e w i n g f

i n a l s t a t e c o u r t d e c i s i o n s

. ” G r e e n v

. J e f f e r s o n C o u n t y C o m m ’ n

,

5 6 3 F

. 3 d 1 2 4 3

, 1 2 4 9 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. )

, c e r t

. d e n i e d

, 1 3 0 S

. C t

. 1 9 9 ( 2 0 0 9 )

. T h e

R o o k e r

- F e l d m a n d o c t r i n e i s c o n f i n e d t o c a s e s t h a t a r e “ [ 1 ] b r o u g h t b y s t a t e

- c o u r t

l o s e r s [ 2 ] c o m p l a i n i n g o f i n j u r i e s c a u s e d b y s t a t e

- c o u r t j u d g m e n t s [ 3 ] r e n d e r e d

b e f o r e 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 c o m m e n c e d a n d [ 4 ] i n v i t i n g d i s t r i c t c o u r t

r e v i e w a n d r e

j e c t i o n o f t h o s e j u d g m e n t s

. ” E x x o n M o b i l C o r p

. v

. S a u d i B a s i c

I n d u s

. C o r p

. , 5 4 4 U

. S

. 2 8 0

, 2 8 4

, 1 2 5 S

. C t

. 1 5 1 7

, 1 5 2 1

- 2 2 ( 2 0 0 5 ) ; s e e a l s o

N i c h o l s o n

, 5 5 8 F

. 3 d a t 1 2 7 2

- 7 4

, 1 2 7 8

- 7 9 ( e x p l a i n i n g t h a t

, a f t e r E x x o n M o b i l e

, t h e

R o o k e r

- F e l d m a n d o c t r i n e i s l i m i t e d a n d a p p l i e d n a r r o w l y )

.

T h e R o o k e r

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

e n d e d b e f

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

i l e d

. N i c h o l s o n

, 5 5 8 F

. 3 d a t 1 2 7 5

, 1 2 7 7 n

. 1 1

.

F u r t h e r

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

p u r p o s e s o f R o o k e r

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

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

e d e r a l c o u r t a c t i o n

. . . . ”

I d

. a t 1 2 7 9 ; s e e a l s o G r e e n

, 5 6 3 F

. 3 d a t 1 2 5 0 ( c o n c l u d i n g t h a t t h e R o o k e r

- F e l d m a n

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

6o r d e r w a s p e n d i n g w h e n t h e f e d e r a l a c t i o n w a s f

i l e d )

.

1

. W a t s o n ’ s C o m p l a i n t

H e r e

, i t i s u n c l e a r f

r o m t h e f a c e o f W a t s o n ’ s c o m p l a i n t w h e t h e r W a t s o n i s a

s t a t e

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

f e d e r a l a c t i o n o n M a r c h 2 3

, 2 0 0 9

. H o w e v e r

, a d m i s s i o n s i n W a t s o n ’ s a p p e a l b r i e f

s h o w t h e s t a t e c o u r t p r o c e e d i n g s h a d e n d e d o n M a r c h 2 3

, 2 0 0 9 b e f o r e W a t s o n f

i l e d

h i s f e d e r a l § 1 9 8 3 c a s e o n t h a t d a t e

. S e e Y o u n g & V a n n S u p p l y C o

. v

. G u l f

, F

. &

A

. R y

. C o

. , 5 F

. 2 d 4 2 1

, 4 2 3 ( 5 t h C i r

. 1 9 2 5 ) ( “ W e m a y c o n s i d e r t h e s t a t e m e n t s i n

t h e b r i e f a s a d m i s s i o n s o f f a c t s

. ” ) ; s e e a l s o C o o p e r v

. M e r i d i a n Y a c h t s

, L t d

. , 5 7 5

F

. 3 d 1 1 5 1

, 1 1 7 7

- 7 8 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 2 0 0 9 ) ( d i s c u s s i n g g e n e r a l r u l e t h a t a p a r t y i s b o u n d

b y a d m i s s i o n s i n h i s p l e a d i n g s )

. T h u s

, W a t s o n i s a s t a t e

- c o u r t l o s e r a n d h i s s t a t e 3

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

.

N o n e t h e l e s s

, f

o r t h e R o o k e r

- F e l d m a n d o c t r i n e t o a p p l y

, W a t s o n ’ s f e d e r a l

c l a i m s a g a i n s t J u d g e L o c k e t t e a n d C l e r k M u l l m u s t a l s o “ c o m p l a i n [ ] o f i n j u r i e s

c a u s e d b y s t a t e

- c o u r t j u d g m e n t s ” a n d “ i n v i t [ e ] d i s t r i c t c o u r t r e v i e w a n d r e j e c t i o n

o f t h o s e j u d g m e n t s

. ” S e e E x x o n M o b i l

, 5 4 4 U

. S

. a t 2 8 4

, 1 2 5 S

. C t

. a t 1 5 2 1

- 2 2

.

A s t o J u d g e L o c k e t t e

, w e r e a d i l y c o n c l u d e t h a t t h e R o o k e r

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

Dec isions of the former

Fifth Circuit hande d down on or be fore September 30, 1981 a re 3

binding pr ece dent in the Eleve nth Circuit. Bonner v. City of Prichar d, 661 F.2d 1206, 1209

(11th Cir. 1981) (e n banc)

.

7W a t s o n ’ s c l a i m s

. W a t s o n a l l e g e s t h a t J u d g e L o c k e t t e ’ s t r a n s f e r o r d e r e r r e d i n

i m p o s i n g t h e $ 5 0 t r a n s f e r f e e b e c a u s e W a t s o n h a d b e e n a f f o r d e d p a u p e r s t a t u s

.

T h e r e f o r e

, W a t s o n ’ s § 1 9 8 3 c l a i m s a g a i n s t J u d g e L o c k e t t e a l l e g e a n i n j u r y c a u s e d

b y J u d g e L o c k e t t e ’ s t r a n s f e r o r d e r a n d i n v i t e t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t t o r e v i e w a n d r e j e c t

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

. A s s u c h

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

R o o k e r

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

.

W a t s o n ’ s a c c e s s

- t o

- t h e

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

, h o w e v e r

, d o e s n o t

c o m p l a i n o f a n i n

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

. R a t h e r

, W a t s o n 4

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

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

, h e l o s t t h e

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

. W a t s o n c o m p l a i n s o f a n i n j u r y c a u s e d b y

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

u s i n g t o a c c e p t W a t s o n ’ s

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

a p p e a l p e r i o d h a d e x p i r e d

. T h u s

, W a t s o n ’ s a c c e s s

- t o

- t h e

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

M u l l i s n o t b a r r e d b y t h e R o o k e r

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

. 5

Watson’s complaint cited the F irst, Eighth a nd Four teenth Amendme nts in support of the 4

claim ag ainst Clerk Mull. The rig ht of ac cess to the c ourts is gr ounded in, inter a lia, the Fir st

Amendment’s Petition Clause and the F ourtee nth Amendment’s Due Process a nd Equal

Protection Clauses. See Christopher v. H arbur y , 536 U.S. 403, 415 n.12, 122 S. C t. 2179, 2186

n. 12 (2002). The Eig hth Amendment, which pr ohibits ex cessive ba il or fines and the infliction

of cr uel and unusua l punishment, does not appear to be applica

ble to the fa cts Watson alleg ed.

See U.S. Const. amend. VI I I . Perhaps in re cog nition of this fact, on appe al, Watson cites only

the Fir st and Four

teenth Amendme nts in support of his court acc ess claim.

The fa ct that the Ge org ia Court of Appe als, in dismis sing Watson’s appe al, may have 5

addre ssed the propr iety

of the c lerk’s of

fice employ ees’ s actions does not implicate the Rooker

Fe ldman doctrine, but it may implicate some pre clusion doctrine. See Ex x on Mobil, 544 U.S. at

8B

. F a i l u r e t o S t a t e a C l a i m A g a i n s t C l e r k M u l l

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

c l a i m a g a i n s t C l e r k M u l l

. S e e T h o m a s v

. C o o p e r L i g h t i n g

, I n c

. , 5 0 6 F

. 3 d 1 3 6 1

,

1 3 6 4 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 2 0 0 7 ) ( e x p l a i n i n g t h a t t h i s C o u r t m a y a f f i r m t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t o n

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

c o n s i d e r e d b y t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t )

. A l t h o u g h W a t s o n ’ s c o m p l a i n t n a m e s C l e r k M u l l

a s a d e f e n d a n t

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

w o r k e r i n t h e c l e r k ’ s o f f i c e

, n o t b y C l e r k M u l l

. “ I t i s w e l l e s t a b l i s h e d i n t h i s

c i r c u i t t h a t s u p e r v i s o r y o f f i c i a l s a r e n o t l i a b l e u n d e r § 1 9 8 3 f o r t h e u n c o n s t i t u t i o n a l

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

. ”

H a r t l e y v

. P a r n e l l

, 1 9 3 F

. 3 d 1 2 6 3

, 1 2 6 9 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 1 9 9 9 ) ( q u o t a t i o n m a r k s

o m i t t e d )

.

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

, a § 1 9 8 3 p l a i n t i f f m u s t a l l e g e “ a c a u s a l

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

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

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

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

293, 125 S. Ct . at 1529 (“ I f a f eder al plaintiff pre sents some independe nt claim, albeit one that

denies a leg al conc lusion that a state cour t has rea ched in a

case to which he wa s a par ty . . ., then

there is jurisdiction and state law dete rmines whethe r the de fenda nt preva ils under principles of

prec lusion.” (quotation marks and br acke ts omit ted)). H oweve r, such a deter mination cannot be

made on the pr esent re cord, w hich is silent as to the basis for the G eorg ia Court of Appe als’s

dismiss al.

9s u p e r v i s o r t h a t r e s u l t s i n t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n a l v i o l a t i o n

. I d

. W a t s o n ’ s c o m p l a i n t d i d

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

W a t s o n ’ s a c c e s s t o t h e c o u r t s o r w a s a w a r e o f a w i d e s p r e a d p a t t e r n o f e n g a g i n g i n

s u c h c o n d u c t

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

w e r e a c t i n g p u r s u a n t t o C l e r k M u l l ’ s p o l i c y o r c u s t o m

. A c c o r d i n g l y

, t h e d i s t r i c t

c o u r t p r o p e r l y d i s m i s s e d w i t h o u t p r e j u d i c e W a t s o n ’ s a c c e s s

- t o

- t h e

- c o u r t c l a i m

a g a i n s t C l e r k M u l l f

o r f a i l u r e t o s t a t e a c l a i m

, p u r s u a n t t o § 1 9 1 5 ( e ) ( 2 ) ( B ) ( i i )

. 6

A F F I R M E D

.

We rejec t Watson’s arg ument that the district court wa s require d to hold a hear ing 6

befor e dismissing his complaint without prejudice. See Chudasama v. Ma zda Motor Corp., 123

F.3d 1353, 1367 ( 11th Cir. 1997) (explaining that a c ourt nee d not look bey ond the alleg ations in

the complaint in ruling on a motion to dism iss based on the plaintiff’ s failure to state a c laim); I n

re CP Ships L td. Sec. L itig., 578 F .3d 1306, 1311-12 (11th Cir. 2009) (e x plaining tha t while a

district court may

need to hold a he aring

befor e ruling on a “f

actua l attack” on subject matter

jurisdiction, a district court take s the alleg ations in the complaint as true w hen ruling on a “f acia l

attack” ).

10