Pursuant to 5 T H C IR . R. 47.5, the court has determined that thi s opinion should not * be publishe d an d is not precedent except under the limited circu mstance s set forth in 5 T H C IR . R. 47.5 .4. 

### INTHE UNI TED S TATESCOU RT OFAPPEALS

FORTHE FIFTH CIRCU IT

N o. 09- 50374 Su m m ar y Cal endar

L O N E S T A R B A K E R Y , IN C ., P l a i n tiff - A p p ell a n t v. U N IT E D S T A T E S O F A M E R IC A , D efen da n t- A pp el l ee

A pp ealf

rom t h e U n i t ed S t ates D i st ri ctC ou rt f ort he W es t er n D i st r i c tof Texas N o. 5: 05- C V

- 11

B ef ore K IN G , ST E W A R T , an d H AY N E S , C i rcui tJu dg es . P E R C U R IA M: * Lone St ar Bake r y br o ugh t a ne gli ge nc e c l ai m ag ai ns t t h e gover nm e nt
u n der t h e F ederalT ortC l ai m s A ct , al l egi n g t h at Food an d D rug A dm i n i st rat i on a ge n ts n eg l i ge n tly ca u sed an erro n eo u s rep ort of d a n g ero u s ba cteria i n i ts p rod u cts. T h e d i stri ct c o u rt gra n tedsu m m a ryj u d gm en t t o th e g ov ern m en t, f i ndi ng t hatLo ne St arhad fail e d t o r ai s e fac ti s s ue s o n t he e l e m e nt s o f dut y and United States Court of App eals

Fifth Circuit 

### F I L E D November

17, 2009 Cha rl es R. F ulb ru g e II I ClerkN o. 09- 50374

2 cau sati on . B ecau se w e agree t h at Lon e Star has fai l ed to rai se a fa ct iss u e on c a u s a t i o n , w e a f

f i r m. I . F A CT UA L A ND P ROC E DUR A L B A CK GRO UND L on e S tar B a k ery , In c. , i s a co m m ercial ba k er th a t m a k es b i scu i ts at a p l a n t i n C h in a G r o v e , T ex a s. U n ti l20 0 2 , L on e S tar h a dsold b i scu i ts t o Sout hl and C or por at i on, t he ow ner of 7- E l eve n c onveni enc e s t or es . U ndert hat
arran gem en t , L on e Star del ivered bi scuits t o P h oen i x, A ri zona , w h ere M arketF are F oods, I n c. , assem bl ed them i n t o com pl et ed san dw i ches f or del ivery t o c o nve ni e nc e s t o r e s ; M ar ke t Far e pur c has e d o t he r i ngr e di e nt s , s uc h as e gga nd
c he e s e , f

r o m dif fe r e ntv e ndo r s . The t e r m i nat i o n o f Lo ne St ar ’ s a r r ang e m e nt
w i t h Sou t h l an d p rom pted t h e l aw sui tat i ssue. O n M arch 1, 200 2, t h e F l ori da D epa rt m en t of A gri cul t u re and C on sum er Se r vic e s r e c e ive d ac o ns um e rc o m pl ai nto f g as t r o i nt e s t i naldi s t r e s s . The
co m p la in t a ll e g e dth a t th e sto m a ch a ch e w a s c a u s e db yco n su m p tion of a
sau sage, eg g, a n d cheese bi scui tsand w i ch pu rchased fr om a conven i en ce s t ore i n D aytona B each , F l ori da
. A n i n spect or col l ect ed f ive sam pl e san dw i ches f rom t h e stor e, tw o of w h i ch t est ed posi t ive f or L i st eri a m on ocyt ogenes , aha r m f ula nd po t e nt i al l y fat alb ac t e r i um . The Fl o r i daa ge nc y al e r t e d M ar ke t Far e a nd t he U n ited S ta te s F o o da n dD ru gA d m in istr a tion (F D A). T h e F D Abe ga n i ts i n ve sti ga ti on at M a rk etF a re’ s P hoen i x a sse m b l y p l a n t. T wo i n s p e c t o r s c o l l e c t e dt h e i n d iv i d u a lc o mp o n e n t s a n ds h i p p e dt h e m t o a n F DA l a b o r a t o r y i n C a l i f

o r n i a . T h e r e , t h e i n d iv i d u a l c o mp o n e n t s w e r e t e s t e d
. O n Apr i l5 , 2 00 2, ar e pr e s e nt at ive f r o m t he FD A i nf

o r m e d M ar ke t Far e t hatt he bi sc ui tc om ponentand t he f i n i she d s andw i c h had bot h t es t ed pr es um pt ive posi t ive f

or L i st eri a m on ocyt ogenes . T h a t s a m e d a y , M a r k e tF a r e is s u e dare c a ll
o f th es a n d wi c h e s , a n dS o u th l a n dt e r m i n at e d it s b us i ne s s r e l at i o ns hi p wi t h Lo ne S t ar.N o. 09- 50374

3 O n A pril9, t he FD Ac onduct ed an i nspec t i on at Lone St ar ’ s C hi na G r ove pl ant
. FD Aw or ker s obs erved per f or at i ons i n t he pl as t i c pac kagi ng use d t o s eal t h e bi scui t s bef

ore t h ey w ere s h i pp ed to M arketF are. Lon e Star w as i n f orm ed
on A pri l25 that t h e faci l i t y an d bis cui t s t est ed n egative f or L ister ia
m o n o cyt ogenes ; awr i t t e n r e p o r tt o t h i s e f fe c twa s i s s u e do n Ap r i l3 0
. Dur i ng t h i s t i m e, t h e F D Adi d n otorder a r ecal lof an y L on e Star bi scui t s. Lone St arf

i l ed an adm i ni st r at ive c l ai m w i t h t he FD Aon Au gust1, 2003,
c l ai m i ng o ve r$ 2. 9 m i l l i o n i n da m ag e s . Af t e rw ait i ng t he r e qui s i t e s i x m o nt hs unde r2 8 U
. S. C. § 2 67 5( a) , Lo ne St ar f i l e d s ui t i n fe de r aldi s t r i c tc o ur tund e rt he Feder alTor tC l ai m s A ct, 28 U
. S. C

. §§ 2671 e ts e q. Lon e Star’ s am en ded
c o m pl ai n t a l l e g e d t h a t t h e FDA wa s n e g l i g e n t i n i t s c o l l e c t i o n , t e s t i n g , a nd report i n g of

t h e bi scui tsam pl es m an u fact u red by L on e Star. Th e gov e r nm e ntm o v e dt o d i s m i s s Lo ne St a r ’ s c o m p l a i ntu nd e rFe d e r al R u l e of C ivi lP rocedure 12(b) ( 6) f or fai l u re t o st ate a c l ai m up on w h i ch rel i ef coul d be gran t ed. Lon e Star f i l ed a m em oran du m i n opp osi t i on t o the m ot i on an d att ach ed a pa rt i altranscri pt of the dep osi t i on test i m on y of B ruce B en w are, one of t he FD Ar epr es ent at ives w ho c ol l ec t ed s andw i c h co m ponent s at M ar ke t Far e ’ s P h o e ni x pl ant
. The g o ve r nm e ntf i l e d ar e ply, a t t ac hi ng t he report s of

both parti es’experts
. B eca u se m a t t ers ou t si de the pl ead i n gs w ere presented, t h e di st ri ctcourtt reat ed th e g o v e rnm en t ’ s m ot i on as one f or s u m m a r y ju d g m e n t u n d e r R u le 5 6
. S eeF ED . R. C IV . P
. 12(d)

. Th e di st ri ctcourt gran t ed the govern m en t ’ s m ot i on , ho ldi n g t h at Lon e Star had nei t h er e s t ab l i s he d t hatt he F D A o w e d i ta dut y unde rTe xa s l aw norr ai s e d afac ti s s ue o n whet he rt he FD A pr oxi m at e l y c aus e d Lo ne St ar ’ s c l ai m e d d am ag e s . Lo ne S t ar now app eal s. I I . S TA NDARD OF RE VI EW “W e rev i ew a g ra n t of su m m a ryj u d gm en t de no vo , a p p l y i n gt h e s a me stan d a rd s as the distri ct cou rt. ” Fr ak e s v . Cr e t eCar r i e rCor p. , 579 F. 3d 426, 429N o. 09- 50374

Wenote thatLoneStar’s claims of negligencerel ate to b iscuits the FDA collected in 1 Arizona and tested in Californi a. 4 ( 5t h Ci r . 2 0 0 9 )

. S u m m a r y j u d g m e n t i s a p p r o p r i a t e wh e n “ t h e p l e a d i n gs , t he d is c o v e r ya n dd is c lo s u r e m a te r ia ls o n f ile , a n da n ya ffid a v its s h o w th a t t h e r e is
n o g en u i n e issu e a s to an y m a terialfa ct an dtha t t h e m ov a n t i s e n ti tl ed to j u d gm en t as a m a tter of l a w . ” F ED . R. C IV . P. 5 6 (c ). S u m m a r yj u d g m e n t is pro peronly if

no r eas onabl e j ury c oul d r et urn a ver di c t f or t he nonm ovi ng par t y. A n d ers on v. L i berty L obby, I n c. , 4 77 U
. S. 24 2, 24 8 ( 19 86 )

. W he r e t he no nm o vi ng par t y be ar s t he bur den of proo f at t r i alon a di spo sit ive i ss ue, he o rs he m ustgo beyon d the pl ead i n gs an d d esi gn ate s peci f i c fact s s h ow i n g a gen u in e is su e f or tr ia l. Celo tex Co rp . v . Ca tre tt , 477 U
. S

. 317 , 324 ( 198 6)

. Fa ct u alcontr oversi es are resolved i n favor of t h e non m ovi n g pa rt y, bu tfact u alcontr oversi es r equ i re m o r e th a n co n c lu s o r ya ll eg a ti on s, u n su b stan ti a teda s s e r tio n s , o ram e r e s c in tilla
o f e v id e n c e . Li t t lev . Li qui d Ai rCor p. , 3 7 F .3d 1 0 6 9 , 1 0 7 5 (5t h C ir. 1 9 9 4 ). I I I . DI S CU S S I ON Th e Fede r alTor tC l ai m s A c t , 28 U
. S. C

. §§ 2671 e ts e q. , a br o ga t e s t he U n i t ed S t ates’soverei gn im m u n ity f or c om pen sator y da m ages ari si n g ou tof cl ai m s f or i nj u ry or l oss of

p ropert y . . . cau sed by the n egl i gen tor w rongfulact o ro m is s io n o f a n ye m p lo y e e o f th e G o v e r n m e n t w h ile a c tin gw ith in t h e scope of h i s of

f i ce or em pl oym en t , u n der ci rcum st an ces w h ere t he U ni t e d St at e s , i f apr iva t e p erson, w o ul d b e l i ab l e t o t he cl ai m an ti n accor da n ce w i t h t h e l aw of t h e p la ce w h ere t h e actor o m i s s i o n o c c ur r e d. 2 8 U .S .C . § 1 3 4 6 (b )(1 ); see Joh n son v. S aw yer , 47 F. 3d 716, 727 ( 5t h C i r . 1995) ( e n b a n c ). T h e p a r tie s a g r e e , a n dw e w ill a s s u m e fo rp u r p o s e s o f th is a p p e a l, t h at Texa s l aw governs thi s di spu t e. 1 In T e x a s , th e e le m e n ts o f n e g lig e n c e “a r e th e e x is te n c e o f ale g a l d u ty , a br eac h of t hat dut y, and dam ages pro xi m at ely c ause d by t he br eac h. ” I HSN o. 09- 50374

5 Ceda rs Treat m ent C t r. of D eS ot o, T ex. , I n c. v. Mason , 143 S. W
. 3d 794, 798 (Tex. 2004)

. “ Th e t w o e l em ent s of pr oxi m at e ca u se a re caus e i n fac t(ors ubst ant i al factor) an df

ore see a b i l i ty. ” I

d. The di st r i c tc our tc onc l uded t hatLone St arhad fai l ed to est abli sh the du t y of care a private l aboratory i n t h ese c i rcum st an ces w ou l dow e u n d er T ex a s l a w . Itf u rth er fou n dtha t L on e S tar h a d fa ile d to present an y evi den ce t h at t h e F D Aproxi m ately cau sed i t s f i n an ci a ll oss. B ecau se w e f

i n d the cau sati on i ssue di sposi t ive, w e do n otadd ress t h e di st ri ct
c our t ’ s c onc l usi on r egar di ng dut y. The pa r t i e s a gr e e t hatLo ne St ar ’ s s um m ar y j udg m e ntbur de n r e ga r di ng proxi m ate c au se i s t o p rovi de evi den ce that w ou l d al l ow a reasonab l e factf i n der t o concl u de t h at t h e F D A ’ s n egl i gen ce cau sed a fal se posi t ive resul t
. O u r r evi ew of t h e rec ord l ead s us t o t h e concl u si on the di st ri ctcou rtreach ed: t h e sum m ary j udg m e nte vi de nc e do e s no t r ai s e a ge nui ne i s s ue o f m at e r i alfac to n c aus at i o n. Lone St arurg es t hat i t s evi denc e per m i t s a r eas onabl e j uro rt o f i nd t hat t h e F D Acau sed t h e bi scui t s t o fal sel y t estposi t ive f or L i st eri a m on ocyt ogenes . Itcit es B en w are’ s dep osi t i on t est i m on y rel ated t o coll ect i n g t h e bi scui tsam pl es f r om M ar ket Fare f

ort he f ol l ow i ng s um m ar y j udg m entfac t s: ( 1) B enw ar e w as no ta w ar e t hatt he b i s c ui t s w e r e i n ape r f o r at e d s hr i nk- w r ap pa c ka gi ng andt hus
m i ghtha ve b e e n c o nt am i nat e d a s he a nd t he o t he ri ns pe c t o rr e ac he d i nt o t he bo x; ( 2) t he pa c ka ge d bi s c ui t s w e r e no tpl ac e d i n s t e r i l e c o nt ai ne r s f o rs hi pm e nt t o t he FD A l ab o r at o r y; and ( 3) t he go ve r nm e nt do c um e nt s do no te s t ab l i s h t he
c h a in o f c u s to d yfo r th e b is c u its
. L o n e S ta r a ls o c la im s th a t t h e F D Aim p lie d ly
ac kno w l e dg e d ithad c o nt am i nat e d t he bi s c ui tsa m pl e s w he n i tfail e d t o de m and
a m arket r ecal l , despi t e t h e w i desp read sal es of the bis cui t s t o ot h er f ood sel l ers. T h e governm en tres pon ds t h at t h i s dep osi t i on t est i m on y fal l s far shortof t he m i nim u m re q ui r ed t o e st abl i sh c ausat i on. I tc i t es t he r epo r tpr epar ed by L on e Star’ s expertw i t n ess, w h i ch concl u des:N o. 09- 50374

6 T h e i n t egri t y of

t h e bi scui tsam pl es c ol l ect ed at M arketF are on M a rch 21 , 20 0 2 , w a s com p rom i sed by th e F D A ; thu s, allresu l ts w i th regard to t h e bi scui t com pon en t w ere m ean i n gl ess. Th e F D Afai l ed t o f ol l ow i t s di r ec t ives and m andat es t hro ughout i t s i nves t i gat i on at M ar ket Fare, w hi c h began o n M ar c h 21, 2002. T h e governm en tcontends that a m ere possibi l i t y of contam i n ati on di f

fers m ean i n gf

u ll yfrom evi den ce t h at c on t am i n ati on an d a fal se posi t ive i n fact occurred. I targu es t h at t h e f orm er w ou l d am ou n t t o a st ri ct l i abili t y st an da rd f o ra ny br e ac h o f

a ge nc y pr o c e dur e s , w hi l e t he l at t e ri s uns upp o r t ed by t he
sum m ary j u dg m en tevi den ce. I n s upp o r to f

t he i ra r gum e nt s o n c aus at i o n, b o t h pa r t i e s c i t e t he
u n p u b li sh e dd e cisio n of B ake rv. Abo , No
. C iv . 0 1

- 1 2 4 8 , 2 0 0 3 W L 2 1 6 3 9 1 5 1 (D. M i nn. J ul y 2, 2 00 3)

. I n t hatc as e , a truck drive rw as di s c har ge d b as e d o n t he
resu l ts of a dr u g test th a t he ar g u ed w a s i m p rop erly p erform ed , l ea d i n g to
c o n ta m in a tio n o f th e s a m p le a n dafa ls e p o s itiv e re s u lt. I d. at * 1 . T h e t ruck d r iv e ra s s e r te dth a t d u e to cla im e dirr e g u la r itie s in co n d u c tin gth e te s t, h is
r e s u lts s h o u ldh a v e b e e n v o id e da n dn o t c o m m u n ic a te d to th e e m p lo y e r . I d. at
* 2. The c o ur tc o ns i de r e d a n a f f i da vitb y t h e t r uc k d r ive r ’ s e xp e r tw i t ne s s , b ut f o und t he e xp e r t“ di d no to pi ne t hat[t he b r e ac h a l l e ge d] c o ul d ha ve c aus e d t he p o s itiv e re s u lt in th is te s t” ; th e re m a in in ge v id e n c e d idn o t p e r m it a re a s o n a b le fa ctf i n d er t o de t er m i ne t he def endant ’ s negl i genc e c ause d t he fal se pos i t ive
r e s u lt. I

d. a t*4

. T h e cou rtex pressl y rej ect ed a st ri ctli abili t y st an da rd un der
w h i c h a m e r e p o s s ib il it yo f c o n t a m in a t io n w o u ld c a r r yth e tr u c k d r iv e r ’s
sum m ary j u dg m en tbu rden of rai si n g a facti ssue; i tth e n gran t ed su m m ary j u dg m en tf

or t h e em pl oye r, fin di n g t h e t ruck d river ha d fai l ed to rai se a fact is s u e o n ca u s a tio n . I d. at*3 –4. O urre vi e w of

t he re c o r d r e ve al s t hatt he re po r tof Lo ne St ar ’ s e xp e r ta nd th e d e p o s itio n t e s tim o n yo f B e n w a r e a r e t h e o n lyp ie c e s o f e v id e n c e t h a t p e r ta in t o t he i ss ue o f

pr oxi m at e c ausat i on. The ex per tr epo r tdi sc uss es s everalN o. 09- 50374

7 i ns t anc e s w he r e t he F D A i ns pe c t o r s fail e d t o f o l l o w a ge nc y c o l l e c t i o n a nd t e s t i ng p r o to c o l, b u t itis d e v o ido f a n ycla i m t h a tt h e s e fa ilu r e s ca u s e dth e b is c u it
sam pl es to tes tfal sel y posi t ive f or L i st eri a m on ocyt ogenes . Ben w ar e ’ s t e s t i m o ny si m i l arl y pe rm i t s an i n ference of breach, bu ti tfai l s t o rai se a facti ssue on w h et h er t h e F D A ’ s cond u ct cau sed t h e bi scui t sam pl es t o t est fal sel y posi t ive f or t he bac t er i a. Becaus e Lone St arbo r e the burd en o f p r oo f on t hi s es se nt i al el em en tof

i ts c au se of

act i on , t h e di st ri ctcourtproperl y gran t ed su m m ary j u d gm en t t o th e g ov ern m en t. IV . C ONC L US I ON F or t h e reasons di scussed abov e, t h e di st ri ctcourt ’ s grant of sum m ary j u d g me n tf

o rt h e g o v e r n me n ti s A F F I RMED.