FI LED U. S . COURT OF AP PE ALS E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT Jul y 3, 2008 T HOM AS K. KAHN CL E RK [ DO NO T P UB L I S H] I N THE UN I TE D STATE S C OU RT OF APPE ALS F O R T H E E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT

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________________________ D . C . D ocketN o. 07 -612 07 -C V -J IC P H I L I P A N D R E W W I L S O N , P la in tif f - A p p e lla n t, v ersu s D O L L A R - T H R I F T Y A U T O G R O U P - S O U T H F L A T R A N S P O R T , d .b .a . T h r if

yC a rR e n ta l, O F F I C E O F B R O W A R D C O U N T Y P U B L I C D E F E N D E R , A s s is ta n t P u b lic D e f

e n d e r , M a d e lin e T o rr e s , D efen d an t s-A p p el l ees.

________________________ A pp ea l fr om the U ni t ed S t at es D i stri ctC ou rt f orthe S outhe rn D i s tr i c tof F l or i da

_________________________ ( Ju l y 3, 2008) B efo re B L A C K , M A R C U S an d W IL S O N , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M:2

P h i l i p A n d rew W i l so n ap p eal s p ro se th e d i stri ctco u rt ’ s s ua s p o n te d i sm i ssal o f h i s p ro se c om pl a i nta ga i ns tD ol l a r - T hr i f tyA ut o G r oup a nd M a de l i ne T orr e s f orf a i l ur e t o s t a t e ac l a i m upon w hi c h r e l i e f m a ybe gr a nt e d, pur s ua ntt o 28 U . S. C. § 1 9 1 5 ( e ) ( 2 ) ( B) ( i i ) . I n h i s c o mp l a i n t , W i l s o n r a i s e dc o n s t i tu t i o n a l c l a i ms u n d e r2 8 U . S. C. § 1 3 4 3 a n d 4 2 U . S. C. § § 1 9 8 3 a n d1 9 8 5 , a n ds t a t e l a w c l a i ms p u r s u a n t to th e d is tr ic t c o u rt’s s u p p le m e n ta l ju r is d ic tio n , 2 8 U .S .C . § 1 3 6 7 . W i l s on a l l e ge d D ol l a r - T hr i f tyvi ol a t e d hi s c ons t i tut i ona l r i ght s byf a l s e l yr e port i ng he had st ol en a r ent al car w hen h e f ai l ed t o return the car on the dat e i tw as du e. In a ddi t i on, he a l l e ge d T orr e s , apubl i c de f e nde rw ho r e pr e s e nt e d W i l s on i n the e ns ui ng c r i m i na l c a s e , vi ol a t e d hi s c ons t i tut i ona l r i ght s byf a i l i ng t o pr ovi de a d e q u a t e r e p r e s e n t a t i o n . Th e d i s tr i c tc o u rtd i s mi s s e dh i s c o n s t i tu t i o n a l c l a i ms ag ai n stD o l l ar-T h ri fty as b arred b y th e ap p l i cab l e st atu t e o f l i m i t at i o n s, an dal so because D ol l ar -T hri fty w as no tac t i ng un der c ol or of st at e l aw . T he court di sm i ss ed W i l son’ s c on st i tut i on al cl ai m s a gai nstT orre s on the grou nd she w as ent i t l ed t o q ual i fi ed i m m un i ty. A ft erdi sm i ss i ng the cl ai m s over w hi ch i thad ori gi nal j uri sdi ct i on , the courtdecl i ned t o exerci se supp l em ent al j uri sdi ct i on ov er W i l so n ’ s rem ai n i n g st at e l aw cl ai m s. W ils o n a s s e rts D o lla r - T h r if tym u s t h a v e b e e n a c tin g u n d e rth e c o lo ro f s ta te l aw t o h ave e sc aped acc ou nt abi l i ty f or fa l se l y r eport i ng he had st ol en a r ent al car,3

a nd D ol l a r - T hr i f

tyha s c ontr a c t e d w i th the s t a t e t o a l l ow f orthe us e of

the “ s un p a s s s y s te m ” in its r e n ta l c a r s . F u rth e r , h e c o n te n d s T o rr e s is n o t e n title dto qua l i f i e d i m m uni ty , be c aus e s he vi ol a t e d hi s r i ght s t o e f f e c t i ve a s s i s t a nc e of c ouns e l , due pr oc e s s , a nd aj urytr i a l . F i na l l y , he c ont e nds the c ourts houl d not have di sm i ss ed hi s pendantst at e c l ai m s, because f eder al court s c an i nt ervene w hen a st at e d ep ri v es an i n d i v i d u al o f h i s co n st i tu t i o n al ri g h t s. W e r evi ew the di stri ctcourt ’ s di sm i ss al un der § 19 15 (e )( 2)(B )( i i ) de no vo , ta k in g a s tru e th e a lle g a tio n s in th e c o m p la in t. A lb a v. Mo n t f o rd , 517 F . 3d 1249, 1252 ( 11th C i r . 2008) . T he c ourts ha l l di s m i s s a n in f o rma p a u

p e r is a c t i on a ta ny tim e “if th e c o u rt d e te rm in e s th a t . . . th e a c tio n o rap p e a l . . . f a ils to s ta te ac la im on w hi c h r e l i e f

m a ybe gr a nt e d . . . . ” 28 U . S . C . § 1915( e ) ( 2) ( B ) ( i i ) . “ T he s t a nda r ds gove rni ng di s m i s s a l s unde r[ F e de r a l R ul e of C i vi l P r oc e dur e ] 12( b) ( 6) appl y t o § 19 15 (e )( 2)(B )( i i ). ” A lba , 5 1 7 F .3 da t 1 2 5 2 . I n a d d itio n , “ p ro se pl e a di ngs a r e he l d t o al e s s s tr i c ts t a nda r d tha n pl e a di ngs f i l e d byl a w y e r s a nd thus ar e c on strued l i bera l l y. ” I d.

“ T o est abl i sh a c l ai m un der 42 U . S . C . § 1 98 3, a pl ai nt i ff m ustprov e ( 1) a vi ol at i on of a c on st i tut i on al ri gh t , and (2) thatthe al l eged vi ol at i on w as com m i tt ed by a per son act i ng un der c ol or of st at e l aw . ” H olm e s v . Cr os by , 418 F . 3d 1256, 1258 ( 11th C i r . 2005) . “ W e ha ve e m pl oy e d thr e e di s t i nc tt e s t s i n de t e rm i ni ng4

w hether the ac t i on s of apri vat e e nt i ty are prop er l y a ttri bu t ed t o the st at e. ” Foc us o n th e Fa m ilyv . P in e lla s Su n c o a s t T r a n s it A u th o r ity , 3 4 4 F .3 d1 2 6 3 , 1 2 7 7 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 3 ) . T h e s e te s ts in c lu d e : “( 1 ) th e p u b lic f u n c tio n te s t; ( 2 ) th e s ta te com pu l si on t es t ; and (3) the nexu s/ j oi ntac t i on t es t . ” I

d. ( quot i ng W

i l l is v . U ni v. H eal th Servi ces, Inc. , 9 9 3 F .2 d 8 3 7 , 8 4 0 ( 1 1 th C ir . 1 9 9 3 ) ) . T h e p u b lic f

u n c tio n te s t lim its s ta te a c tio n to in s ta n c e s w h e r e p r iv a te a c t or s a r e pe r f

orm i ng f unc t i ons tr a di t i ona l l ythe e xc l us i ve pr e r oga t i ve of the st at e. T he st at e c om pu l si on t es tl i m i t s s t at e a ct i on t o i nst ance s w here the go vernm enthas c oerc ed or atl ea stsi gn i fi cant l y e ncou ra ged the a c t i on a l l e ge d t o vi ol a t e the C ons t i tut i on. T he ne xus / j oi nta c t i on t e s tappl i e s w he r e the s t a t e ha s s o f a ri ns i nua t e d i t s e l f

i nt o apos i t i on of i nt e r de pe nde nc e w i th the [ pr i va t e pa rty ] tha ti tw a s aj oi nt p a rtic ip a n t in th e e n te rp r is e . I d. ( q u o ta tio n s o m itte d ) . H o w e v e r , “[ o ]n lyin r a r e c ir c u m s ta n c e s c a n ap r iv a te party be vi ew ed as a ‘ st at e a ct or’ for [ §] 19 83 pu rposes . ” H arve y v . H arve y , 949 F .3 d 1 1 2 7 , 1 1 3 0 ( 1 1 th C ir . 1 9 9 2 ) . “S h o u ldw e c o n c lu d e th a t th e r e is n o S ta te ac t i on , w e m ustdi sm i ss the pl ai nt i ff’ s c l ai m w i tho utre ac hi ng the qu al i fi ed i m m un i ty i ss ue. ” R ay burn ex r e l. R ay burn v . H ogue , 2 4 1 F .3 d1 3 4 1 , 1 3 4 7 ( 1 1 th C i r. 20 01 ). T o thatend, the S up re m e C ou rthas hel d that“ a pub l i c def ender does no tac tun der c ol or of st at e l aw w hen p er form i ng a l aw ye r' s tra di t i on al funct i on s a s coun se l t o a defendanti n a cr i m i nal proceedi ng . ” T he courtdi d n oterr i n d i sm i ss i ng W i l son’ s c om pl ai ntfor f ai l ure t o st at e a c l a i m w i th r e s pe c tt o hi s § 1983 c l a i m s a ga i ns tD ol l a r - T hr i f ty , be c aus e W i l s on5

fa i l ed t o d em on stra t e D ol l ar -T hri fty a ct ed un der c ol or of st at e l aw w hen i tre po rt ed he ha d s t ol e n ar e nt a l c a r . N othi ng i n W i l s on’ s or i gi na l ora m e nde d c om pl a i nt s ugge s t s e i the rtha t( 1) D ol l a r - T hr i f tyw a s pe r f

orm i ng apubl i c f

unc t i on, ( 2) the s t a t e s om e how c oe r c e d orc om pe l l e d D ol l a r - T hr i f tyt o r e portW i l s on ha d s t ol e n the re nt al car, or (3) the st at e w as a j oi ntpart i ci panti n D ol l ar -T hri fty’ s r ent al o p e r a tio n s . See Fo c u s o n th e Fa m ily , 34 4 F . 3d at12 77 . A cc ordi ng l y, w e a ff i rm th e d is m is s a l o f

W ils o n ’s § 1 9 8 3 c la im s a g a in s t D o lla r - T h r if ty . I n r e ga r d t o W i l s on’ s § 1983 c l a i m s a ga i ns tT orr e s , the c ourtdi s m i s s e d on the gr ound s he w a s e nt i t l e d t o qua l i f i e d i m m uni ty . H ow e ve r , be f or e a ddr e s s i ng the is s u e o f q u a lif ie d im m u n ity , w e m u s t f ir s t d e te rm in e w h e th e rT o rr e s w a s as ta te a c to r . See R a

yb u rn , 2 4 1 F . 3 d at1 3 4 7 . In h i s o ri g i n al an dam en d ed co m p l ai n t s, W ils o n a lle g e d T o rr e s r e n d e r e d in e f f e c tiv e a s s is ta n c e o f

c o u n s e l, b a s e do n h is di sa gree m entw i th h erhand l i ng of hi s c ri m i nal ca se . H ow ever , the S up re m e C ou rt ha s he l d “ apubl i c de f

e nde rdoe s nota c tunde rc ol orof s t a t e l a w w he n pe r f

orm i ng a l aw ye r' s tra di t i on al funct i on s a s c ou nsel t o a defendanti n a cr i m i nal proceedi ng . ” P olk C ount yv . D ods on , 10 2 S . C t . 44 5, 45 3 (19 81 ). A s are sul t , W i l son h as fa i l ed to d e m o n s tr a te T o rr e s a c te d u n d e rc o lo ro f s ta te la w in h e rc ap a c itya s p u b lic d efen d er. A cco rd i n g l y, w e affi rm th e d i sm i ssal o f W i l so n ’ s § 1 9 8 3 cl ai m s ag ai n st T o rr e s . See C on sol. D ev . C orp. v. Sh erri t t , Inc. , 21 6 F . 3d 12 86 , 12 88 (11th C i r.As an ad ditional matter, Wil son also asser ted claims ag ainst Dollar-Thrifty and Torres 1 under § 1985. Thedistrict court did not specific ally addre ss th es e claims in its order dismissing Wil son’s complaint with prejudice , the order from which Wils on now appe als. Moreover, Wilson raise s no is sueon

a pp e al withre g ard

to his c laimsunder § 19 85 . Th ere fore , h eha s a ba ndon e d his § 1985 claims. See Horsley v. Feldt, 3 0 4 F. 3 d 1 1 2 5 , 1 1 3 1 n . 1 (1 1 thC ir. 2 0 0 2 ) ( co n cluding pro se plaintiff waive d claims he did not raiseon appeal). 6 2000) ( s t a t i ng thi s C ourtm a ya f f i rm “ on a nya de qua t e gr ounds , i nc l udi ng gr ounds o th e rth a n th o s e u p o n w h ic h th e d is tr ic t c o u rt a c tu a llyr e lie d ” ) . M o r e o v e r , n o th in g in th e r e c o r ds u g g e s ts th e c o u rt ab u s e dits d is c r e tio n in d ecl i n i n g t o ex erci se j u ri sd i ct i o n o v er W i l so n ’ s rem ai n i n g st at e l aw cl ai m s ag ai n st D ol l a r - T hr i f

tya nd T orr e s , a nd w e “ ha ve e nc our a ge d di s tr i c tc ourt s t o di s m i s s a ny re m ai ni ng st at e c l ai m s w hen, as here , the fe dera l cl ai m s have been di sm i ss ed . . . . ” R ane yv . A l l s tate I ns . C o. , 3 7 0 F . 3 d1 0 8 6 , 1 0 8 8 ( 1 1 th C i r . 2 0 0 4 ) . T h e r e f o r e , we affi rm th e d i sm i ssal o f h i s p en d an tst at e cl ai m s. Th e d i s tr i c tc o u rtd i d n o te rri n d i s mi s s i n g W i l s o n ’ s c o n s t i tu t i o n a l c l a i ms a g a in s t D o lla r - T h r if

tya n d T o rr e s b e c au s e n e ith e rp a rtya c te du n d e rc o lo ro f s ta te l aw . M o reo v er, th e co u rtd i d n o tab u se i t s d i scret i o n i n d ecl i n i n g t o ex erci se su p p l em en t al j u ri sd i ct i o n o v er W i l so n ’ s rem ai n i n g st at e l aw cl ai m s. 1 AF F I RME D.