# U n i t e d S t a t e s C o u r t o f A pp e a l s

For the Eig hth Circu it

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No . 1 8 -2 9 82

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Tam at ri ce W i ll i am s

ll l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l Pl a in t i

f f - Ap p el l an t

v

.

Ci t y o f Sh erwo o d

l l l l l l l l l ll l l l l l l l l l l Def

en da n t - Ap

p el l ee

_

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Ap p eal fro m

Un i t ed St at es Di s t ri ct Co u rt

fo r t h e Eas t ern Di s t ri ct o f Ark an s as - Li t t l e Ro ck

_

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Su b m i t t ed : Decem

ber 1 0 , 2 0 19

Fi l ed : J an u ary 2 8 , 2 0 2 0

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Befo re ERICKSON, ARNOLD, an d KOBES, Ci rcu i t J u d g es

.

_ __ _ _ __ _ __ _ _

ARNOLD, Ci rcu i t J u d g e.

M o r e t h an t wo d ecad es ag o, T am at ri ce W il l iam s wro t e fo u r ch eck s o n

i n s u ffi ci en t fu nd s i n v i o l at i o n o f Ark an s as l aw. S ee Ark

. Co de An n

. § 5 -3 7-3 0 2 (a).

Sh e al l eg es t hat

, as a res u lt

, s h e g ot " cau g h t i n a n ev er-en d i n g cy cl e o f co u rt

p r o ceed i n g s " o v er t h e n ex t t wen t y y ears i n t h e Sh erwo od D i s tri ct Co u rt

, w h i c h

res u l ted i n n u m ero u s fi n es , arres t s
, an d day s i n jai l

. Sh e s u ed t he Ci t y o f Sh erwo o du n d er 4 2 U.S.C. § 1 9 8 3

, cl ai m i ng t h at i t h ad jai l ed h er wi t h o ut i n q ui ri ng i n t o wh et h er

s h e h ad t h e m ean s t o p ay t h e fi n es i m p o s ed an d wi t h o u t ap p o i n t i n g co u n s el fo r h er.

Th e d i s t ri ct co u rt 1 di sm i s s ed W i l l i am s 's cl ai m s o n t h e g ro u n d th at a ju d g m en t i n h er

f a v o r " wo u l d n eces s ari l y i m p l y t h e i n v al i d i t y o f h [er] co n v i ct io n o r s en t en ce," s e e

Heck v. Hu mp hr ey , 5 1 2 U.S. 4 7 7 , 4 8 7 (1 9 9 4 ), an d W i l l i am s ap p eal s

. Rev i ewi n g d e

n o v o
, s ee Mi ck v. R a i n es , 8 83 F.3 d 1 0 7 5

, 1 07 8 (8 th Ci r. 2 0 18 ), we affi rm
, t h o u g h o n

a d i fferen t g ro u nd

. S

ee Du f fn er v. Ci t

y o f S t

. Pet er

s , 9 3 0 F.3 d 9 7 3

, 9 7 6 (8 t h Ci r.

2 0 1 9 ).

At t h i s s t ag e we accep t t h e fact u al al l eg at i o n s i n t h e co m p l ai n t as t ru e an d v i ew

t h em i n a l i g h t m o s t fav o rab l e t o W il l i am s

. S ee Ba r t o n v. Ta b er , 8 2 0 F.3 d 9 5 8 , 9 6 3

(8 t h Ci r. 2 0 1 6 ). A cco rd i n g t o W i l l i am s
, s h e an d ot h ers l i n ed u p fo r cat t l e-cal l

ap p earan ces b efo re t h e ju dg e o f wh at w as cal l ed t h e h o t-ch eck d i v i s i o n o f t h e

Sh erwo o d Di st ri ct Co u rt

. So m e d efen d an t s faced n ew ch arg es wh i l e ot h ers ap p eared

fo r p eri o d i c " rev i ew h eari ng s " t o u p d at e t h ei r p ro g res s i n m ak i n g p ay m en t s t o ward

p rev i o u s l y i m

p o sed fi n es

. Pro ceed in g s were cl o s ed to t he public

, i nc luding fam i l y an d

f r i e n d s

. To b e al l owed i ns i de t h e co u rt ro o m
, d efen d an t s h ad to si gn fo rm s wai v i n g

rep res en t at i o n b y

co un s el

.

W i l l i am s as s ert s in h er co m p l ai nt t hat t h e ci t y " t reat ed each rev i ew h eari n g

b as ed o n [a] p ri o r co n v i ct i o n as an o p po rt u n it y to o pen a n ew, sep arat e, s t an d -al o n e

cri m i n al cas e, th e reb y p u rp o rt ed l y au t h ori zi ng t h e co u rt t o i m p o se n ew an d

d u p l i cat i ve co u rt co s t s
, fi nes
, an d fees o n t h e s am e h o t ch eck d efen d a n t

. " So wh en

s o m eo n e fai l ed t o ap p ear fo r a rev i ew heari n g o r fai l ed t o m ak e p ay m en t s t o ward a

fi ne, th e ci t y wo u l d i s s u e an arres t warran t an d o p en a n e w c r im i n al cas e, wh i ch

al l o wed th e ci t y t o i m

p o s e fi n es ab o v e an d b ey on d t h e s t at u t ory l i m i t fo r a h o t -ch eck

co n vi ct i o n

. Th e ci ty 's p o l i ce d ep art m en t

, acco rd in g t o W i ll i am s
, carri ed ou t t h e arres t

1 Th e Ho n o rab le J am es M

. M o o dy Jr., Un i t ed St at es Di s t ri ct J u dg e fo r t h e
Eas t ern Di s t ri ct o f Ark an s as

.

-2-warran t s b y t rack i n g d o w n d efen d an ts an d ord eri n g t h em t o m ak e p a ym e n t s o n t h e

s p o t o r b e t ak en t o jai l.

W i l l i am s al l eg es t h at t h ere was n o in q u i ry i n t o wh et h er defen d an t s h ad t h e

ab i l i t y t o p ay t h e fi n es i m p o s ed

. In s t ead

, wh en d efen dan t s fel l b eh i n d on p ay m en t s
,

t h e j u d ge wo u ld o rd er th em jai led fo r u p t o 12 0 d ay s o r u n t i l o u ts t an d i n g d eb t s were

p ai d

. W i l l i am s m ai n t ai n s t h at fi n es an d fees m ad e u p a s i gn i fi can t p ort i on o f t h e ci t y 's

rev en u e.

W i l l i am s al s o m ai n tai n s t h at sh e an d h er fam i l y p ai d s ev eral t h o us an d d o l l ars

i n fi n es an d t h at s h e h as b een t ak en t o jai l i n fro n t o f h er y o u ng ch il dren o n s ev eral

o ccas i o n s : Sh e es t i m at es s h e h as b een arres t ed ei gh t d i fferen t t i m es an d sp e n t 1 6 0

d a y s i n j ai l. W i l l i am s es cap ed t h e d eb t cy cl e wh en t h e ju d g e rel eas ed h er fro m h er

o u t s t an d i n g o b l i g at i on s t o th e ci t y a m ere t wo d ay s aft er a p u tat i ve cl as s act i o n was

fi led ag ai n s t t h e ci t y an d t h e ju dg e i n v ol vi n g th e s am e p ract ices t h at Wi l l i a m s

ch al l en g es h ere. S

ee Da d e v. Ci t y o f S h er wo o d

, 4 : 1 6 -CV-6 0 2 -J M-J J V. Th e ju d g e an d

t h e ci t y ev en t u al ly s et t l ed t h e Da d e l aws u i t

, ag reei n g
, am o ng o t h er t h i n gs
, t o i n q u i re

i n t o a p ers o n 's ab i l i t y t o p ay fi n es
, t o p ro v i d e cl earer ad v i ce o n th e ri g h t to co u n s el

,

an d t o m ai nt ai n p ub l i cl y acces s i b l e v i d eo reco rd i n gs o f th e pro ceed i n g s i n t h e h o t

c h e c k c o u rt

. In t h e s et t l em en t ag reem en t t h e ci t y ag reed t o be b o u nd o n ly t o t h e

ex t en t i t em

p l o y s s o m eo n e, o r t h ere i s a ci t y offi ci al

, w h o h a s a n y i n v o lv em en t o r

co n tro l o v er t h e co m

p l ai n ed -o f p ract i ces

.

In Gr a n d a v. Ci ty o

f S t

. L o u i s , t h e p lai n t i ff s u ed t h e Ci t y o f St

. Lo u i s an d a

m u ni ci p al ju d g e aft er t h e ju d g e jai l ed h e r f o r h er d au g ht er's t ru an cy

. 4 7 2 F.3 d 5 6 5,

5 6 6 (8 t h Ci r. 2 0 0 7 ). Aft er t h e cas e was d i s m i s s ed

, t h e p l ai nt i ff arg u ed o n ap p eal t h at

t h e ci t y was l i ab le fo r t h e ju d g e's d eci s i o n b ecau s e t he j u d ge w as t h e fi n al m u n i ci p al

p o l i cy m ak er reg ard in g t ru an cy m at t ers

. W e ex p l ai ned

, h owev er, t hat ev en t ho u g h t h e

m ay o r ap p o i n t e d t h e j u d g e, wh o was req u i red b y o rd i n an ce to rep o rt d at a t o t h e

m ay o r ab o u t o rd i n an ce v i o l at i o n s an d co n fer w i t h ci ty o ffi ci al s ab ou t o rd i n an ce

-3-en fo rcem en t

, t he ju d g e was n o t a fi n al m un i ci p al p o l i cy m ak er, i f h e was a m u n i ci p al

p o l i c y m ak er at al l

. Id

. at 5 6 8 –6 9

. W e ex p l ai n ed t h at t h e m u ni ci p al co urt was a

d i v i s i on of t he s t at e ci rcu i t co u rt

, wh ere deci s i o n s o f t h e m u n i ci p al co urt co u l d b e

rev i ewed

. W e al s o em

p h as i zed t h at th e ju d g e's jai l i n g o f t h e p lai n ti ff "was a ju d i ci al

d eci s i o n m ad e i n a cas e t h at cam e b efo re [t h e ju d g e] o n a co u rt do ck et

, " a n d t h e

p l ai n t i ff fai l ed to ci t e a s i n g l e cas e w h ere a m u n i ci p al i t y h ad b een h el d l i ab l e fo r s u ch

a d eci s i o n

. Id

. at 5 6 9

.

W i l l i am s 's cl a i m s a re s o m ewh at d ifferen t t h o u gh n o t m ean i n gfu l l y s o

. Her

co u ns el ex p l ai n ed t wo i m p o rt an t feat u res o f W il l i am s 's cas e at o ral arg u m en t

. Fi rs t

, d es p it e o ccas i o n al l y bro ad er l an g u ag e in h er co m p l ai n t

, W il l i am s 's co u n s el s ai d s h e

was as s ert i n g th at h er co ns t i t u t i o n al ri g h t s w ere v i o lat ed o n acco u n t o f an

u n co ns t i t u t i o n al m

u n ici p al p o l i cy
, n o t a cu s t o m o r p ract i ce. A cl ai m ag ai n s t a

m u ni ci p a l i t y u n d er § 1 9 8 3 is s u s tai n ab l e o nl y i f t here i s al leg ed a co n s t i t u t i o n al

v i o l at i o n " co m

m i t t ed p u rs u an t t o an o ffi ci al cu s t o m
, p ol icy

, or p ract i ce o f t h e ci ty ."

S ee i d. at 5 6 8

. Seco n d

, W i ll i am s ' s co un s el was carefu l t o em p h as i ze t h at W i l l i am s

w a s n o t al l eg i n g t h at t h e ju dg e was t h e fi n al p o li cy m ak er h ere; i n s t ead

, W i l l i a m s

al l eg es t h at t h e ci t y co u n ci l an d m ay o r were t h e fi n al p o li cy m ak ers an d t h at t h e ju d g e

was m erel y

an ag en t carry i n g o u t t he ci ty 's u nco n st i tu t i o n al p o l i ci es

.

W e fai l t o s ee ho w t h i s can b e, at leas t i n reg ard t o j u d ici al act i o ns t ak en b y a
ju d g e l ik e th e o n e i n t h i s cas e. W e reco g n i ze t h at t h e ci ty p ai d t h e ju d g e's s al ary an d

fu n d ed t he Sh erwo o d Di st ri ct Co u rt

. Bu t t h e ju d i ci al d eci s i o n s o f a d u l y el ect ed ju d g e

are n o t th e k i n d o f d eci s i o n s t h at ex p o s e m u n i ci pal i t i es t o § 19 8 3 l i ab i l i t y

. Nei t h er t h e

ci t y co u n ci l n o r t he m ay o r has t h e p o wer t o s et ju d i ci al p o l i cy fo r A rk an s as d i s t ri ct

co u rt ju d g es o r th e p o wer t o rat i fy t h ei r ju d i ci al d eci si o n s, ev en i f th e ci t y 's

" p ol i cy m ak ers k new o f th e ju d g e's co n d u ct an d ap p ro v ed o f i t ." See DeLeo n v. Ci t y

o f H a lt o m Ci t y , 1 0 6 F. Ap p ' x 9 0 9

, 9 1 1 (5 th Ci r. 2 0 0 4 ). Or as an o t h er ci rcu it co u rt h as

h el d

, " [a] m

u n i ci p al i t y can n o t b e l i ab l e f o r ju d i ci al co n d u ct i t l ack s t h e p o wer to

req u i re, co n t ro l

, o r rem ed y , ev en i f t hat co n d u ct p aral l el s or ap p ears en tan g l ed wi th

-4-t h e d es i res o f th e m u n i ci p al i t y ." Eg

g a r v. Ci ty o

f L i v i n g s t o n , 4 0 F.3 d 3 1 2

, 3 1 6 (9 th

Ci r. 1 9 94 ).

An o th er d i ffi cu l t y wi t h W i l l iam s 's cl ai m s i s th at s h e m erel y s p ecu l at es v ag u el y

an d co n cl u s o ri l y t h a t t h e ci t y co u n ci l an d m ay o r h ad dev el o ped u n co n s t i t u t i o n al

p o l i ci es

. Th e o n l y

p o s s i b l e m ark er o f a m

u n ici p al p o l i cy

t h at W il l iam s i d en t i fi es i n

h er co m p l ai n t is a ci t y o rd i nan ce t h at creat ed a p o s i t i o n at t he ju d g e's req ues t t o h el p

wi t h s erv i n g t h e warran t s as s o ci at ed wi t h t h e h o t -ch eck co urt an d t h ereb y h el p b ri n g

i n rev en u e. Bu t s u ch an o rd i n an ce d em o n s t rat es m erel y t h at ev en t s o ccu rri n g i n t h e

co u rt "p aral l el [ed ] o r ap p ears en t an g l ed wi t h t h e des i res o f t h e m u n i ci p al i t y , " s ee i d

. ,

o r t h at t h e ci t y k n ew o f an d ap p ro v ed o f t h e ju d g e's co nd u ct

. S ee DeLeo n , 1 0 6 F.

Ap p 'x at 9 1 1. Cri t i cal l y , at no p o i n t d o es W i l l i am s i d en t i fy an o rd i n an ce o r o t h er

m u ni ci p al act io n wh ereb y t he ci t y d irect s s o m eo n e to co m m i t an act t h at i s a

co n st i t u t io n al v i o l at i o n o r, wi t h d el i b erat e i n di fferen ce t o kn o w n or o b v i ou s

co n seq u en ces
, d i rect s s o m eo n e t o t ak e an act i o n t h at l ea d s t o a v io l at i o n o f

co n st i t u t io n al ri gh t s

. S

ee Ho l l i n g

s wo r t h v. Ci t

y o f S t

. An n , 80 0 F.3 d 98 5

, 99 2 (8 t h Ci r.

2 0 1 5 ). W i l l i am s h as n o t al l eg ed t h at ci t y p o l i cy m ak ers d el i b er a t el y s et i t s el f o n a

co u rs e t hat wo u l d l ead t o h er co n s ti t u t i on al ri g h t s b ei n g v i o l at ed

. S ee Sz a bl a v. Ci t

y

o f Br o okl yn Pa r k

, 4 8 6 F.3 d 3 8 5 , 3 9 0 (8 th Ci r. 2 0 0 7 ) (en b an c).

In s t e a d

, Wi l li am s rel i es o n co n cl us o ry as s ert i o n s t h at t he ci t y co u n ci l an d

m ay o r so m eh o w creat ed s om e u n sp o k en p o l i cy an d t as k ed t he ju d g e wi t h carry i n g i t

o u t

. Bu t as an o t h er ci rcu it recen t l y ex pl ai n ed i n a cas e co nt ai ni n g s i m i l ar co n cl u s o ry

al l eg at i o n s
, "an y co n n ect io n b et ween t h e ju di ci al act s an d t h e [ci t y o ffi ci al s ] i s t o o

ch i m eri cal t o b e m ai n t ai ned ." McCu l l o u g h v. Fi n l ey , 9 0 7 F.3 d 1 3 2 4

, 1 3 35 (1 1 t h Ci r.

2 0 1 8 ). To t h e ex t en t W i l l i am s arg u es t h at

, b y ag reei n g t o act as an ag en t fo r t h e ci t y ,

t h e ju d g e an d ci t y n eces s ari l y co n s p i red t o v i o lat e co n s t i t u t i o nal ri g h t s
, we d o n ot

t h i n k t h e al l eg at io n s o f an y s u ch co n s p i racy are s p eci fi c en ou g h t o s u rv i v e a m o t i o n

t o d i s m i s s

. S

ee Jo h n so n v. Per d

u e , 8 6 2 F.3 d 7 1 2

, 7 1 8 (8 t h Ci r. 2 0 17 ); Ma r t i v. Ci t y

o f M ap l ewo o d

, 57 F.3 d 6 8 0

, 68 5 (8 t h Ci r. 1 9 9 5 ). V ag u e al l eg at i o ns o f a co n s p i racy

-5-t o v io l at e co n s t i tu t i o n al ri g h t s d o n o t p l au s i b l y s u p p o rt a cl ai m

. S ee McCu l l o u g h

, 9 0 7

F.3 d at 1 33 4

– 3 5

.

W e fi n d i t in s i gn i fi can t t h at t he ci t y h ad p rev i ou s ly

s et t l ed t h e Da d

e l aws u i t

,

a fact t h at at fi rs t g l an ce s eem s t o i m p l i cat e t h e ci t y i n t h e g o in g s -o n i n t he h o t -ch eck

co u rt . Bu t l i ti g an t s s et t l e l aws ui t s fo r a v ari et y of reas o n s
, es p eci al l y wh en t h ey are

p o l i t ical act o rs so m et i m es s u b ject t o p ub l i c p res s ure t o act in a ce r t a i n w a y

. At n o

p o i n t d id t h e ci ty ad m i t t h at i t had d ev i s ed

, o r was res po n s i b l e fo r, an u n co n s t i t u t i o n al

p o l i cy ; i n fact

, t h e s et t l em en t ag reem en t i n d i cat es t o t h e co nt rary

.

W e t h erefo re u p h o l d t h e d i s t ri ct co urt 's d is m i ss al o f W i l l i am s 's cl ai m s ab o ut

t h e co u rt ' s fai l ure t o i n q u i re i n t o h er i n d i gen cy an d fai l u re t o ap po i nt co u n sel

, al o n g

wi t h her rel at ed

, d eri v at i ve cl ai m s ab o u t t h e p ract i ces i n t h e Sh erwo o d D i s t ri ct Co u rt

.

Affi rm ed

.

__

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