* This order and judgment is not binding precedent, except under the

doctrines of law of the case, res judicata, and col lateral estoppel. The court generally disfavors the citation of orders and judg ments; nevertheless, an order and judgment may be cited under the terms and condi tions of 10th Cir. R. 36.3. 

## F I L E D United States Court of Appeals Tenth Circuit 

### DEC 23 1998 

### PATRICK FISHER Clerk UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

TENTH CIRCUIT

JAMES ELMER DOBSON, Plaintiff-Appellant,

v. NATHAN A. McNALLY, JR., in his official capacity as Crook County Jailer; BRIAN MOORHOUSE, in his official capacity as Crook County Sheriff; TY STUTZMAN, in his official capacity as Crook County Deputy Sheriff; JOSEPH M. BARON, in his official capacity as Crook County Attorney; BILL RICE, in his official capacity as Crook County Deputy Attorney; DALE SANDER, in his official capacity as Crook County Deputy Sheriff; APRIL GLICK, in her official capacity as Crook County Deputy Sheriff; DOUGLAS DESKIN, in his official capacity as Wyoming Department of Transportation Highway Patrol Office, Defendants-Appellees. No. 98-8063 (D.C. No. 97-CV-0069-B) (D. Wyo.)

ORDER AND JUDGMENT *-2-

Before SEYMOUR , Chief Judge, BARRETT , and BRISCOE , Circuit Judges.

After examining the briefs and appellate record, th is panel has determined unanimously that oral argument would not materiallyassist the determination of this appeal. See Fed. R. App. P. 34(a)(2); 10th Cir. R. 34.1.9. Th erefore, the case is ordered submitted without oral argument. James Elmer Dobson, appearing pro se, appeals the d istrict court’s dismissal of his 42 U.S.C. § 1983 civil rights comp laint. We exercise jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1291 and affirm. Dobson was allegedly arrested on or about September5, 1996, and charged the following day with two counts of attempting to obtain property from another person by false pretense and with intent to defraud . Although the record is unclear, it appears he was detained in county jail for a brief period of time until he made bail. It also appears a search warrant was issued for his residence. The record does not indicate the outcome of the crimina l proceedings. Dobson filed his complaint on March 20, 1997, again st various officials involved in his arrest and detainment, claiming he was entitled to $17 million in damages due to various violations of his constituti onal rights. The three defendants who were members of the Wyoming judiciary moved to dismiss, asserting absolute judicial immunity. The districtcourt granted their motion and-3-

dismissed the causes of action against them withoutprejudice. Dobson attempted to appeal the dismissal, but this court dismissed h is appeal for lack of jurisdiction, concluding the order was not a final appealable order. Dobson v. Waugh , 131 F.3d 151 (10th Cir. 1997) (table). The remaining d efendants moved to dismiss the complaint for failure to state a claim. Dobson responded with a motion for summary judgment against all of the defendants, inc luding those who were dismissed. The district court denied the motion fo r summary judgment and granted defendants’ motion to dismiss, stating:

The Court will grant Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss. Simply put, Plaintiff’s complaint fails to state the facts that form the basis of his claims. This renders the complaint largely inc omprehensible and leaves the Court without means to assess Plaintiff’ s conclusory allegations of constitutional violations. Because Plaintiff appears pro se, the Court will allow Plaintiff twenty (20) days from the date of the hearing (May 21, 1998), in which to amend his complaint by stating concisely and with specificity the underlyi ng facts out of which his claims arise

. Record, Doc. 42 at 1-2. Dobson filed an amended co mplaint against all of the original defendants on June 9, 1998. The district court dismissed the action on June 29, 1998, with prejudice due to plaintiff’s fa ilure “to amend his complaint as instructed by the Court.” Record, Doc. 53 at 1. We construe the district court’s dismissal of Dobso n’s amended complaint as a dismissal pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6) for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted and review the dismissa l de novo, taking all of the-4-

plaintiff’s well-pleaded allegations as true and co nstruing them in the light most favorable to plaintiff. See Yoder v. Honeywell, Inc. , 104 F.3d 1215, 1224 (10th Cir.), cert. denied 118 S. Ct. 55 (1997). Although we must liberally construe a pro se plaintiff’s complaint, we may not accept as true those allegations that are conclusory in nature. See Hall v. Bellmon , 935 F.2d 1106, 1110 (10th Cir. 1991) (“[C]onclusory allegations without supporting factu al averments are insufficient to state a claim on which relief can be based.”). Under Rule 12(b)(6), a district court may dismiss a complaint that does not contain a “short and plain statement of the claim,” as required by Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a)( 2), if there appears to be no set of facts on which plaintiff may state a claim for relief. See Monument Builders of Greater Kansas City, Inc. v. American Cemetery Ass’n , 891 F.2d 1473, 1480 (10th Cir. 1989). At the outset, we note Dobson’s amended complaint, though somewhat more specific than his original complaint, substant ially fails to describe the grounds upon which his claim rests. The amended co mplaint (like the original complaint) is largely comprised of conclusory alleg ations of constitutional deprivations apparently arising out of Dobson’s arr est and subsequent confinement. Even taking into account information contained in supporting exhibits attached to the amended complaint, we are left with serious questions about the claims Dobson is attempting to assert.-5-

Even assuming, arguendo, that Dobson’s amended comp laint satisfies the requirements of Rule 8(a), we conclude he has faile d to state a claim upon which relief can be granted against any of the named defe ndants. The three members of the Wyoming judiciary are entitled to absolute judicial immunity. See Stump v. Sparkman , 435 U.S. 349, 355-57 (1978). The two county pros ecutors involved in the prosecution of Dobson’s criminal case are entit led to immunity from suit under § 1983. See Imbler v. Pachtman , 424 U.S. 409, 420-24 (1976). The amended complaint fails to demonstrate that Dob son is entitled to any legal relief arising from the actions of the highway patrol officer who allegedly arrested Dobson. Although Dobson alleges the offic er arrested him “without the proper and lawful paperwork,” there is no assertionthe officer lacked probable cause to arrest Dobson, as would be necessary to pr evail under § 1983 on a claim of unlawful arrest. See Thompson v. City of Lawrence , 58 F.3d 1511, 1515 (10th Cir. 1995); Karr v. Smith , 774 F.2d 1029, 1031 (10th Cir. 1985); see also Beck v. Ohio , 379 U.S. 89, 91 (1964) (warrantless arrest permis sible if probable cause exists to believe person has committed crime). With respect to the three county law enforcement of ficers who were allegedly involved in execution of a search warrantat Dobson’s residence, the amended complaint contains only conclusory allegati ons of constitutional violations. The complaint asserts they “violated P laintiff’s GOD Given rights,-6-

and Constitutionally Secured Rights by Search and S eizing the property of the Plaintiff, which denied Plaintiff Due Process of Law.” Record, Doc. 44 at 3. The amended complaint does not assert the search warran t (a copy of which is attached to the amended complaint) was not supporte d by probable cause or that the officers failed to comply with the terms of the warrant. See generally United States v. Kennedy , 131 F.3d 1371, 1375 (10th Cir. 1997), cert. denied 119 S. Ct. 151 (1998); United States v. Medlin , 842 F.2d 1194, 1199 (10th Cir. 1988). Finally, as to the two remaining defendants who wer e allegedly involved in Dobson’s post-arrest detainment in the county jail, there is no basis for concluding they violated Dobson’s constitutional ri ghts. Even assuming, as alleged by Dobson, they refused to allow him to use various herbal teas (allegedly for self-medication) and required that he sign his name on a fingerprint card, we conclude this is insufficient to demonstrate Dobsonwas subjected to any constitutional deprivations. See , e.g. , White v. State of Colo. , 157 F.3d 1226, 1233-34 (10th Cir. 1998) (to state cognizable claim under Eighth Amendment, prisoner must allege acts or omissions sufficientlyharmful to evidence deliberate indifference to serious medical needs). AFFIRMED. The mandate shall issue forthwith. Entered for the Court Per Curiam