Source: https://openjurist.org/659/f2d/105/kosikowski-v-bourne-b-l-morse
Timestamp: 2017-08-20 00:42:51
Document Index: 53706109

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 1983', '§ 1988', '§ 1983', '§ 30', '§ 1983', '§ 30', '§ 1983', '§ 1983', '§ 1981']

659 F. 2d 105 - Kosikowski v. Bourne B L Morse
659 F2d 105 Kosikowski v. Bourne B L Morse
659 F.2d 105
Holly Hall KOSIKOWSKI, Appellant,
William BOURNE, personally and in his official capacity as
Director of Public Works and Airport Manager for the City of
North Bend; B. L. "Bev" Higgins, personally and in his
official capacity as Mayor of the City of North Bend, and
the City of North Bend, etc., et al., Appellees.
John MORSE, Appellant,
Sandra DIETRICH, personally and in her official capacity as
Administrator for Coos-Curry Council of Gov't; Irene
Johnson, personally and in her official capacity as Coos
County Commissioner and Delegate to the Coos-Curry Council
of Gov't, etc., et al., Appellees.
Rehearing and Rehearing En Banc Denied Dec. 2, 1981.
Title 42 U.S.C. § 1983 does not contain a limitations period; therefore, federal courts look to the state statute of limitations that applies to the most analogous state cause of action, Board of Regents v. Tomanio, 446 U.S. 478, 483-84, 100 S.Ct. 1790, 1794-1795, 64 L.Ed.2d 440 (1980), as long as the statute is not inconsistent with the Constitution and the laws of the United States. 42 U.S.C. § 1988. We must accept the decision of the Oregon Legislature to apply the two-year statute of limitations to § 1983 actions. See Major v. Arizona State Prison, 642 F.2d 311, 313 (9th Cir. 1981). See also, United Parcel Service, Inc. v. Mitchell, --- U.S. ----, ----, 101 S.Ct. 1559, 1564-1565, 67 L.Ed.2d 732 (1981).
We hold that Or.Rev.Stat. § 30.275(3) is the Oregon statute of limitations applicable to § 1983 actions. Both complaints were time-barred. The orders of dismissal, therefore, must be affirmed, and we do not reach the question whether the claims attempted to be stated survived attack under Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6).
In a petition for rehearing, the plaintiff appellants argue that in following Or. Rev. Stat. Sec. 30.265(1) as amended in 1977, we produced a result inconsistent with earlier case law in this circuit. This is true. The earlier cases, however, did not deal with Or. Rev. Stat. Sec. 30.265(1). Accordingly, the earlier "common law" treatment of the problem of borrowing state statutes of limitations is irrelevant when the state has enacted a specific statute expressly dealing with the limitations question before this court. Accordingly,Plummer v. Western Inter. Hotels Co., Inc., 656 F.2d 502 (9th Cir. 1981), which deals with actions brought under 42 U.S.C. Sec. 1981, does not control a case brought under 42 U.S.C. Sec. 1983. Even though both logic and legislative symmetry would seem to commend to the Oregon State Legislative Assembly a limitations scheme treating both kinds of cases equally, we are not at liberty to make that choice for the State of Oregon. The state legislature expressed its intent with reference to Sec. 1983 actions and did not express its intent with reference to Sec. 1981 actions. This court, under its duty to follow its own precedents until contrary legislative signals appear, must treat the two statutes differently in those states which have chosen to treat them differently for limitation purposes.
"(1) Every person who claims damages from a public body or from an officer, employe or agent of a public body acting within the scope of employment or duties for or on account of any loss or injury within the scope of ORS 30.260 to 30.300 shall cause to be presented to the public body within 180 days after the allged loss or injury a written notice stating the time, place and circumstances thereof, the name of the claimant and of the representative or attorney, if any, of the claimant and the amount of compensation or other relief demanded. Claims against the State of Oregon or a state officer, employe or agent shall be presented to the Attorney General. Claims against any local public body or an officer, employe or agent thereof shall be presented to a person upon whom process could be served upon the public body in accordance with ORCP 7 D. (3)(d). Notice of claim shall be served upon the Attorney General or local public body's representative for service of process either personally or by certified mail, return receipt requested. A notice of claim which does not contain the information required by this subsection, or which is presented in any other manner than provided in this section, is invalid, except that failure to state the amount of compensation or other relief demanded does not invalidate the notice.
Kosikowski and Morse contend that Or.Rev.Stat. § 30.275 cannot apply to § 1983 actions because it is inconsistent with the Constitution and laws of the United States. This argument is answered by Major v. Arizona State Prison, 642 F.2d 311 (9th Cir. 1981) (one-year Arizona statute of limitations applicable to § 1983 actions not inconsistent with Constitution or federal law). See also, Johnson v. Railway Express Agency, 421 U.S. 454, 456 n.1, 95 S.Ct. 1716, 1718 n.1, 44 L.Ed.2d 295 (1975) (one-year Tennessee statute of limitations for § 1981 actions approved). Cf. Johnson v. Davis, 582 F.2d 1316, 1318 (4th Cir. 1978) (refusing to apply one-year Virginia statute of limitations intended to overturn Almond v. Kent, 459 F.2d 200 (4th Cir. 1972) (adopting a two-year Virginia statute of limitations for civil rights actions))