Source: http://tx.findacase.com/research/wfrmDocViewer.aspx/xq/fac.20190814_0001901.ETX.htm/qx
Timestamp: 2020-02-19 17:03:53
Document Index: 316940298

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 1983', '§ 1983', '§ 1983', '§ 1983', '§ 1983', '§ 1983', '§ 1983']

FindACase™ | Perry v. North Hopkins Independent School District
Perry v. North Hopkins Independent School District
SHANE PERRY,
NORTH HOPKINS INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, ET AL.[1]
Pending before the Court is Defendants' Motion for Summary Judgment (Dkt. #82). The Court, having considered the pleadings and relevant evidence, finds that the motion for summary judgment should be granted in part.
Plaintiff Shane Perry is in a custody dispute with his ex-wife Kelli Boles for their daughter (“N.L.P.”). On December 2, 2016, Plaintiff was scheduled to pick up N.L.P. from school. Before the exchange occurred, N.L.P. informed the superintendent Dr. Darin Jolly that she did not want to go with her father. Anticipating that an issue might arise, Dr. Jolly asked that a deputy be present on the school grounds during the exchange, and Defendant Hopkins County Deputy Kevin Lester responded to the request. Upon arriving at the scene, Deputy Lester was informed that “N.L.P. was afraid and did not want to go with [Plaintiff].” (Dkt. #82-1 at p. 1). Dr. Jolly also notified Deputy Lester that Plaintiff potentially had an active warrant, which Deputy Lester thereafter contacted Dispatch and confirmed was true. Deputy Lester informed Dr. Jolly that Plaintiff would be arrested if Plaintiff entered the premises.
At approximately 7:00 p.m., Plaintiff's girlfriend Lizett Pugliese arrived to pick up N.L.P. from the school. Pugliese was met by Deputy Lester, who informed her that N.L.P. did not want to go to Plaintiff's house. Deputy Lester spoke with Plaintiff by phone and told Plaintiff that “[he was] not getting involved” with the ongoing issue. (Dkt. #82 at p. 2). Deputy Lester then contacted Defendant Hopkins County Attorney Dustanna Rabe and Defendant Sheriff Lewis Tatum. County Attorney Rabe advised Deputy Lester that “if NLP did not want to go with Plaintiff's girlfriend, she could not be taken kicking and screaming, ” and Sheriff Tatum stated that “the child could not be forced to stay or leave.” (Dkt. #82 at p. 4). Deputy Lester informed Pugliese that he could not force N.L.P. to leave with her and stayed with N.L.P. until Boles returned to pick her up.
Plaintiff initially brought this action in the County Court at Law of Hopkins County, Texas. On April 7, 2017, this action was removed to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas (Dkt. #1). Plaintiff asserts state law claims alleging gross negligence and tortious interference with possession of a child and claims under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against Deputy Lester, Sheriff Tatum, County Attorney Rabe (“Individual Defendants”), and Defendant Hopkins County (collectively, “Defendants”). On September 24, 2018, Defendants filed the present Motion for Summary Judgement (Dkt. #82). Plaintiff failed to file a response.[2]
Defendants move for summary judgment on Plaintiff's claims brought under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 and under state law. Plaintiff failed to respond to the present motion; therefore, the Court the Court will consider the facts set forth in Defendants' motion for summary as undisputed. The Court will analyze first whether Defendants are entitled to summary judgment on Plaintiff's § 1983 claims and then turn to whether Defendants are entitled to such relief on Plaintiff's state law claims.
I. Plaintiff's § 1983 Claims
Plaintiff asserts claims under § 1983, which provides:
42 U.S.C. § 1983 (2018).
Plaintiff alleges that Defendants violated his First, Fourth, and Fourteenth Amendment rights. Defendants argues that (1) Plaintiff cannot establish a valid claim under § 1983 and (2) Individual Defendants are entitled to qualified immunity.
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Defendants argue, and the Court agrees, that to the extent that Plaintiff asserts &sect; 1983 claims against Individual Defendants in their official capacities, those claims should be construed as claims against Hopkins County. See Kentucky v. Graham, 473 U.S. 159, 165 (1985). Defendants contend that Plaintiff failed to demonstrate that Hopkins ...