Opinion ID: 573935
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: The task of the district court

Text: 39 We return this case to the district court so that it may consider in the first instance whether either the doctrine of equitable estoppel or the doctrine of equitable tolling is applicable to this case. The scant record before us makes it inappropriate for us to make any such determination. We emphasize, therefore, that we express no opinion on any factual issue. For instance, defendants contend that, even if the district court had applied these equitable doctrines, the two-year limitations period would have run between February 23, 1988--when officer Gannon testified that it was a Chicago Heights officer who assaulted Mr. Smith--and March 19, 1990--when Mr. Smith filed his suit. In response, Mr. Smith contends that he did not and could not know for certain that Gannon was accurate, Appellant's Reply Br. at 2, and that it was not until much later that he confirmed that the defendants were the proper party to sue. This is a factual issue that the district court is best suited to resolve. Similarly, with respect to the applicability of equitable estoppel, the district court will have to evaluate Mr. Smith's contention that Officer Ewers affirmatively misled him--rather than simply denied the underlying allegations--in his deposition. Appellant's Br. at 3-4; see Cada, 920 F.2d at 451.