Opinion ID: 24822
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Plaintiffs'-Counter Defendants'-Appellants' Lawsuit

Text: 10 In December 1996, Brenda Stucky, doing business as Bill's Wrecker Service, and Richard Villaneva, doing business as Creswell's 24 Hour Wrecker Service (collectively referred to hereinafter as Stucky), sued the City for declaratory, injunctive, and monetary relief, alleging that § 19-391(a) and the City's exclusive Contract with Texas Towing pursuant to Ordinance No. 87775 (collectively referred to as the Ordinances) 5 were preempted by 49 U.S.C. § 14501(c)(1) & (2). Stucky further alleged that enforcement of the Ordinances deprived it of a property and liberty interest, thus constituting a violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Stucky later amended its complaint to include a Sherman Antitrust Act violation. In 1997, Texas Towing intervened in the lawsuit. 11 On July 14, 1997, Stucky filed a motion for partial summary judgment. The district court originally granted Stucky's motion for partial summary judgment, finding that § 14501(c)(1) preempted the Ordinances. Accordingly, the district court enjoined the City from further enforcement of the Ordinances. On a motion for reconsideration, however, the district court vacated its initial grant of partial summary judgment. After further motions for summary judgment, the district court issued an Order on August 25, 1998, granting in part and denying in part the various motions for summary judgment. 6 12 In its Order, the district court granted in part Stucky's motion for summary judgment, declaring that Ordinance No. 82744 (amending the contract to provide an option to extend) and Ordinance No. 87775 (exercising that option) were preempted by § 14501(c)(1), but that the City's single-vendor towing system based on the Ordinances was not preempted. Further, the district court denied the City's and Texas Towing's claim that the Ordinances were exempted from preemption under 49 U.S.C. § 14501(c)(2)(A). However, the district court granted in part the City's and Texas Towing's motions for summary judgment, such that Stucky's claims for relief under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 and for monetary damages arising from violations of federal antitrust law were dismissed with prejudice. Finally, with respect to Stucky's claims for injunctive relief arising from antitrust law, the district court denied the City's and Texas Towing's summary judgment motions. On October 13, 1998, the district court entered final judgment in accordance with the Order. The parties appealed. 13 On appeal, after briefing and oral argument, this court decided Cardinal Towing & Auto Repair, Inc. v. City of Bedford, 180 F.3d 686 (5th Cir. 1999). On August 14, 1999, another panel of this court vacated the district court's judgment and remanded it to the district court in light of Cardinal Towing. See Stucky v. City of San Antonio, 204 F.3d 1115 (5th Cir. 1999) (unpublished table decision). On remand, the district court again considered summary judgment motions addressing whether federal law preempts the City's Ordinances as they relate to consensual towing. 14 Based on its interpretation of Cardinal Towing, the district court held on remand that § 14501(c)(1) did not preempt the Ordinances as they related to the issue of consent towing. The district court, therefore, granted the City's and Texas Towing's motions for summary judgment on the issue whether the City's practice of contracting with a single towing company for consensual tows was preempted by federal law. 7 Finally, the district court denied Stucky's motion for partial summary judgment. 15 Stucky timely appeals this judgment.