Opinion ID: 3063679
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Preliminary Rulings by the District Court

Text: In a June 21, 2001, order, the district court dismissed almost all of the federal law claims against the named defendants. It held, however, the plaintiffs’ allegations were sufficient to withstand motions to dismiss and motions for 4 judgment on the pleadings as to the First Amendment retaliation claims, the § 1983 conspiracy claims, and the equal protection claims against Hendrix, Singletary, Waters, Deputy John Lockhart, and Forsyth County. The court also declined to rule on the defendants’ qualified immunity defense based upon the pleadings. In the June order, the district court stated it would maintain jurisdiction over all the state law claims asserted in the case, but it later jettisoned the state law claims as to those defendants who had succeeded in having all the federal law claims against them dismissed. Following these rulings by the district court, Hendrix, Singletary, Waters, Lockhart, and Forsyth County were the sole remaining named defendants. On February 1, 2002, the district court granted summary judgment to the defendants on Tammy Bennett’s remaining federal law claims, effectively dismissing her as a plaintiff. It also granted summary judgment to Forsyth County and Lockhart on the federal law claims and declined to exercise supplemental jurisdiction over the state law claims against Lockhart, effectively dismissing those defendants from the suit. With respect to Hendrix, Singletary, and Waters, the district court dismissed all remaining federal law claims except for the § 1983 5 First Amendment retaliation claims and the § 1983 conspiracy claims.1 It did rule, however, Bennett and Reid’s § 1983 retaliation claims premised on the campaign fliers failed as a matter of law and “the campaign fliers should be considered separately” from the other alleged acts of retaliation. Finally, the court deferred a ruling on the defendants’ qualified immunity defense until after presentation of evidence at trial. Hendrix, Singletary, and Waters appealed the district court’s denial of qualified immunity to this Court.