Opinion ID: 772216
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Did the district court abuse its discretion in granting summary judgment?

Text: 18 Redding argues strenuously that the district court ambushed her by granting summary judgment on grounds that were not briefed by either party. In St. Eward's motion for summary judgment, she argued that (1) there was no deprivation of Redding's constitutional rights, and (2)even if there was a deprivation, St, Eward's actions were protected by qualified immunity. Redding submitted counter arguments to the points raised in the motion, but the district court granted summary judgment on the ground that Redding's claim failed because St. Eward was not acting under color of law. While summary judgment was prompted by the defendant's motion, the reason for granting summary judgment was not one argued by the parties. 19 Ideally, Redding should have been given an opportunity to brief the color-of-law issue before the district court; however, at this point, any deficiency in the lower court's procedure is harmless error. Redding knew she was required to prove every element of her §1983 claim; one of those elements was that St. Eward acted under color of law. She failed to provide any evidence tending to establish that element. Furthermore, Redding has now fully briefed the color-of-law issue before this court, and she has not claimed that there is evidence tending to establish that the facts are genuinely in dispute with regard to that issue. We review a grant of summary judgment de novo. We have carefully considered all of Redding's arguments that St. Eward was acting under color of law and, as discussed fully above, we find them to be without merit.