Opinion ID: 1862431
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: the procedural due process claim

Text: ¶ 53. Third, the Thorps have not stated a claim for relief under the Procedural Due Process Clause. Like equal protection and substantive due process rights, procedural due process rights emanate from the Fourteenth Amendment. Penterman, 211 Wis. 2d at 473. See also Wis. Const. art. I, § 8. The procedural due process clause protects individuals from governmental denial of fundamental procedural fairness. Sacramento, 523 U.S. at 845-46. [A] plaintiff must show a deprivation by state action of a constitutionally protected interest in `life, liberty, or property' without due process of law. Id. (citing Zinermon v. Burch, 494 U.S. at 125). The requirement of procedural due process is met if a state provides adequate post-deprivation remedies. Irby, 184 Wis. 2d at 843. ¶ 54. The state provides an adequate post-deprivation remedy in the form of certiorari. See State ex rel. Johnson v. Cady, 50 Wis. 2d 540, 549-50, 185 N.W.2d 306 (1971). The adequate post-deprivation remedy available to the Thorps was to petition for certiorari review under Wis. Stat. § 68.13. ¶ 55. In this case, the Thorps alleged that they were denied the right to a fair and impartial hearing, in violation of their procedural due process rights. There is no indication in the complaint that the Thorps sought certiorari review under either the statute or the common law. The complaint neither cited to Wis. Stat. § 68.13, nor did it state that certiorari review was requested. Moreover, the Thorps failed to comply with the requirements of § 68.13 because they did not seek review within 30 days of the final determination. [13] ¶ 56. Citing Tobler v. Door County, 158 Wis. 2d 19, 25, 461 N.W.2d 775 (1990), the Thorps argue that by filing an ordinary summons and complaint they commenced a review by writ of certiorari. However, Tobler is distinguishable because in Tobler, the complaint specifically asked the circuit court to issue a writ of certiorari and to review the decision of the Door County Board of Adjustments. 158 Wis. 2d at 20-21. Here, the Thorps did not ask for issuance of a writ of certiorari in their complaint. As such, the Thorps did not meet the requirements of either statutory or common law certiorari. Because the Thorps did not use the available state law remedy, they may not now claim that they were denied procedural due process.