Opinion ID: 70996
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Request for a Jury Trial

Text: Thunderhorse was not entitled to a jury trial because he sought only injunctive and declaratory relief. See Baum v. Blue Moon Ventures, LLC, 513 F.3d 181, 193 (5th Cir. 2008) (“[U]nless Congress has expressly provided to the contrary, an injunction is an equitable remedy that does not invoke a constitutional right to a jury trial.” (citations omitted)); Allison v. Citgo Petroleum Corp., 151 F.3d 402, 423 n.19 (5th Cir. 1998) (citations omitted). At trial, when Thunderhorse raised this issue, the magistrate judge explained that “the reason it was a bench trial was because you were seeking injunctive relief and declaratory relief. That’s equitable relief.” Thunderhorse conceded, “Okay. I misunderstood.” He did not claim that he sought any relief other than equitable 9 Case: 08-40821 Document: 00511023468 Page: 10 Date Filed: 02/09/2010 No. 08-40821 relief. Under these circumstances, the magistrate judge properly denied Thunderhorse’s request for a jury trial. Thunderhorse apparently recognizes that he was not entitled to a jury trial, so he argues that, under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 39(c), the court should have ordered one. Rule 39(c) is inapplicable. It states that “[i]n an action not triable of right by jury, the court, on motion or on its own: (1) may try an issue with an advisory jury; or (2) may, with the parties’ consent, try an issue by a jury whose verdict has the same effect as if a jury trial had been a matter of right . . . .” Fed. R. Civ. P. 39(c). Thunderhorse did not seek an advisory jury nor has he argued or pointed to any portion of the record showing that Defendants consented to a jury trial. Thunderhorse also claims that he was entitled to a jury trial because, in his Complaints, he “left open the issue of damages depending on what verdict was returned by a jury.” His Amended Complaint, however, does not seek, or reserve the right to seek, monetary damages. Instead, the “Prayer for Relief” only includes the following five requested remedies: (1) declaratory judgment, (2) injunctive relief, (3) costs of the suit, (4) attorney fees, and (5) other relief deemed proper by the court.