Opinion ID: 160557
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: One-Hour Delay in Release

Text: 51 Mr. Reed also suggests he has claims pursuant to 1983 and the New Mexico Tort Claims Act because, after Judge Murdoch ordered his release, a BCDC employee detained him one hour longer than the other prisoners for being a sniffler. As a preliminary matter, we note that none of the BCDC Appellees was involved in the delay. Consequently, Mr. Reed has no 1983 claims against the BCDC Appellees, regardless of the lawfulness of the detention. See Foote v. Spiegel, 118 F.3d 1416, 1423 (10th Cir. 1997) (holding that [i]ndividual liability under 1983 must be based on personal involvement in the alleged constitutional violation). 52 As for claims of false imprisonment, neither Mr. Gutierrez nor Mr. Sherman can be held liable because, once again, neither was involved in the prolonged detention of Mr. Reed. As for Mr. Sisneros, the situation might be different due to his position as Director of the BCDC. The question we must address is whether Mr. Sisneros, as the Director of the BCDC, can be held vicariously liable for the purported intentional tort committed by the BCDC employee. 53 The definition of vicarious liability is indirect legal responsibility. . . . Vicarious liability is based on a relationship between the parties, irrespective of participation, either by act or omission, of the one vicariously liable, under which it has been determined as a matter of policy that one person should be liable for the act of the other. Its true basis is largely one of public or social policy under which it has been determined that, irrespective of fault, a party should be held to respond for the acts of another. 54 Kinetics, Inc. v. El Paso Prods. Co., 653 P.2d 522, 527 (N.M. Ct. App. 1982) (citations omitted). Under the principles of agency and respondeat superior, vicarious liability may be imposed on a principal or employer for the acts of an agent or employee. See Silva v. State, 745 P.2d 380, 385 (N.M. 1987) (noting that doctrine of respondeat superior applies under Tort Claims Act); see also Restatement (Second) of Agency 2 (naming respondeat superior as a type of agency relationship). 55 We determine that, under the circumstances, Mr. Sisneros cannot be held vicariously liable: Nothing in the record discloses the nature of the relationship between Mr. Sisneros and the BCDC employee; furthermore, Mr. Sisneros's supervisory position does not, by itself, establish him as principal/master and the BCDC employee as agent/servant. See, e.g., Yorston v. Pennell, 153 A.2d 255, 259-60 (Pa. 1959) (In determining whether a person is the servant of another it is necessary that he not only be subject to the latter's control or right of control with regard to the work to be done and the manner of performing it but that this work is to be performed on the business of the master or for his benefit. . . . On the other hand, the right to supervise, even as to the work and the manner of performance, is not sufficient; otherwise a supervisory employee would be liable for the negligent act of another employee though he would not be the superior or master of that employee in the sense the law means it.); Connell v. Hayden, 443 N.Y.S.2d 383, 397 (1981) (The doctrine of respondeat superior does not apply to impose vicarious liability upon supervisors. . . . This does not mean that a supervisor may not be liable for the injuries caused by the conduct of one of his subordinates. It does mean that his liability is not vicarious, that is, without fault on his part.) (citations omitted).