Opinion ID: 173410
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Jensens' Substantive Due Process Right to Familial Association

Text: In contrast to the Jensens' purported right to direct P.J.'s medical care in this case, we resolve their claims regarding their substantive due process right to familial association and their procedural due process rights on the first prong of the qualified immunity inquirynamely, that the Jensens have not shown a violation of their constitutional rights. More than twenty-five years ago the Supreme Court recognized that [f]amily relationships, by their nature, involve deep attachments and commitments to the necessarily few other individuals with whom one shares not only a special community of thoughts, experiences, and beliefs but also distinctively personal aspects of one's life. Roberts v. U.S. Jaycees, 468 U.S. 609, 619-620, 104 S.Ct. 3244, 82 L.Ed.2d 462 (1984). Shortly thereafter, this court first recognized the existence of a right to familial association within the substantive rights protected by the Due Process Clause. See Griffin v. Strong, 983 F.2d 1544, 1546-47 (10th Cir.1993) (discussing the development of the right of familial association in the Tenth Circuit). In numerous decisions since the right was first recognized, we have applied a balancing test to determine whether the plaintiff's right to familial association has been infringed. See, e.g., id. at 1547-49; J.B. v. Washington County, 127 F.3d 919, 927 (10th Cir.1997); Lowery v. County of Riley, 522 F.3d 1086, 1092 (10th Cir.2008). Under this test, we balance `the individual's interest in liberty against the State's asserted reasons for restraining individual liberty.' Lowery, 522 F.3d at 1092 (quoting Youngberg v. Romeo, 457 U.S. 307, 320, 102 S.Ct. 2452, 73 L.Ed.2d 28 (1982)). The purpose of the balancing test is to ascertain whether a defendant's conduct constitutes an undue burden on the plaintiff's associational rights. Griffin, 983 F.2d at 1547. Because the Jensens' opening brief fails to articulate a particularized factual allegation that any defendant violated their associational rights, we address their general claims under the balancing test discussed above. First, the Jensens' interest in associating with P.J. is unquestionably of paramount importance. See id. at 1548 (The right to associate with one's family is a very substantial right.); see also U.S. Jaycees, 468 U.S. at 618, 104 S.Ct. 3244 ([F]reedom of association receives protection as a fundamental element of personal liberty.). Second, as discussed above, the state's interest in protecting and safeguarding P.J.'s life is also significant. Finally, given these countervailing interests, the record demonstrates that the actual burden on the Jensens' right to associate with P.J. was minimal in this case. The Jensens correctly point out that the forced separation of parent from child, even for a short time, represents a serious impingement. J.B., 127 F.3d at 925 (alteration omitted). In this case, however, P.J. was never physically removed from the Jensens' custody and the state afforded the Jensens numerous opportunities to obtain treatment for P.J. before it even sought to remove him from their custody. Under these circumstances, the Jensens fail to show that any defendant imposed an undue burden on their relationship with P.J. and therefore fail to show a violation of their associational rights.