Opinion ID: 76122
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: discretionary-function immunity

Text: 34 Plaintiff Wood also asserted state law claims for malicious prosecution and false arrest; however, Trooper Kesler is entitled to Alabama's discretionary-function immunity on Wood's state law claims. 35 In Alabama, law enforcement officers, such as Trooper Kesler, enjoy statutory immunity from suit for the performance of any discretionary function within the line and scope of his or her law enforcement duties. Ala.Code § 6-5-338. 19 Under discretionary-function-immunity analysis, a court first determines whether the government defendant was performing a discretionary function when the alleged wrong occurred; if so, `the burden shifts to the plaintiff to demonstrate that the defendant[] acted in bad faith, with malice or willfulness in order to deny [him] immunity.' Scarbrough v. Myles, 245 F.3d 1299, 1303 n. 9 (11th Cir.2001) (alteration in original) (applying Alabama law and quoting Sheth v. Webster, 145 F.3d 1231, 1239 (11th Cir.1998)). Discretionary acts are `those acts as to which there is no hard and fast rule as to the course of conduct that one must or must not take and those acts requiring exercise in judgment and choice and involving what is just and proper under the circumstances.' Sheth, 145 F.3d at 1239 (quoting Wright v. Wynn, 682 So.2d 1, 2 (Ala. 1996)); see Ex Parte City of Montgomery, 758 So.2d 565, 570 (Ala. 1999). 36 Under Alabama law, Kesler's issuance of the reckless driving citation and arrest of Wood were discretionary acts for immunity purposes. Ex Parte City of Montgomery, 758 So.2d at 570; Wright, 682 So.2d at 2. Furthermore, Wood has not presented any evidence that Kesler acted in bad faith, maliciously or willfully to deny him discretionary-function immunity. Wood stresses that Kesler did not respond to his subpoena request and that Kesler asked Wood about this request during the ride to the jail. Kesler, however, showed the subpoena request to his superiors and was advised that he was not required to produce the records. There is no evidence of any malicious motive. 37 Wood further contends that Kesler's delay in issuing the reckless driving citation and his asking about Wood's not guilty plea evidence Kesler's bad faith. Although Kesler did not issue the citation at the scene on March 30 and allegedly asked about Wood's not guilty plea, this does not alter the fact that he had probable cause to issue it. The existence of probable cause, and in particular the facts showing that probable cause, contradict any suggestion of malicious intent or bad faith. See Ex Parte City of Montgomery, 758 So.2d at 570. Further, even assuming the ultimate decision to issue the reckless driving citation was Kesler's, he acted on prosecutor Jones's request, which further defeats the claim of malice or bad faith. Thus, we conclude that under Alabama law Trooper Kesler is entitled to discretionary-function immunity on Wood's state law claims for false arrest and malicious prosecution.