Opinion ID: 667825
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Alteration of Hearing Officer's Decision (1981)

Text: 11 In his second cause of action, Crawford alleges that the defendants removed a hearing officer's recommendation to withdraw charges of incompetence against Crawford, leading to Crawford's first demotion in 1981. Thus, the cause of action accrued in December 1981 with Crawford's demotion which formed the basis for this claim. See Vaughan, 927 F.2d at 480. 3 Since Crawford filed this action in 1991, Crawford is barred by the statute of limitations unless equitable tolling applies. See Cervantes, 5 F.3d at 1275. 12 Crawford's claim concerning the hearing officer's decision is not subject to equitable tolling because this claim is separate and distinct from the claims he raised in either his administrative or state proceedings. See Del Percio, 877 F.2d at 786 n. 1. Accordingly, the district court properly dismissed this claim as barred by the statute of limitations. See id.