Opinion ID: 201039
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: FTCA Claims Against the USPS

Text: 26 We next consider whether the district court erred in granting summary judgment for the USPS on Santoni's tort claims of unlawful arrest, assault, battery, and false imprisonment. 27 The Federal Tort Claims Act, 28 U.S.C. § 2671 et seq., provides a limited congressional waiver of the sovereign immunity of the United States for torts committed by federal employees acting within the scope of their employment. Under the statute, the United States may be held civilly liable in the same manner and to the same extent as a private individual under like circumstances. 28 U.S.C. § 2674. Certain types of intentional torts are exempted from the FTCA's waiver of sovereign immunity, but the statute allows claims against the United States for the torts of assault, battery, false imprisonment, false arrest, abuse of process, or malicious prosecution arising out of acts or omissions of investigative or law enforcement officers of the United States Government. 28 U.S.C. § 2680(h). 28 This waiver of sovereign immunity, however, is subject to a number of statutory exceptions. See 28 U.S.C. § 2680. One defense raised in the proceedings below was the discretionary function exception, which shields from liability claims based upon the exercise or performance or the failure to exercise or perform a discretionary function or duty on the part of a federal agency or an employee of the Government, whether or not the discretion involved be abused. 28 U.S.C. § 2680(a). If the discretionary function exception applies, the agency is completely immune from suit, and the claim must be dismissed for lack of subject matter jurisdiction. Kelly v. United States, 924 F.2d 355, 360 (1st Cir.1991). 29 The district court held that the discretionary function exception did not preclude consideration of Santoni's tort claims against the USPS for alleged harms arising from Desrosiers' participation in the arrest of Santoni. Because Desrosiers acted outside the scope of his federal authority as a postal inspector when he participated in this arrest (regardless of whether his conduct was authorized under state law), the court concluded that the discretionary function exception did not apply. 7 As we recently noted, courts have read the Supreme Court's discretionary function cases as denying protection to actions that are unauthorized because they are unconstitutional, proscribed by statute, or exceed the scope of an official's authority. Thames Shipyard & Repair Co. v. United States, 350 F.3d 247, 254-55 (1st Cir.2003) (collecting cases). However, we have not resolved whether the discretionary function exception extends to actions that are otherwise outside the scope of an official's actual federal authority, and we need not do so here. Nor do we address whether Desrosiers had implied federal authority to participate in the arrest to the limited extent of swearing out the criminal complaint, receiving the arrest warrant, and assisting Wing in the execution of that warrant. See, e.g., id. at 260 (holding that the discretionary function exception applied where the Coast Guard had implied statutory authority to order the evacuation of a sinking ship). Assuming, arguendo, that the USPS is not shielded from liability by the discretionary function analysis, Santoni's tort claims fail on the merits. 30 As noted, under the FTCA, the USPS is liable for the torts of its agents, in the same manner and to the same extent of a private individual under like circumstances. 28 U.S.C. § 2674. Because the alleged tortious conduct took place in Maine, we look to Maine tort law in determining the defendant's liability under the FTCA. 28 U.S.C. § 1346(b)(1). 31 Santoni's claims of false arrest, false imprisonment, assault, and battery rely on the premise that Desrosiers acted at least negligently by arresting Santoni without any lawful authority to do so. Under Maine law, the torts of assault and battery by a law enforcement officer require either a false arrest or the use of excessive force during or after taking an individual into custody. Bale v. Ryder, 290 A.2d 359, 360 (Me.1972). Similarly, in order to establish a tort claim of false arrest and false imprisonment the authority upon which [P]laintiff is confined must be unlawful. Nadeau v. State, 395 A.2d 107, 116 (Me.1978) (stating elements of false imprisonment claim); see Jedzierowski v. Jordan, 157 Me. 352, 172 A.2d 636, 637 (1961) (holding that false arrest is one means of committing false imprisonment). 32 As we have already concluded, supra, Santoni was arrested and confined upon valid state law authority. Desrosiers' participation in the arrest did not render it unlawful under state law or the Fourth Amendment. Because Santoni's arrest was lawful, there is no basis for finding liability for false arrest, false imprisonment, assault, or battery. Therefore, we conclude that the district court properly granted summary judgment in favor of the defendants on Santoni's FTCA claims against the USPS.