Opinion ID: 174884
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Malicious Prosecution Against CarverQualified and State-Law Immunity

Text: Plaintiff Patrick Grider brought malicious prosecution claims under § 1983 and state law against Defendant Officer Carver. On appeal, Defendant Carver argues the district court erred in denying him qualified immunity and Alabama state-law immunity. [23] This Circuit has identified malicious prosecution as a violation of the Fourth Amendment and a viable constitutional tort cognizable under § 1983. Wood, 323 F.3d at 881; accord Kjellsen v. Mills, 517 F.3d 1232, 1237 (11th Cir.2008). [A]lthough both state law and federal law help inform the elements of the common law tort of malicious prosecution, a Fourth Amendment malicious prosecution claim under § 1983 remains a federal constitutional claim, and its elements and whether they are met ultimately are controlled by federal law. Wood, 323 F.3d at 882. To establish a § 1983 malicious prosecution claim, the plaintiff must prove two things: (1) the elements of the common law tort of malicious prosecution; and (2) a violation of his Fourth Amendment right to be free from unreasonable seizures. Kingsland v. City of Miami, 382 F.3d 1220, 1234 (11th Cir.2004); Wood, 323 F.3d at 881. As to the first prong, the constituent elements of the common law tort of malicious prosecution are: (1) a criminal prosecution instituted or continued by the present defendant; (2) with malice and without probable cause; (3) that terminated in the plaintiff accused's favor; and (4) caused damage to the plaintiff accused. Wood, 323 F.3d at 882. [24] The elements under Alabama law for the common-law tort of malicious prosecution are the same, except that they require only a judicial proceeding not a criminal prosecution. Delchamps, Inc. v. Bryant, 738 So.2d 824, 831-32 (Ala.1999). As to the second prong, it is well established that an arrest without probable cause is an unreasonable seizure that violates the Fourth Amendment. Brown, 608 F.3d at 734; Wood, 323 F.3d at 882; Crosby v. Monroe County, 394 F.3d 1328, 1332 (11th Cir.2004). Consequently, the existence of probable cause defeats a § 1983 malicious prosecution claim. Kjellsen, 517 F.3d at 1237; Wood, 323 F.3d at 882. Probable cause is defined as facts and circumstances sufficient to warrant a prudent man in believing that the suspect had committed or was committing an offense. Gerstein v. Pugh, 420 U.S. 103, 111, 95 S.Ct. 854, 862, 43 L.Ed.2d 54 (1975) (internal quotation marks, parentheses, and citations omitted). Probable cause may exist based on the collective knowledge of law enforcement officials derived from reasonably trustworthy information. Madiwale v. Savaiko, 117 F.3d 1321, 1324 (11th Cir.1997). To receive qualified immunity, an officer need not have actual probable cause, but only arguable probable cause. Brown, 608 F.3d at 735; Holmes v. Kucynda, 321 F.3d 1069, 1079 (11th Cir.2003); Montoute v. Carr, 114 F.3d 181, 184 (11th Cir.1997). [25] Arguable probable cause exists where reasonable officers in the same circumstances and possessing the same knowledge as the Defendants could have believed that probable cause existed to arrest Plaintiff. Kingsland, 382 F.3d at 1232 (quotation marks omitted); accord Redd v. City of Enterprise, 140 F.3d 1378, 1382 (11th Cir.1998); Gold v. City of Miami, 121 F.3d 1442, 1445-46 (11th Cir.1997) (disorderly conduct under Florida law); Von Stein v. Brescher, 904 F.2d 572, 579 (11th Cir.1990). Indeed, it is inevitable that law enforcement officials will in some cases reasonably but mistakenly conclude that probable cause is present, and in such cases those officials should not be held personally liable. Von Stein, 904 F.2d at 579 (quotation marks and ellipses omitted); see also Hunter v. Bryant, 502 U.S. 224, 227, 112 S.Ct. 534, 536, 116 L.Ed.2d 589 (1991) (Even law enforcement officials who reasonably but mistakenly conclude that probable cause is present are entitled to immunity. (quotation marks omitted)); Montoute, 114 F.3d at 184 (Thus, the qualified immunity standard is broad enough to cover some `mistaken judgment []'....). The standard is an objective one and does not include an inquiry into the officer's subjective intent or beliefs. Rushing v. Parker, 599 F.3d 1263, 1266 (11th Cir.2010). Whether an officer possesses arguable probable cause depends on the elements of the alleged crime and the operative fact pattern. Skop v. City of Atlanta, 485 F.3d 1130, 1137-38 (11th Cir.2007); Crosby, 394 F.3d at 1333. Showing arguable probable cause does not, however, require proving every element of a crime. Scarbrough v. Myles, 245 F.3d 1299, 1302-03 (11th Cir.2001). If the arresting officer had arguable probable cause to arrest for any offense, qualified immunity will apply. Skop, 485 F.3d at 1138. Here, Officer Carver arrested Grider for bribery, in violation of Alabama Code § 13A-10-61, which provides: (a) A person commits the crime of bribery if: (1) He offers, confers or agrees to confer any thing of value upon a public servant with the intent that the public servant's vote, opinion, judgment, exercise of discretion or other action in his official capacity will thereby be corruptly influenced; or (2) While a public servant, he solicits, accepts or agrees to accept any pecuniary benefit upon an agreement or understanding that his vote, opinion, judgment, exercise of discretion or other action as a public servant will thereby be corruptly influenced. Ala.Code § 13A-10-61(a) (1975). Officer Carver's affidavit charging Grider with bribery stated that Grider's alleged act of bribery was committed to influence Carver's enforcement of City Ordinance § 3-1(11), which prohibited sales of alcoholic beverages after 2:00 a.m. Officer Carver argues that the district court erred (1) in finding no arguable probable cause for the bribery charge, and (2) in not finding arguable probable cause to arrest Grider for the closely related crime of obstruction of a government function in Ala.Code § 13A-10-2. Taking the facts in the light most favorable to Grider, the district court correctly denied qualified immunity and statelaw immunity to Carver. Grider and Carver offer completely different versions of the bribery events. Grider admits to speaking to Carver outside Skybar and to asking Carver to leave to avoid scaring off Mr. Earnhardt and other patrons. However, Grider unambiguously denies offering any money to Carver. Absent the offering of funds, there is no bribery and no arguable probable cause for Carver to arrest Grider. Furthermore, Grider claims that the officers wanted to close Skybar and set up video surveillance of the front of the bar but did not uncover violations of law, and therefore Officer Carver fabricated the bribery at the rear as an effort to close Skybar. Thus, assuming Grider's version of events, Officer Carver knew no bribery occurred, knew he had no arguable probable cause to arrest Grider, and acted intentionally and maliciously in an effort to close Skybar. Grider has shown, at least at this juncture, a Fourth Amendment constitutional violation for his seizure without arguable probable cause. And in the qualified immunity context, it is well established that arrests without probable cause violate the Fourth Amendment. See Wood, 323 F.3d at 882-83; Crosby, 394 F.3d at 1332. The facts, in the light most favorable to Grider, also show the required elements of the common-law tort of malicious prosecution by Officer Carver. Under Grider's version of the events, Officer Carver wholly fabricated the bribery charge against him, lacked probable cause, and had a malicious intent. Carver's bribery charge against Grider was dismissed in Grider's favor and caused him damage. Because this type of § 1983 claim for malicious prosecution is well established, the district court did not err in denying qualified immunity at this summary judgment stage to Carver. Officer Carver's reliance on Alabama's obstruction of a government function statute is misplaced. Carver argues Grider interfered with his ability to arrest the Griders for violating the City's alcohol laws. However, Grider's version of events was that he told Carver nothing illegal was going on in Skybar, that the officers could enter the bar, and that Grider preferred they not go in because Mr. Earnhardt and those with him likely would leave. Thus, Grider did not prohibit any officers from entering the bar. Additionally, Alabama's obstruction offense does not apply to the obstruction, impairment or hindrance of the making of an arrest. Ala.Code § 13A-10-2(b). [26] Officer Carver also does not receive either type of state-law immunity. As noted earlier, Alabama's state-agent immunity and statutory, discretionary-function immunity for law enforcement officers do not apply for acts taken willfully, maliciously, fraudulently, in bad faith, beyond authority, or under a mistaken interpretation of law. Ex parte City of Tuskegee, 932 So.2d at 904 (discussing discretionary-function immunity); Sheth, 145 F.3d at 1238-40 (same); Wood, 323 F.3d at 883 (same); Ex parte Cranman, 792 So.2d at 405 (discussing state-agent immunity). Because Grider's version of events shows lack of arguable probable cause and malice, Officer Carver is not entitled to Alabama's discretionary-function immunity. Cf. Borders v. City of Huntsville, 875 So.2d 1168, 1180, 1182 (Ala.2003) (police officer would not be entitled to statutory, discretionary-function immunity from malicious prosecution claim if he acted without arguable probable cause and with malice). Alabama's state-agent immunity also does not apply to Carver for the same reasons. See Hollis, 950 So.2d at 307. For all these reasons, the district court properly denied qualified immunity and Alabama state-law immunity to Defendant Carver for Grider's malicious prosecution claims brought under § 1983 and state law. Therefore, we remand this case for trial on Grider's malicious prosecution claims against Carver under § 1983 and state law.