Opinion ID: 3064582
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Irreparability of Harm

Text: Having determined that the Hospital Plaintiffs have shown unlawful harm under § (a)(30)(A), we next consider whether the harm is irreparable. Typically, monetary harm does not constitute irreparable harm. L.A. Mem’l Coliseum Comm’n v. Nat’l Football League, 634 F.2d 1197, 1202 (9th Cir. 1980). The Hospital Plaintiffs argue that in this case, however, the monetary injury is irreparable because the Eleventh Amendment sovereign immunity of the Department (a branch of the CALIFORNIA PHARMACISTS v. MAXWELL-JOLLY 4221 State of California government) bars the Hospital Plaintiffs from ever recovering damages in federal court. The most relevant authority on this issue—though not controlling— supports the Hospital Plaintiffs’ argument. See Kan. Health Care Ass’n v. Kan. Dep’t of Soc. & Rehab. Servs., 31 F.3d 1536, 1543 (10th Cir. 1994) (“Because the Eleventh Amendment bars a legal remedy in damages . . . the court held that plaintiffs’ injury was irreparable. We agree.”). We note also that Supreme Court case law and some of our own cases clarify that economic damages are not traditionally considered irreparable because the injury can later be remedied by a damage award. See Sampson v. Murray, 415 U.S. 61, 90 (1974) (“[I]t seems clear that the temporary loss of income, ultimately to be recovered, does not usually constitute irreparable injury. . . . The possibility that adequate compensatory or other corrective relief will be available at a later date, in the ordinary course of litigation, weighs heavily against a claim of irreparable harm.” (internal quotation omitted)); Rent-A- Center, Inc. v. Canyon Television & Appliance Rental, Inc., 944 F.2d 597, 603 (“It is true that economic injury alone does not support a finding of irreparable harm, because such injury can be remedied by a damage award.” (emphasis added)); Caribbean Marine Servs. Co. v. Baldridge, 844 F.2d 668, 676 (9th Cir. 1988); Arcamuzi v. Cont’l Air Lines, Inc., 819 F.2d 935, 938 (9th Cir. 1987); Colo. River Indian Tribes v. Town of Parker, 776 F.2d 846, 850-51 (9th Cir. 1985); Goldie’s Bookstore, Inc. v. Superior Court, 739 F.2d 466, 471 (9th Cir. 1984) (“Mere financial injury . . . will not constitute irreparable harm if adequate compensatory relief will be available in the course of litigation.” (emphasis added)). Because the economic injury doctrine rests only on ordinary equity principles precluding injunctive relief where a remedy at law is adequate, it does not apply where, as here, the Hospital Plaintiffs can obtain no remedy in damages 4222 CALIFORNIA PHARMACISTS v. MAXWELL-JOLLY against the state because of the Eleventh Amendment. See Kan. Health Care Ass’n, 31 F.3d at 1543.2 Considering the relevant authorities, we are persuaded that because the Hospital Plaintiffs and their members will be unable to recover damages against the Department even if they are successful on the merits of their case, they will suffer irreparable harm if the requested injunction is not granted.