Opinion ID: 710926
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: is ward entitled to immunity under the eleventh amendment?

Text: 7 The Eleventh Amendment provides that the power of the federal judiciary shall not be construed to extend to any suit in law or equity, commenced or prosecuted against one of the United States by Citizens of another State, or by Citizens or Subjects of any Foreign State. U.S. Const. Amend. XI. This immunity extends to suits brought against a state by its own citizens. Pennhurst State School & Hosp. v. Halderman, 465 U.S. 89, 100, 104 S.Ct. 900, 906, 79 L.Ed.2d 67 (1984). Because this suit is against Ward in his official capacity, if the Mendocino County Office of Education (MCOE) is a state agency, Ward is entitled to Eleventh Amendment immunity. See Hafer, 502 U.S. at 27, 112 S.Ct. at 362-63. 8 This court applies a five-factor test to determine whether a government entity is a state agency for Eleventh Amendment purposes: (1) whether a money judgment would be satisfied out of state funds; (2) whether the entity performs central governmental functions; (3) whether the entity may sue or be sued in its own name; (4) whether the entity has the authority to hold property in its own name; and (5) whether the entity has the corporate status of a state agency. Belanger v. Madera Unified School Dist., 963 F.2d 248, 250-51 (9th Cir.1992), cert. denied, 507 U.S. 919, 113 S.Ct. 1280, 122 L.Ed.2d 674 (1993). In Belanger, we held that a California school district is a state agency for Eleventh Amendment purposes. Id. at 254. Here, we hold that the MCOE is also a state agency. 9 Although the MCOE, like a California school district, may sue and be sued and may hold property in its own name, militating against a finding that it is a state agency, these two factors are not entitled to as much weight as the other three. Id. Here, as in Belanger, a money judgment would be satisfied out of state funds. Id. at 252. In addition, public school education is a central government function and the MCOE is an integral part of that function. Id. at 253. Finally, the fifth factor, corporate status of state agents, offers no basis for distinguishing Balenger from this case. The MCOE, like the school district in Balenger, has the corporate status of an agent of the state for the operation of the school system. Id. at 254. As a result, Ward is entitled to immunity under the Eleventh Amendment.