Opinion ID: 184722
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Farmer's Lawsuit

Text: 11 On May 15, 1996, Farmer filed the instant lawsuit in District Court, naming Kathleen Hawk, in her official capacity as Director of the BOP, and Moritsugu, in both his official and individual capacities. Farmer's complaint sought damages against Moritsugu pursuant to Bivens v. Six Unknown Named Agents of Federal Bureau of Narcotics, 403 U.S. 388, 91 S.Ct. 1999, 29 L.Ed.2d 619 (1971), alleging, inter alia, that Moritsugu violated her Eighth Amendment rights by failing to promulgate any policy which would have required the BOP medical staff to provide [her] with treatment for transsexualism, and by failing to direct the BOP medical staff to provide [her] with treatment for transsexualism. Second Amended Complaint pp 53-54, reprinted in J.A. 37. 12 Defendants moved to dismiss or, in the alternative, for summary judgment, arguing, inter alia, that Moritsugu was entitled to qualified immunity on the claim for damages asserted against him in his individual capacity. The District Court granted in part and denied in part defendants' motion. See Farmer v. Hawk, 991 F.Supp. 19, 28 (D.D.C.1998). As relevant to the present action, the trial court first determined that, at the time of Moritsugu's letter to Farmer, it was clearly established that transsexualism was a serious medical condition entitling Farmer to some form of treatment. See id. at 25-27. With regard to Moritsugu's alleged failure to promulgate a new policy for treatment of transsexuals, the court found that the BOP's current policy is constitutional on its face, and, therefore, that Moritsugu's failure to issue a new policy could not have been deliberately indifferent. See id. at 27. However, with regard to Moritsugu's alleged failure to enforce adequately the existing policy to secure treatment for Farmer, the trial court concluded that Moritsugu's response to Farmer's requests could very possibly have constituted deliberate indifference, because his letter acknowledge[d] and sanction[ed] the withholding of any treatment from Farmer. Id. at 28. Thus, the court held that Moritsugu was not entitled to immunity on this claim. See id. This appeal, which concerns solely the question of Moritsugu's liability in his individual capacity, followed.