Opinion ID: 2971441
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: city’s appeal

Text: As discussed, Tucker has also filed a section 1983 claim against the City, alleging that the City maintained an unconstitutional policy of retaliating against individuals who criticized City officials. The City purports to appeal the district court’s denial of its motion to dismiss this claim or, in the alternative, for summary judgment. It is undisputed that the City’s appeal is not appealable as a collateral order, but the City urges us to exercise pendent jurisdiction over its appeal. The exercise of pendent jurisdiction, while discretionary, is appropriate “where the appealable and non-appealable issues are ‘inextricably intertwined.’” Brennan v. Twp. of Northville, 78 F.3d 1152, 1157-58 (6th Cir. 1996). The City’s appeal is inextricably intertwined with the individual defendants’ interlocutory appeal because there can be no municipal liability under section 1983 for maintaining a policy of unconstitutionally retaliating against individuals who exercise their First Amendment rights when no such unconstitutional retaliation has actually occurred. See Ewolski v. City of Brunswick, 287 F.3d 492, 516 (6th Cir. 2002) (citations omitted) (“Where, as here, a municipality’s liability is alleged on the basis of the unconstitutional actions of its employees, it is necessary to show that the employees inflicted a constitutional harm.”). In light of our holding that Tucker has suffered no unconstitutional retaliation, his claim against the City must fail.