Opinion ID: 628999
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Continuing Tort and Violations

Text: 61 The continuing violation theory provides that where the last act alleged is part of an ongoing pattern of discrimination and occurs within the filing period, allegations concerning earlier acts are not time-barred. Curry v. United States Postal Serv., 583 F.Supp. 334, 342 (S.D.Ohio 1984); Hendrix v. Yazoo City, 911 F.2d 1102, 1103 (5th Cir.1990). McGregor argues that the amended claims were timely filed because the Law Center's failure to provide written policies or procedures for informing students of their right to appeal decisions to the faculty or faculty committee is a continuing violation of the Fourteenth Amendment's Due Process Clause. The Law Center responds that each decision regarding McGregor's proposed accommodations was a different, permanent decision that cannot form the basis for a continuing violation. 27 62 McGregor cannot use the continuing violation theory to save his due process claims based on the denial of an appeal of his 1989 and 1990 petitions. The continuing violation theory only preserves claims based on acts outside the prescriptive period if the plaintiff timely files a claim based on a present violation. Id. at 343; Hendrix, 911 F.2d at 1103. 28 The last act which was part of the alleged ongoing pattern of denial of due process occurred in spring 1990. McGregor did not assert his due process claims until October 31, 1991, after the prescriptive period expired. Consequently, the spring 1990 act cannot serve as a net for claims based on prior acts clearly outside the prescriptive period. 63 McGregor argues that the Law Center's present failure to inform other students of their appeal rights qualifies as an act within the filing period sufficient to trigger the continuing violation theory. In Berry v. Board of Supervisors of L.S.U., 715 F.2d 971 (5th Cir.1983), we recognized, without resolving the issue, that courts have differed over whether the existence of [a] policy itself constitutes a continuing violation, making a suit timely if the policy remains in effect during the actionable period, or whether there must be some actual application of it to the plaintiff within the period. Id. at 979 (case remanded to determine whether work load discrimination constitutes a continuing violation extending into 180-day period). One thing is clear. A plaintiff cannot use the continuing violation theory to resurrect claims about discrimination[, or in this case due process,] concluded in the past, even though its effects persist. Id. (quoting Delaware State College v. Ricks, 449 U.S. 250, 101 S.Ct. 498, 66 L.Ed.2d 431 (1980)). And, what McGregor wants is just that--to use the continuing violation theory to resurrect claims arising from the Law Center's denial of due process concluded in the past. This is inconsistent not only with our decision in Berry, but with the reason for allowing a continuing violation to toll a statute of limitations. The Supreme Court in Havens Realty Corp. v. Coleman, 455 U.S. 363, 102 S.Ct. 1114, 71 L.Ed.2d 214 (1982), explained that a continuing violation tolls a statute of limitations because statutes of limitations are meant only to prevent stale claims. Id. at 380, 102 S.Ct. at 1125. Where the challenged violation is a continuing one, the staleness concern disappears. Id. 64 Here, the staleness concern is legitimate. McGregor waited almost a year and a half after his spring 1990 petition was denied to assert his due process claims. We must be careful not to confuse continuous violations with a single violation followed by continuing consequences; only continuous unlawful acts can form the basis of a continuous violation. United Air Lines, Inc. v. Evans, 431 U.S. 553, 558, 97 S.Ct. 1885, 1889, 52 L.Ed.2d 571 (1977). Furthermore, the emphasis should not be placed on mere continuity ... [but on] whether any present violation existed. Id. The last due process violation allegedly occurred in spring 1990; only the effects linger on today. The continuing violation theory, therefore, does not save McGregor's due process claims. 29