Opinion ID: 490121
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: the state-law claims and the proceedings on remand

Text: 48 Our conclusions that both of Robison's Sec. 1983 claims against Via and Robison's Sec. 1983 claim against Harrison for deprivation of custody should have been summarily dismissed have implications for the proper treatment of the state-law claims asserted against each defendant and for the proper circumscription of the jury's consideration of the remaining claims against Harrison.
49 In addition to her Sec. 1983 claims, Robison seeks to pursue two state-law claims against each defendant: one for battery and one for the infliction of emotional distress resulting from the taking of the children in violation of Vermont statutes governing the deprivation of a parent of the custody of his or her children. These claims do not involve federal questions, and the record indicates that there is no diversity of citizenship. The original complaint alleged that both Robison and the defendants were residents of Vermont; while this assertion is absent from the amended complaint, there is no allegation that defendants are not citizens of the same state as Robison. Hence, the record reveals no basis for federal jurisdiction over Robison's state-law claims except pendent jurisdiction. Given our rulings as to the sustainability of Robison's federal claims, we conclude that the court should decline to exercise pendent jurisdiction over both state-law claims against Via and over the emotional distress claim against Harrison. 50 Under the doctrine of pendent jurisdiction, where state-law claims are joined with a federal claim that has substance sufficient to confer subject matter jurisdiction on the federal court, and the claims derive from a common nucleus of operative fact such that it would ordinarily be expected that they would all be tried in one judicial proceeding, the district court has the power to take jurisdiction of the state-law claims as well. United Mine Workers of America v. Gibbs, 383 U.S. 715, 725-28, 86 S.Ct. 1130, 1138-40, 16 L.Ed.2d 218 (1966). That power need not be exercised in every case in which it is found to exist, id. at 726, 86 S.Ct. at 1139, however, and, as we have noted recently, [t]he discretion is limited ... by the consideration that '[n]eedless decisions of state law should be avoided both as a matter of comity and to promote justice between the parties, by procuring for them a surer-footed reading of applicable law.'  Fay v. South Colonie Central School District, 802 F.2d 21, 34 (2d Cir.1986) (quoting Gibbs, 383 U.S. at 726, 86 S.Ct. at 1139). Where the federal claim must be dismissed it may be an abuse of the district court's discretion to take pendent jurisdiction of a claim that depends on novel questions of state law. See id. (reversing district court's exercise of pendent jurisdiction as abuse of discretion). 51 These considerations require that both of Robison's state-law claims against Via be dismissed. As to the battery claim, we doubt that the court even has the power to take pendent jurisdiction. The complaint did not allege the use of any force by Via, and as it has been developed through Robison's deposition testimony, the Sec. 1983 claim of excessive force now asserted against Via is only that she pushed and pulled and pried at Robison's fingers. Such a claim is not, of itself, sufficiently substantial even to confer subject matter jurisdiction on the district court. Hence, the court cannot properly take pendent jurisdiction of the state-law claim against Via for battery. Nor can the continued pendency of the Sec. 1983 claim against Harrison for excessive use of force be the basis for the exercise of pendent party jurisdiction of the state-law battery claim against Via. See Aldinger v. Howard, 427 U.S. 1, 16-18, 96 S.Ct. 2413, 2421-22, 49 L.Ed.2d 276 (1976). 52 As to Robison's emotional distress claim, though the allegations of custody deprivation are substantial enough to give the court power to exercise pendent jurisdiction, prudential considerations dictate that it decline to do so. This claim depends, in part, on the acceptance of Robison's view as to the requirements of Secs. 639 and 640 of the Vermont statutes governing the removal of a child from parental custody. These provisions have not, so far as we are aware, been subject to definitive interpretations by the Vermont state courts, and, as we have noted, it may be that Vermont's concept of immediate danger will differ from the concept of emergency applicable to a federal due process claim. Absent a violation of federal constitutional rights, the limits, if any, to be placed on official conduct in responding to allegations of child abuse are strictly a matter of state law. Where the district court is not required to resolve novel state-law issues, it is often preferable to decline pendent jurisdiction so that state courts can develop and apply state law on such issues. See Fay v. South Central Colonie School District, 802 F.2d at 34; cf. Mayer v. Oil Field Systems Corp., 803 F.2d 749, 757 (2d Cir.1986). Since there are no other viable claims against Via, the federal court should not take pendent jurisdiction of the claim that Via's taking of the children caused Robison emotional distress in violation of state law. 53 In sum, both of Robison's state-law claims against Via should be dismissed. 54 With regard to the state-law claims against Harrison, the considerations discussed above, as well as others, require that the court decline to exercise pendent jurisdiction of the emotional distress claim, even though a federal claim against him is to be tried. Factors that generally militate against the exercise of pendent jurisdiction to permit a joint trial of state and federal claims include (1) the substantial predomination of state-law issues, whether in terms of proof, of the scope of the issues raised, or of the comprehensiveness of the remedy sought, (2) the unsettled nature of state law, and (3) the likelihood of jury confusion. United Mine Workers of America v. Gibbs, 383 U.S. at 726-27, 86 S.Ct. at 1139; see also Moor v. County of Alameda, 411 U.S. 693, 716, 93 S.Ct. 1785, 1799, 36 L.Ed.2d 596 (1973). Each of these factors dictates dismissal of the claim against Harrison for emotional distress, for Robison's amended complaint makes plain that this claim challenges Harrison's decision to take the Robison children into custody as wrongful, extreme and outrageous, and violative of state statutes. This claim is therefore far broader in terms of proof, scope, and potential remedy than her Sec. 1983 claim against Harrison for the use of excessive force. Further, as discussed in Part IV.B. below, in deciding the Sec. 1983 claim, the jury should be instructed that Harrison's decision to take custody was privileged under Sec. 1983 and that he was therefore privileged to use nonexcessive force in taking custody. In deciding Robison's intentional infliction claim, however, the jury itself would have to decide whether the taking of custody was privileged under state law. The likelihood of jury confusion would plainly be substantial even if the meaning of the pertinent state statutes were settled. In all the circumstances, we conclude that it would be an abuse of discretion for the district court to exercise pendent jurisdiction over the state-law claim for emotional distress resulting from the taking. 55 In addition, these considerations counsel that even the scope of the battery claim, over which the court may properly take pendent jurisdiction, should be limited. It appears that under Vermont law, public officials are privileged to use such force as is reasonably necessary to accomplish a lawful purpose. See Chase v. Watson, 75 Vt. 385, 56 A. 10, 11 (1903). To the extent that Robison's battery claim is that the amount of force used to take custody of the children exceeded that reasonably necessary to achieve this end, the court may properly take pendent jurisdiction of it. To the extent, however, that Robison claims that any touching whatever constituted a battery because Harrison was not acting for a purpose that was permitted by state law, that claim would introduce the same problems of expansiveness, jury confusion, and unsettled state law that we have discussed with respect to the state-law claim for emotional distress resulting from the deprivation of custody. Such a battery claim is more properly appended to the state-law claim for the unlawful taking of the children and should be dismissed from this suit.
56 Finally, the above dispositions of Robison's claims have several implications for the instructions to be given to the jury in connection with its consideration of the Sec. 1983 claim for excessive use of force and the pendent claim of battery. Without purporting to be exhaustive, we make the following observations as to distinctions that should be drawn in order to provide a proper framework for the jury's deliberations. 57 First, in light of our ruling that Harrison's taking of the children is protected by qualified immunity, the charge to the jury should include the instruction that he was privileged to take the children into custody and was privileged to use such force against Robison as was objectively reasonable to gain and maintain that custody. Cf. Restatement (Second) of Torts Sec. 134(a) (1965) (common law makes privileged the use of force that the actor reasonably believes is necessary to maintain custody). 58 Second, the jury should be advised that it may have to consider separately the questions of what events occurred and how much force was used. If the jury accepts the testimony, in accordance with Harrison's version of the events, that Harrison did no more than pin Robison against the car, it must return a verdict for Harrison, for that act alone could not reasonably be found, in the circumstances, to constitute excessive force. Alternatively, if the jury finds that Harrison performed the acts attributed to him by Robison, it must still draw its own conclusions as to whether the amount of force used was excessive in the circumstances. For example, it may conclude that Robison initiated the use of force and that the acts attributed to Harrison constituted merely a reasonable response; or it might credit the testimony that Robison seemed to reach for Harrison's gun, an act that would require a conclusion that the acts attributed to Harrison were not excessive. In either of these examples, the jury would be required to return a verdict in favor of Harrison. 59 Third, the jury should be advised as to any difference between the excessiveness requirements of the Sec. 1983 claim and those of the state-law battery claim, for, in general, the constitutional protection is nowhere nearly so extensive as that afforded by the common law tort action for battery.... Johnson v. Glick, 481 F.2d at 1033. Thus, though it may be that under state law the use of any force in excess of the amount needed to accomplish the privileged taking of the children could expose Harrison to liability for battery, see Chase v. Watson, 56 A. at 11; but cf. Restatement (Second) of Torts Sec. 132 comment a (1965) (no liability for force used in making arrest unless force is clearly excessive), the standard for liability under Sec. 1983 is generally that the amount of force must have been such as to 'offend hardened sensibilities'  or have constituted force that was  'brutal' and 'offensive to human dignity,'  Johnson v. Glick, 481 F.2d at 1033 n. 6 (quoting Rochin v. California, 342 U.S. at 172, 174, 72 S.Ct. at 209, 210). 60 Finally, the instructions should make clear that, if the jury finds Harrison liable for excessive use of force, any damage award must be strictly limited to the injury caused by the excessive component of the force used. Damages may not properly be awarded either for the nonexcessive component of the force used or for the taking of the Robison children into custody. Cf. NAACP v. Claiborne Hardware Co., 458 U.S. 886, 918, 921-23, 102 S.Ct. 3409, 3428, 3430-31, 73 L.Ed.2d 1215 (1982) (damages cannot be awarded for part of course of conduct that is protected activity). Given the number and variety of distinctions that the jury will likely be required to draw, both as to liability issues and as to damages issues, the district court might well consider submitting written interrogatories to the jury pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 49 in order to ensure that each of the pertinent factors is independently considered and decided.