Opinion ID: 171245
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Underlying Dispute and the Fire

Text: In 2005, Choate purchased an old church building located at 401 N. Second Street in Seminole, Oklahoma. At the time, the building had been condemned by the city and bore a warning sign indicating that it was in violation of the city’s Housing Code and had been determined to be unsafe. After buying the building, Choate argued with the city’s Office of Code Enforcement (“OCE”) concerning its postings of code violations and designation of the property as a public nuisance. At the same time, he was locked in a dispute with Angela DeGraffenreid, an employee of the Oklahoma Gas and Electric Company (“OG&E”), over her refusal to authorize permanent electrical service to the building absent a certificate of inspection for code compliance. -2- Meanwhile, on January 7, 2007, much of the building was destroyed in a fire caused by arson. After the fire, the Seminole Fire Department Chief, Roy Edward Lemmings, and his deputy, Bryant Baker, determined that the building’s remains were hazardous to the public. After consulting with the State Fire Marshal, they hired Troy Doner, an independent contractor, to raze the structure completely, which Doner did on January 8. Thereafter, City Manager Steve Saxon issued an abatement order declaring the building’s remains a public nuisance. Choate objected to the order and demanded an administrative hearing, which was held on April 23. When the order was upheld, he appealed the matter further to the Seminole City Council, which, after a special public hearing, also voted to uphold the order. Having exhausted his administrative remedies, Choate then filed this lawsuit seeking injunctive relief and damages. In a verified complaint dated July 3, 2007, Choate alleged that Lemmings, Baker, Doner, Saxon, and DeGraffenreid unconstitutionally deprived him of the use of his property in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1983. 1 He also brought claims against the State of Oklahoma and the City of Seminole challenging the constitutionality of certain state statutes. After denying a motion for preliminary injunction filed by Choate, the district court granted several motions to dismiss 1 Choate also brought claims under 42 U.S.C. §§ 1985 & 1995 and 18 U.S.C. §§ 241 & 247, but even construing his pro se brief liberally, he does not appear to pursue those claims on appeal. Accordingly, we will not address them. General Motors Corp. v. Urban Gorilla, LLC, 500 F.3d 1222, 1225 n.1 (10th Cir. 2007). -3- filed by the defendants, ultimately terminating the case in January 2008. Choate’s various appeals, which we consolidated for procedural purposes, are summarized below.