Opinion ID: 3034129
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Adequate Legal Basis

Text: [2] The complaint filed by Levinson alleged a due process violation based on 42 U.S.C. § 1985(3), which prohibits conspiracies “for the purpose of depriving, either directly or indirectly, any person or class of persons of the equal protection of the laws[.]” 42 U.S.C. § 1985(3). The original purpose of § 1985(3), which was passed as the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871, was to enforce the rights of African Americans and their supporters. See Sever v. Alaska Pulp Corp., 978 F.2d 1529, 1536 (9th Cir. 1992). We have extended § 1985(3) to protect non-racial groups only if “the courts have designated the class in question a suspect or quasi-suspect classification requiring more exacting scrutiny or . . . Congress has indicated through legislation that the class require[s] special protection.” Id. (internal quotations and citation omitted). Plaintiffs did not allege in their complaint that they belong to a racial group or an otherwise protected class, nor did they allege that the defendants intentionally discriminated against them on such grounds. Later, however, the Holgates contended that they were members of the protected class of “consumers looking to build their dream home.” Not surprisingly, plaintiffs cited no case law recognizing such a class as meriting heightened protection. Nor can we consider their argument one for a non-frivolous extension of existing case law, as the Supreme Court has held that “group actions generally resting on economic motivations should be deemed beyond the reach of § 1985(3).” United Bhd. of Carpenters & Joiners of Am. v. Scott, 463 U.S. 825, 839 (1983). [3] The complaint also failed to allege evidence of a conspiracy and an act in furtherance of that conspiracy, which are required elements of a § 1985(3) action. Sever, 978 F.2d at 1536. It alleged that Newell and others conspired to violate the Holgates’ civil rights, but it did not allege that a specific act was committed in furtherance of this conspiracy. As the complaint failed on its face to allege a required element of a § 1985(3) claim, the district court did not abuse its discretion 13744 LEVINSON v. BALDWIN by finding it lacked adequate legal support. Even under the liberal notice pleading rules set out by the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, the Holgates were required to do more. Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a)(2). While Rule 8(a)(2) does not require plaintiffs to lay out in detail the facts upon which their claims are based, it does require plaintiffs to provide “a short and plain statement of the claim” to give the defendants fair notice of what the claim is and the grounds upon which it is based. See Swierkiewicz v. Sorema, N. A., 534 U.S. 506, 512 (2002); Leatherman v. Tarrant County Narcotics Intelligence & Coordination Unit, 507 U.S. 163, 168 (1993). The Holgates’ complaint failed even this minimal test. [4] We have held that “the mere existence of one nonfrivolous claim” in a complaint does not immunize it from Rule 11 sanctions. Townsend v. Holman Consulting Corp., 929 F.2d 1358, 1364 (9th Cir. 1990). Accordingly, because we conclude that the plaintiffs’ § 1985 claim lacked legal merit, we need not assess the legal support for the Holgates’ RICO or state law claims.