Opinion ID: 652671
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Fisher's Procedural Due Process Claim

Text: 14 Fisher did not specify whether he was alleging a procedural or a substantive due process claim and the facts he asserts might potentially support either. To show a procedural due process violation, one must prove that he has been deprived of a protected interest in life, liberty or property, without due process of law. Logan v. Zimmerman Brush Co., 455 U.S. 422, 428 (1982). Plaintiff's procedural due process complaints amount to an assertion that he was detained without a sufficient legal reason. Physical detention involves a protected liberty interest; we look to see whether Fisher alleges a procedural due process violation. To establish a procedural due process violation in the context of an illegal arrest, detention, or prosecution, a plaintiff must prove one of two things. First, he may prove that the City has an established policy or procedure of making groundless arrests and detentions. Bacon v. Patera, 772 F.2d 259, 264 (6th Cir.1985); Davey v. Tomlinson, 627 F.Supp. 1458, 1464 (E.D.Mich.1986). Second, he may show that the particular defendants' conduct was random and unauthorized, and fell short of due process. Bacon, 772 F.2d at 264. In order to prevail on this second method, the plaintiff must also show that state remedies prohibiting the unauthorized conduct provide insufficient redress. Wilson v. Beebe, 770 F.2d 578, 583-84 (6th Cir.1985). Fisher may not pursue his claim by attacking the officers. 5 15 Fisher alleges that the officers acted randomly by failing to conduct a sufficient investigation to determine who the true perpetrator was. The complaint also charges that it is a custom, practice, policy and procedure of the municipal defendant to inadequately investigate similiar [sic] occurrences. 16 Fisher has not alleged any facts or circumstances casting doubt the validity of the arrest warrants pursuant to which Fisher was detained. Even if the Detroit police department did have a policy of conducting unconstitutionally inadequate investigations before arresting suspects, Fisher has not shown that he has been injured by this alleged policy. He does not dispute that the police interviewed two witnesses who said that Fisher was involved in the shooting, nor does he argue that the arrest warrants were issued without probable cause. 6 17 The claim that the officers acted in a random and unauthorized manner fails for an additional reason. In order to prevail on a claim that a state actor acted illegally and in an unauthorized fashion, the plaintiff must show that state court remedies for the particular tort alleged are inadequate to address the constitutional deprivation. Beebe, 770 F.2d at 583-84. In this case, however, the state actions for false arrest and false imprisonment adequately address these concerns. See Braley v. City of Pontiac, 906 F.2d 220, 224 (6th Cir.1990) (holding that similar claims of procedural due process deficiencies were adequately covered by Michigan's actions for those torts). Thus, the district court correctly dismissed Fisher's Sec. 1983 procedural due process claims on summary judgment.