Opinion ID: 665979
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Legal Basis for Action

Text: 14 Linder concedes that the complaint violated Rule 11, in that he failed to make the objectively reasonable legal inquiry required under our case law. He argues, however, that Leatherman v. Tarrant County Narcotics Intelligence and Coordination Unit, --- U.S. ----, 113 S.Ct. 1160, 122 L.Ed.2d 517 (1993), struck down the heightened pleading requirement previously espoused by this court in section 1983 actions. 6 Since Leatherman should be given retroactive effect, see Harper v. Virginia Dep't of Taxation, --- U.S. ----, ---- - ----, 113 S.Ct. 2510, 2516-17, 125 L.Ed.2d 74 (1993) (general rule of retroactivity in civil cases), Linder contends that sanctions were improperly imposed. This argument is a red herring. 15 The district court order neither mentioned nor applied a heightened pleading standard, nor did it cite to any case involving a heightened pleading requirement. See Silva, 745 F.Supp. at 801. Rather, the court determined that there was no legal basis whatever for Linder's reliance on a federally protected property interest, in principal part because plaintiffs made no allegation of exam-rigging. See Burns v. Sullivan, 619 F.2d 99, 104 (1st Cir.), cert. denied, 449 U.S. 893, 101 S.Ct. 256, 66 L.Ed.2d 121 (1980). 7 Compare Silva, 745 F.Supp. at 803, with Hermes v. Hein, 511 F.Supp. 123, 125 (N.D.Ill.1980) (complaint alleging exam-rigging states Sec. 1983 claim in circumstances where unwavering custom and policy is to promote applicant achieving highest score). The court concluded that the only protected property interest at issue was plaintiffs' due process right to compete fairly for the position of Chief of Police, 8 and since they had alleged no facts evidencing such a deprivation the action was groundless as a matter of law. Silva, 745 F.Supp. at 805. Neither before the district court, nor on appeal, has Linder raised doubt as to the soundness of the district court ruling that the complaint failed to state a cause of action.