Opinion ID: 1933125
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Gray v. Levesque

Text: In reviewing an order dismissing a complaint, we examine the complaint in the light most favorable to the plaintiff, accepting the facts alleged as true, to determine whether it sets forth the elements of a cause of action entitling the plaintiff to relief on some legal theory. Robinson v. Washington Cty, 529 A.2d 1357, 1359 (Me. 1987). Section 1983 provides a remedy to individuals who are deprived of rights secured by federal law or the United States Constitution by persons acting under color of state law. Government officials who perform discretionary functions, however, are entitled to immunity from civil liability if their conduct does not violate clearly established statutory or constitutional rights of which a reasonable person would have known. Harlow v. Fitzgerald, 457 U.S. 800, 818, 102 S.Ct. 2727, 2738, 73 L.Ed.2d 396 (1982). [T]he parental liberty interest in keeping the family unit intact is not a clearly established right in the context of reasonable suspicion that parents may be abusing children. Lux v. Hansen, 886 F.2d 1064, 1067 (8th Cir.1989) (quoting Myers v. Morris, 810 F.2d 1437, 1463 (8th Cir.1987)). See also Myers v. Contra Costa Cty. Dept. of Soc. Svcs., 812 F.2d 1154, 1158 (9th Cir.1987). Malice or improper motive, alone, is not sufficient to defeat qualified immunity. Myers, 810 F.2d at 1457. An official's entitlement to qualified immunity is a legal, not a factual issue. Snell v. Tunnell, 920 F.2d 673, 696 (10th Cir.1990). Here, in light of the child's undisputed symptoms of abuse and the lack of conclusive evidence that Gray was not abusing the child, even though Levesque's investigation was arguably incomplete, inadequate or biased, the court's determination that Levesque is entitled to qualified immunity is not error. See Doe v. Connecticut Dept. of Child & Youth Svcs., 911 F.2d 868, 870 (2d Cir.1990). Nor, as Gray contends, does Levesque's failure to comply with the statute and related regulations deprive Gray of a constitutionally protected liberty or property interest in the investigative process. Unless the due process right that forms the basis of the complaint was conferred by state law, a violation of state law is not cognizable under section 1983. Davis v. Scherer, 468 U.S. 183, 193-94 & nn. 11 & 12, 104 S.Ct. 3012, 3018-19 & nn. 11 & 12, 82 L.Ed.2d 139 (1984); Myers, 810 F.2d at 1469; Lord v. Murphy, 561 A.2d 1013, 1017 (Me.1989). Contrary to Gray's contention, the procedures outlined in the statute and attendant regulations do not confer on her a property interest in the investigation. To enjoy a property interest in a government benefit a person must have more than an abstract need or desire for the benefit or a unilateral expectation of receiving it, but instead must have a legitimate claim of entitlement.... To have an entitlement the benefit must be clearly definable.... Doe v. Hennepin County, 858 F.2d 1325, 1328 (8th Cir.1988). The broad language and mandate of [a child protection statute] and its procedural regulations simply do not create a constitutional liberty interest in due process. Id. Moreover, a government official's negligent conduct, even gross negligence, does not implicate any aspect of the due process clause and does not state a claim under section 1983. Daniels v. Williams, 474 U.S. 327, 334, 106 S.Ct. 662, 666, 88 L.Ed.2d 662 (1986); Myers, 810 F.2d at 1468-69. Gray had the opportunity for a preliminary hearing and did receive a final hearing before the trial court thus affording her the level of due process required by the Constitution. Senty v. Board of Osteopathic Exam. & Reg., 594 A.2d 1068, 1072 (Me.1991).