Opinion ID: 1422239
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Judicial Act Requirement

Text: DJJ argues Dorsey's placement of Fredrico in his family home was a judicial act for which he was entitled to quasi-judicial immunity, and therefore the Court of Appeals erred in reversing the trial court's grant of summary judgment to DJJ. We disagree. Summary judgment is appropriate when it is clear there is no genuine issue of material fact, and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Bishop v. South Carolina Dep't of Mental Health, 331 S.C. 79, 502 S.E.2d 78 (1998). In determining whether a genuine question of fact exists, the court must view the evidence and all inferences which can be reasonably drawn from the evidence in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party. Id. The governmental entity claiming an exception to the waiver of immunity under the Tort Claims Act has the burden of establishing any limitation on liability. Strange v. S.C. Dep't of Highways & Pub. Transp., 314 S.C. 427, 445 S.E.2d 439 (1994). Provisions establishing limitations on liability must be liberally construed in the State's favor. S.C.Code Ann. § 15-78-20(f) (Supp.2001). The issue of whether juvenile probation officers are entitled to quasi-judicial immunity under the Tort Claims Act is one of first impression in South Carolina. Section 15-78-60(1) provides: [t]he governmental entity is not liable for a loss resulting from: legislative, judicial, or quasi-judicial action or inaction. In addition to the judicial immunity under the Tort Claims Act, common law judicial immunity was expressly preserved in South Carolina under the Tort Claims Act. O'Laughlin v. Windham, 330 S.C. 379, 498 S.E.2d 689 (Ct. App.1998), cert. denied 1999 Shearouse Adv. Sh. No. 10 at p. iv. South Carolina recognizes three exceptions to judicial or quasi-judicial immunity. Judges and other officials are not entitled to judicial immunity if: (1) they did not have jurisdiction to act; (2) the act did not serve a judicial function; or (3) the suit is for prospective, injunctive relief only. Id. at 385, 498 S.E.2d at 692. The second exception, which emphasizes the importance of the act, as opposed to the actor, is relevant here. Under the second exception, even judges are not insulated by judicial immunity when they act in an administrative capacity. Id. (citing Forrester v. White, 484 U.S. 219, 108 S.Ct. 538, 98 L.Ed.2d 555 (1988)). In determining whether an act is judicial, the Court looks to the nature and function of the act. Id.; Mireles v. Waco, 502 U.S. 9, 112 S.Ct. 286, 116 L.Ed.2d 9 (1991); Stump v. Sparkman, 435 U.S. 349, 98 S.Ct. 1099, 55 L.Ed.2d 331 (1978). [2] Therefore, we must determine whether probation officer Dorsey's placement of Fredrico had the nature and function of a judicial act, thereby entitling him, and thus DJJ, to quasi-judicial immunity. Much of the analysis of judicial immunity has been made in the federal arena. Several federal circuits have granted probation officers quasi-judicial immunity, but only when carrying out certain functions the courts have deemed to be judicial. The Tenth Circuit has held that federal probation officers are absolutely immune when the action challenged is intimately associated with the judicial phase of the criminal process. Tripati v. United States Immigration & Naturalization Serv., 784 F.2d 345 (10th Cir.1986) (finding probation officer immune for damages resulting from reporting plaintiff's conviction to immigration authorities). The Tenth Circuit has made clear the immunity arises from protected functions, not from protected individuals. Mee v. Ortega, 967 F.2d 423 (10th Cir. 1992); Forrester, supra . The key element is whether the officer was engaged in adjudicatory duties when the challenged act occurred. Harper v. Jeffries, 808 F.2d 281 (3d Cir.1986). Other federal circuit courts have granted probation officers absolute immunity in preparing pre-sentencing reports, and in other situations when they act as an arm of the court. Gant v. United States Probation Office, 994 F.Supp. 729, 733 (S.D.W.Va.1998) (citations omitted). Many of these courts, however, find no absolute immunity for the same type of officer when the officer is acting in his executive capacity. Gant, supra; Ray v. Pickett, 734 F.2d 370 (8th Cir.1984); Ortega, supra ; see also Harper v. Jeffries, 808 F.2d 281 (3d Cir.1986) (denying absolute immunity of probation officer for charging appellant and presenting evidence against him at a parole hearing, because those were his duties as a parole officer). If the individual is acting pursuant to a direct court order, courts are more likely to grant quasi-judicial immunity for that action. In Babcock v. Tyler, 884 F.2d 497 (9th Cir.1989), a father sued the state for the actions of two social workers who placed his daughters in a home where they were sexually abused. The social workers placed the girls temporarily in the abusive home in April 1982. Id. at 449. The juvenile court confirmed the placement by order in May 1982. The sexual abuse did not occur until sometime after May: Id. Plaintiffs argued the social workers were not entitled to immunity for the temporary placement of the girls before the court order was issued. The court discounted this argument as irrelevant, however, on the grounds the abuse did not occur until after the court had confirmed the placement. Id. Respondents argue the court's confirmation of the placement was essential to the court's finding of judicial immunity in Babcock. Conversely, DJJ cites Babcock as holding that placement is a judicial act even if not made pursuant to a direct court order. DJJ's argument, however, overlooks that the judge formally confirmed the placement before the injury took place. In the present case, Judge Barrineau's mere knowledge that Fredrico was placed in his family's home, in the absence of any further act by him, does not amount to confirmation or ratification of Dorsey's act. Viewing the facts and all inferences that can be drawn in the light most favorable to Respondents, as the nonmoving party, the trial court erred in granting summary judgment to DJJ on this ground. We agree with our Court of Appeals' conclusion that the placement of juveniles by a probation counselor is an administrative function. We find persuasive the precedent discussed above from other jurisdictions which supports this analysis. Just as police officers are not granted absolute immunity when they apply for arrest warrants, probation officers generally are not immune in performing their enforcement duties. See Gant, supra; Acevedo v. Pima County Adult Prob. Dept, 142 Ariz. 319, 690 P.2d 38 (1984)(holding that supervision of probationers is an administrative task, unconnected with the performance of a judicial function). Dorsey's placement of Fredrico was administrative. The Family Court's mere knowledge that Dorsey placed Fredrico with his family, without more, is insufficient to convert that placement into a judicial act. For the forgoing reasons, we conclude DJJ is not entitled to quasi-judicial immunity.