Document: 522 U.S. 75118 S.Ct. 481139 L.Ed.2d 433 Melvin JEFFERSON, individually and as administrator of the Estate Alberta K. Jefferson, Deceased, et al., Petitioners,v.CITY OF TARRANT, ALABAMA. No. 96-957. Supreme Court United States Argued Nov. 4, 1997. Decided Dec. 9, Syllabus * Petitioners commenced this action in Alabama state court to recover damages for death their decedent, an African-American woman who perished a fire at her home respondent City. They alleged that City firefighters failed rescue Ms. Jefferson promptly after arriving on scene revive upon carrying from house. These omissions, they charged, resulted selective denial protection disfavored minorities proximately caused Jefferson's death. The maintains responded alarm call quickly possible was already dead when arrived. asserted state-law wrongful-death outrage claims. also claims under 42 U.S.C. §1983 (1) deliberate indifference its agents, violation Fourteenth Amendment's Due Process Clause, (2) practice invidious racial discrimination, Equal Protection Clause. In motion judgment pleadings claims, argued that, Robertson v. Wegmann, 436 584, 588-590, 98 1991, 1994-1995, 56 554, survival remedy provided by Alabama's Wrongful Death Act governed petitioners' potential recovery constitutional tort has interpreted providing punitive only, but ruled plaintiffs may not against municipality, see Newport Fact Concerts, Inc., 453 247, 101 2748, 69 616. Accordingly, it could be held liable §1983. trial denied City's part petitioners compensatory It certified question immediate review. reversed interlocutory appeal, holding Act, including allowance remanded "for further proceedings consistent with [its] opinion.'' After granted certiorari resolve whether first time, brief merits, lacks jurisdiction review Court's order. Held: Because yet rendered final judgment, court's decision Pp. ___-___. (a) Congress long vested authority federal decisions made courts, Judiciary 1789, §25, limited power cases which State's is "final,'' 28 §1257(a). This finality rule firm, technicality easily scorned. Radio Station WOW, Inc. Johnson, 326 120, 124, 65 1475, 1478, 89 L.Ed. 569. A state-court unless until effectively determined entire litigation. Market Street R. Co. Railroad Comm'n Cal., 324 548, 551, 770, 772-773, 1171. below does qualify "final judgment'' within §1257(a)'s meaning. decided federal-law issue certification court, then cause remaining Absent settlement or dispositive motions, remand will include merits virtually identical case, dismissed want jurisdiction. O'Dell Espinoza, 456 430, 102 1865, 72 237 (per curiam). (b) case come narrow circumstances found despite promise proceedings. See Cox Broadcasting Corp. Cohn, 420 469, 95 1029, 43 328. involve issue, finally highest survive require regardless outcome future Id., 480, S.Ct., 1038-1039. Resolution moot question. If establishes, matter fact, have done nothing more save life, any claim necessarily fail, however incorrect ruling. Nor instance where been decided, courts come, later cannot had whatever ultimate case. 481, 1039. ultimately makes difference petitioners-in particular, if prevail less than might law, fail reasons do dispose claims-they free seek once litigation comes end. Even adheres ruling "law case,'' determination no way limit ability judgment. See, e.g., Hathorn Lovorn, 457 255, 261-262, 2421, 2425-2426, 824. confines Pennsylvania Ritchie, 480 39, 48, n. 7, 107 989, 997, 94 40, exceptional there presented, rejects construction Ritchie would expand exceptions stated Certiorari Reported below: 682 So.2d 29. GINSBURG, J., delivered opinion Court, REHNQUIST, C.J., O'CONNOR, SCALIA, KENNEDY, SOUTER, THOMAS, BREYER, JJ., joined. STEVENS, filed dissenting opinion. Dennis G. Pantazis, Birmingham, AL, Petitioners. John Roberts, respondent. Justice GINSBURG Court. 1 still sub judice Alabama, brought too soon. We consider Ala.Code §6-5-410 (1993), governs decedent's estate §1983, deprivation rights. decide however, because we conclude lack current stage our " [f]inal judgments decrees State had.'' confront meaning those agreed decide. become moot, reach accordingly dismiss writ 2 Tarrant, Jefferson. woman, died Tarrant December 1993. Petitioners' complaint, App. 1-11, alleges did attempt arrived scene, nor try carried complaint these omissions "the minorities,'' id., 6, City, Fire Department time 3 Melvin, Leon, Benjamin survivors Circuit June 21, 1994. Jeffersons two law: one wrongful death, other common-law outrage. §1983: alleging Clause Amendment, 4 1995, moved summary all pleadings, Jeffersons' torts.1 For argument, relied 554 (1978). §1988(a) requires application remedies actions are ""inconsistent Constitution laws States.''' only. Geohagan General Motors Corp., 291 Ala. 167, 279 436, 438-439 (1973). But municipality. 616 (1981). Hence, according respondent, obtain 5 entirety, pleadings. As latter motion, notwithstanding punitive-damages-only limitation proof violated review, permission appeal pleadings.2 6 On reversed. 29 (Ala.1996). Relying earlier Carter 444 373 (Ala.1983), So.2d, 31. Dissenting Justices Houston Cook affirmed 7 following question: "Whether, rights occurring representative §1983?'' 520 ----, 117 1333, 137 493 (1997). raised nonwaivable impediment: order agree, now improvidently granted. II 8 From earliest days judiciary, courts. just long, final. Stat. 85. statute regulating provides: 9 "Final had, reviewed validity treaty drawn ground being repugnant Constitution, treaties, States, title, right, privilege, immunity specially set up claimed treaties statutes of, commission exercised under, States.'' 10 provision establishes firm rule. To reviewable must "in senses: subject correction tribunal; effective merely intermediate steps therein. word court.'' 773, 1171 (1945). recognized, "is technicalities important factor smooth working system.'' 569 11 judgment.'' avowedly interlocutory. Far terminating litigation, answered single affected only four counts complaint. relevant respect, (1982) curiam), ibid. ("Because Colorado trial, "as litigation.''' (citation omitted)). 12 contend "limited situations ordering lower courts.'' Ibid. agree. State, proceedings.'' 1038, 328 (1975). here. Most notably, department reporting residence flames, view facts, personnel life. 45-47. prevails account ruling, established 13 "where case.'' U.S., Jeffersons-in 824 (1982); Fallon, D. Meltzer, & Shapiro, Hart Wechsler's Federal Courts System 642 (4th ed. 1996) ("If purposes questions determines (if mooted) open law initial adjudication second review.''); Stern, E. Gressman, S. Geller, Practice 104-105 (7th ed.1993) (citing cases). 14 acknowledge prior read support parties situation need present before obtaining 40 (1987) (declining petitioner "to raise fruitless Sixth Amendment Superior another regrant us''). permitted required Commonwealth's Children Youth Services (CYS) disclose criminal defendant contents child protective service file regarding key witness. "unusual'' presented: doubted subsequent opportunity questions, ibid., were reluctant put CYS bind either disclosing confidential contempt, 49, 997. extraordinary confine precise confronted. clarify augur expansion reject contradict 15 fits category. presents typical resolved some Our therefore founders 16 *** 17 stated, 18 so ordered. 19 dissenting. 20 my jurisdictional (1987), represented such departure settled term §1257(a) should overruled, 72-78, 1009-1012. Unless least Members share view, I believe this. 21 resolving even though relitigated appeals dismissed, conclusion fact law-of-the-case principles futile relitigate sufficient basis accept Precisely same obtains case.1 Either system provides legitimate treating final-as -or defeat jurisdiction, concludes today. can both ways. 22 Since us take merits. difficult resolve. Under §1988, permits Smith Wade, 461 30, 103 1625, 75 632 (1983), (1981), Carey Piphus, 435 1042, 55 252 (1978), make perfectly clear measure law. Cf. Sullivan Little Hunting Park, 396 229, 240, 90 400, 406, 24 386 (1969) (holding arising §1982, §1988 "that rules utilized, whichever better serves policies expressed . damages, sources, responsive whenever right impaired''). Thus, purports municipality consequence. recovered Monell New York Dept. Social Servs., 658, 2018, 611 (1978); Owen Independence, 445 622, 100 1398, 63 673 (1980), not, Newport, supra. allows action-as undoubtedly here-additional limitations particular irrelevant.2 23 preference overrule vote reverse syllabus constitutes prepared Reporter Decisions convenience reader. Detroit Timber Lumber Co., 200 321, 337, 26 282, 287, 50 499. provides, part: "A personal commence jury assess competent elsewhere, act, omission, negligence person, persons corporation, his servants whereby testator intestate caused, death.'' §6-5-410(a) (1993). invoked Rule Appellate Procedure 5(a), party petition judge certifies "involves controlling substantial opinion, materially advance termination avoid protracted expensive litigation.'' Indeed, response dissent applies directly facts case: "But STEVENS' recognizes, considered proceedings; Commonwealth again new appeals, simply doctrine. Law-of-the-case bar course, thus apparently us. "The goals frustrated, rather furthered, wasteful time-consuming procedures. Based unusual justifications doctrine-efficiency, judicial restraint, federalism, 124 [65 569] (1945); post, __ [107 1009]-would ill served round authoritatively (1987). contrary. Robertson, applicable survivorship allowed certain bring claim. abate pursuant plaintiff appropriate suit. That bear

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