Court Opinion

ID: 9471256
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 03:28:09.414349+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:42:19.899036
License: Public Domain

WIDENER, Circuit Judge,
concurring:
While it is true that Hutto may be a proper party, the mere existence of a supervisory statutory duty is not enough to fix his liability for damages as we have specifically held in Vinnedge v. Gibbs, 550 F.2d 926 (4th Cir.1977). In Vinnedge we held that Gibbs, an underling of the Director of the Department of Corrections, was not liable because he had not been personally involved. It necessarily follows that the Director of Corrections, the superior, also may not be made liable by the mere existence of a supervisory statutory duty absent personal involvement.
I concur in that part of the opinion holding that Young is not a proper party.
I also concur in that part of the opinion holding Hutto to be immune from liability except that I believe the expression of possible liability expressed on a hypothetical fact situation in note 3 is unnecessary to our decision, and accordingly I do not concur in that expression.