Court Opinion

ID: 9467645
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 01:53:13.204956+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:40:26.875840
License: Public Domain

ALARCON, Circuit Judge,
dissenting:
I would vacate the order of dismissal and remand this matter to the district court for a hearing on the merits of appellant’s complaint.
As pointed out by the majority, the district court dismissed appellant’s claim filed pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 as frivolous in that it was barred by Arizona’s one-year statute of limitations. Appellant, an Arizona state prisoner, filed his complaint more than one year after he was allegedly denied due process and subjected to cruel and unusual punishment by prison officials.
I agree with the majority that appellant’s claim is controlled by the requirement of Arizona law that actions “upon a liability created by statute” (Ariz.Rev.Stat. § 12-541(3)) must be filed within one year unless such time limitation is tolled under an applicable statute.
The Arizona Legislature has specifically provided for the tolling of the statute of limitations, “If a person entitled to bring an action ... is at the time of the cause of action . .. imprisoned. . . . ” As noted by my colleagues, in Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York v. Tomanio, 446 U.S. 478, 100 S.Ct. 1790, 64 L.Ed.2d 440 (1980), the United States Supreme Court compels us to apply a state tolling law when it is not inconsistent with the Constitution or other federal law. I would follow the mandate of the United *316States Supreme Court in Board of Regents and apply the benefits of the Arizona tolling statute to appellant. By so doing, we would not be boldly charting new paths in unexplored legal territory. Recently, this court, in May v. Enomoto, 633 F.2d 164, 165 (9th Cir. 1980) applied a similar provision under California law to prisoners seeking to vindicate § 1983 rights in that state. The majority has refused to apply the Arizona tolling on the theory that an Arizona prisoner may file a civil action despite his incarceration. Accepting this proposition as true, I fail to see how it excuses us from our obligation to apply the specific language of the Arizona tolling statute to appellant. Under Board of Regents we have no other choice.
Apparently, my colleagues have convinced themselves that the Arizona courts would refuse to apply Arizona’s tolling statute to an imprisoned person, despite its express language, because such prisoners are not treated as civilly dead in Arizona’s courts. No Arizona case has been cited in support of this novel supposition, nor has our attention been directed to any legal principle under Arizona law which would authorize its courts to ignore a constitutional act of that state’s legislature.