Court Opinion

ID: 9955566
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2024-03-28 19:01:58.19532+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:15:05.691056
License: Public Domain

NOT FOR PUBLICATION                           FILED
                    UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS                       MAR 28 2024
                                                                      MOLLY C. DWYER, CLERK
                                                                       U.S. COURT OF APPEALS
                           FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT

PATRICK WADE BEARUP, also named as: No. 22-16886
Patrick Bearup and Patrick W. Bearup,
                                      D.C. No. 2:20-cv-02485-SPL-MHB
               Plaintiff-Appellant,

 v.                                             MEMORANDUM*

RYAN THORNELL, Director of Prison
System at Central Office - in his official
capacity; DAVID SHINN, Director, in his
individual capacity,

                Defendants-Appellees.

                   Appeal from the United States District Court
                            for the District of Arizona
                   Steven Paul Logan, District Judge, Presiding

                            Submitted March 26, 2024**

Before:      TASHIMA, SILVERMAN, and KOH, Circuit Judges.

      Arizona state prisoner Patrick Wade Bearup appeals pro se from the district

court’s summary judgment in his 42 U.S.C. § 1983 action alleging violations of the

      *
             This disposition is not appropriate for publication and is not precedent
except as provided by Ninth Circuit Rule 36-3.
      **
             The panel unanimously concludes this case is suitable for decision
without oral argument. See Fed. R. App. P. 34(a)(2).
First Amendment and the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act.

We have jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1291. We review de novo. Hamby v.

Hammond, 821 F.3d 1085, 1090 (9th Cir. 2016) (cross-motions for summary

judgment); Rosebrock v. Mathis, 745 F.3d 963, 970 n.8 (9th Cir. 2014) (mootness

determination). We affirm.

      The district court properly granted summary judgment on Bearup’s First

Amendment claim for damages on the basis of qualified immunity because Bearup

failed to show that defendant Shinn violated any clearly established constitutional

right by providing a kosher vegan meal plan rather than kosher meat and dairy.

See Pearson v. Callahan, 555 U.S. 223, 232 (2009) (“Qualified immunity is

applicable unless the official’s conduct violated a clearly established constitutional

right.”); Foster v. Runnels, 554 F.3d 807, 815 (9th Cir. 2009) (“A right is ‘clearly

established’ when its contours are sufficiently defined, such that ‘a reasonable

official would understand that what he is doing violates that right.’” (quoting

Wilson v. Layne, 526 U.S. 603, 615 (1999))).

      Contrary to Bearup’s contentions, the district court properly denied

injunctive relief because the prison voluntarily changed the allegedly infringing

policy by implementing a new menu option that included kosher meat and dairy.

See Rosebrock, 745 F.3d at 972 (setting forth factors for evaluating whether

defendant’s voluntary cessation of behavior has rendered a case moot).

                                          2                                    22-16886
      We do not consider claims that Bearup failed to allege in his complaint. See

Pickern v. Pier 1 Imports (U.S.), Inc., 457 F.3d 963, 969 (9th Cir. 2006) (affirming

summary judgment where the complaint did not give fair notice of the factual basis

for a claim raised for the first time in opposition to summary judgment).

      We do not consider matters not specifically and distinctly raised and argued

in the opening brief, or arguments raised for the first time on appeal. See Padgett

v. Wright, 587 F.3d 983, 985 n.2 (9th Cir. 2009).

      Bearup’s motion for default judgment (Docket Entry No. 26) is denied.

      AFFIRMED.

                                         3                                    22-16886