Court Opinion

ID: 9442267
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-03 18:41:37.753983+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:29:02.035871
License: Public Domain

RICE, District Judge
(dissenting).
It is my view that the amended complaint alleges all of the essential elements of an action for malicious prosecution. It is sufficient when tested by general demurrer in most states and is sufficient in federal court. Seaboard Oil Co. v. Cunningham, 5 Cir., 51 F.2d 321, certiorari denied, 284 U.S. 657, 52 S.Ct. 35, 76 L.Ed. 557; Stainer v. San Luis Valley Land & Mining Co., 8 Cir., 166 F. 220. Apparently the test of *440the sufficiency of a complaint in federal court, under the majority opinion, now is— would the complaint if filed as a petition in the state court be sustained when attacked by a general demurrer? As I understand the majority opinion, the basis of its conclusion is that the complaint fails to “state a cause of action” when measured by the procedural standard of the Wyoming Supreme Court as announced in Penton v. Canning, 57 Wyo. 390, 118 P.2d 1002, 138 A.L.R. 300. Federal Rules of Civil Procedure specifically abolish demurrers, Rule 7 (c), and provide no technical forms of pleadings or motions are required, Rule 8 (e) (1). There is no pleading requirement under the Federal Rules of stating facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action. Dioguardi v. Durning, 2 Cir., 139 F.2d 774. Many suggested forms indicating the simplicity and brevity of statement contemplated by the rules and which have been expressly approved as sufficient, Rule 84, could not survive a general demurrer in most state courts.
The general rule in all federal courts, so far as I have been able to ascertain, is that complaints should not be dismissed for insufficiency unless it appears to a certainty that plaintiff is entitled to no relief under any state of facts which could be proved in support of a claim.1
I would reverse and afford plaintiff an opportunity to prove the allegations of his complaint. Whether or not his proof is sufficient to establish lack of probable cause in view of a presumption of probable cause arising from waiving a preliminary examination should be determined in federal court from the evidence and not settled under the rules of procedure peculiar to the state in which the federal court is sitting.

. 2nd Circuit; Dioguardi v. Durning, Col. of Customs, 139 F.2d 774 ; 3rd Circuit, Continental Collieries, Inc. v. Shober, Jr., 130 F.2d 631; 4th Circuit, Tahir Erk v. Glenn L. Martin Co., 116 F.2d 865; 5th Circuit, Kohler, et al. v. Jacobs, et al., 138 F.2d 440; 7th Circuit, Karl Kiefer Mach. Co. v. U. S. Bottlers Machinery Co., 113 F.2d 356; Topping v. Fry, 147 F.2d 715; 8th Circuit, Cohen v. U. S., 129 F.2d 733; Dennis, et al. v. Village of Tonka Bay, et al., 151 F.2d 411; Louisiana Farmers’ Protective Union, Inc. v. Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. of America, Inc., et al., 131 F.2d 419 ; Publicity Bldg. Realty Corp. v. Hannegan, Col.Int.Rev., 139 F.2d 583; Leimer v. State Mut. Life Assur. Co. of Worchester, Mass., 108 F.2d 302; 9th Circuit, Hanney, et al. v. Franklin Fire Ins. Co. of Philadelphia, 142 F.2d 864.