Professional Documents
Culture Documents
VERSUS
JUDGE HICKS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I.
Preliminary Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
II.
B.
III.
General Allegations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2.
3.
4.
5.
Immunity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
TABLE OF AUTHORITIES
Statutes
42 U.S.C. 1983 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, 7
42 U.S.C. 1985 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
42 U.S.C. 1986 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
FRCP, Rule 12(b)(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, 5
FRCP, Rule 12(b)(6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Louisiana Code of Judicial Conduct Canon 3A(9) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Cases
Calhoun v. Hargrove,
312 F.3d 730, 734 (5th Cir. 2002) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Cleavinger v. Saxner,
474 U.S. 193, 199, 106 S.Ct. 496, 499, 88 L.Ed.2d 507 (1985) . . . . . . . . . 13
Doe v. Gooden,
214 F.3d 952, 955 (8th Cir. 2000) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Keenan v. Tejeda,
290 F.3d 252, 258 (5th Cir. 2002) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Malina v. Gonzales,
994 F.2d 1121 (5th Cir. 1993) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
McAlester v. Brown,
469 F.2d 1280-82 (5th Cir. 1972) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
ii
Morrison v. Lipscomb,
877 F.2d 463 (6th Cir. 1989) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Parsons v. United States DOJ,
801 F.3d 701 (6th Cir. 2015) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, 5
Stump v. Sparkman,
435 U.S. 349, 357, 98 S.Ct. 1099, 1105,
55 L.Ed.2d 331 (1978) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Turkish Coal. of Am., Inc. v. Bruininks,
678 F.3d 617 (8th Cir. 2012) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5, 6
Walker-Serrano by Walker v. Leonard,
168 F. Supp. 2d 332, 347 (M.D. Pa. 2001) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
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VERSUS
JUDGE HICKS
First, considering the factual allegations in her Complaints,1 has Plaintiff Judge
Marchman made a facially plausible claim under 1983, 1985 or 1986 for violations
of her First Amendment and Fourteenth Amendment rights which would allow a court
to draw a reasonable inference that the Defendant Judges are liable for any
constitutional misconduct? Secondly, even if she has a facially plausible claim
against her judicial colleagues, would those claims still fail because of judicial
immunity?
II. Law and Argument
A.
Judicial District Court. She has singled out four of her judicial colleagues as
defendants in this action, alleging that they violated her First and Fourteenth
Amendment rights. These allegations can be categorized as general in nature or
specific as to the four Defendant Judges.
1.
General Allegations
Plaintiff Judge Marchman contends that these four out of 10 somehow and nonspecifically interfered with her ability to discharge her duties as a judge, undermined
Unless otherwise stated, references to allegations and specific paragraphs will refer to
Doc. 22, the supplemental, amended and restated complaint.
2
her authority in the eyes of the public, turned her into a virtual pariah, ignored her and
made her feel uncomfortable. [Doc. 22, 85, 89, 95]. However, there are no
specific factual allegations which flesh out any of these conclusory statements.
In 10, 62 and 86, Plaintiff Judge Marchman makes further conclusory
references to being forced to resign as chair of the personnel committee, stating she
was unable to perform the job with sole and unfettered authority; however, it is only
in 61, that she gives any factual context to this statement. There she alleges that
Chief Judge Winters, not named a defendant, assigned Defendant Judge Jones to
work with Plaintiff Judge Marchman on the personnel committee. Plaintiff Judge
Marchman clearly rescented this action of Chief Judge Winters, stating that it
prohibited her from doing her job, and that Defendant Judge Jones became the de
facto head of the committee.2 What is missing from these allegations is any factual
basis for how either Defendant Judge Jones or any of the other Defendant Judges are
responsible for actions alleged to have been taken by Chief Judge Winters. There are
no factual allegations which present any actions taken or interference by the
Defendant Judges in connection with Plaintiff Judge Marchmans position or alleged
forced resignation as personnel committee chair.
This argument is also discussed in more detail again where specific arguments
concerning Defendant Judge Jones are addressed. See Section II A 5 below.
3
This claim appears to be more directed at Plaintiff Judge Marchmans standing among
her judicial peers, and not general reputation in the community. As the Cambridge Dictionary
defines the term pariah, it is a person who is avoided or not accepted by a social group, esp.
because he or she is not liked, respected, or trusted; an outcast: Because of its poor human
rights record, the country was treated as a pariah by other nations.
www.dictionary.cambridge.org (accessed 7/12/2016).
4
held that general factual allegations of injury resulting from the defendant conduct
may suffice to support standing. Id. pg. 711. The plaintiffs in Parsons also alleged
specific damages, including, illegal traffic stops, searches, questioning by police and
prolonged detentions because of Insane Clown Posse insignia on shirts or vehicles.
One plaintiff was even instructed to undergo the painful process of having his Insane
Clown Posse tattoos removed at the order of his superiors in the U. S. Army.
Accordingly, unlike Defendant Judge Marchman, the plaintiff fans of Insane Clown
Posse were trying to overcome a Rule 12(b)(1) standing argument, and were further
found to have alleged very specific instances of injury and its effects.
Remaining in the Eighth Circuit, Plaintiff Judge Marchman cites Turkish Coal.
of Am., Inc. v. Bruininks, 678 F.3d 617 (8th Cir. 2012), again for the proposition that
reputation presents a cognizable injury.
corporation (TCA) sued under the First Amendment when a university listed a
holocaust denying website as unreliable. The district court dismissed the case of
both plaintiffs pursuant to Rule 12(b)(6) for failure to state a claim. The Eighth
Circuit affirmed the students dismissal on that basis, but remanded the case for a new
dismissal to TCA pursuant to Rule 12(b)(1) for lack of standing. Id. pg. 620. The
case does not support Plaintiff Judge Marchman; indeed, it runs counter to her claim.
As the Eighth Circuit noted, the question presented was not the same as earlier cases
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where books were removed from the school library, thereby changing "the spectrum
of available knowledge" for students at the university. There is no hint in the
Complaint that university students were not free, for example, to read the TCA
website, email material from the TCA website to their friends, regale passers-by on
the sidewalk with quotes from the TCA website, and so forth. In short, TCA's
website was not removed from the university in any sense. Id. pg. 624.
Applying the Bruininks rationale to Plaintiff Judge Marchman, there is not a
hint in her Complaints that she is not free to proclaim her belief that Allyson
Campbell is a thief and a reprobate to passers-by on the sidewalk outside the Ouachita
Parish Courthouse. Exercising your First Amendment rights may result in your being
disliked, but you shouldnt be able to sue your colleagues who disagree with you.
2.
Canon 3A(9), already provides such a prohibition: Except as herein provided a judge
should prohibit broadcasting, televising, recording, or taking photographs in the
courtroom and areas immediately adjacent thereto at least during sessions of court or
recesses between sessions.
Marchman does not address the first allegation, but does reference the second, where
she notes the dispute between her and Defendant Judge Sharp as to exactly what was
meant in allowing a response to a subpoena duces tecum. See Doc. 62, pg. 2. This
is either a mistake by her attorney or an unusual admission that she did indeed
disclose information from Defendant Campbells personnel file, and that she did so
at Defendant Judge Sharps order: Of course they ignore the fact that she did so
because Defendant Judge Sharp ordered her to comply with a valid subpoena duces
tecum. Doc. 62, pg. 2. However, Defendant Judge Sharp did not order the
production of Defendant Campbells personnel file, and Plaintiff Judge Marchman
only sought permission to comply with the subpoena duces tecum by producing two
pieces of paper.4
4
See Doc. 40-14, pp. 49-51. At page 49 of the transcript, Plaintiff Judge Marchman
makes an appearance at the hearing. The record seems very clear that she was seeking
permission from Defendant Judge Sharp to give court-generated documents responsive to a
subpoena duces tecum to Mr. Ward, who would later become her counsel in the present action.
She states at page 50, lines 19-23, " I have my - a copy of my correspondence to [staff]
requesting documents responsive to the subpoena duces tecum and I have a copy of an email
[from staff] indicating that the documents would not be produced." After some discussion,
Plaintiff Judge Marchman again states her production will be two documents, her
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"correspondence" and the "reply." Page 51, lines 18-21. Defendant Judge Sharp gave permission
to give the two documents to Mr. Ward, stating, "Give it to Mr. Ward. Mr. Ward do with it
what you will."
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curtailed. Nor does the allegation that Defendant Judge Sharp sought to have a
confidential matter on a later en banc meeting agenda to admonish Plaintiff Judge
Marchman rise to the level of chilling free speech.
On that chilling claim, Plaintiff Judge Marchman would have to show that:
(1) she "engaged in a constitutionally-protected activity;" (2) Defendant Judge
Sharps actions caused her "to suffer an injury that would chill a person of ordinary
firmness from continuing to engage in that activity;" and (3) Defendant Judge Sharps
"adverse actions were substantially motivated against" Plaintiff Judge Marchmans
exercise of constitutionally-protected speech. Keenan v. Tejeda, 290 F.3d 252, 258
(5th Cir. 2002).
First, the Opposition states, but does not cite any authority, that responding to
a subpoena duces tecum to produce a personnel file of a public employee in civil
litigation is a constitutionally-protected activity. There is simply no support for this
assertion. Secondly, refusing to work with a colleague with which you have a
disagreement, or the mere possibility of a judge seeking to have other judges consider
discipline against one of their colleagues would not chill a person of ordinary
firmness, especially another judge, who, if necessary, would have the ability and
opportunity to defend against the allegations. Finally, there is not a scintilla of
evidence that Defendant Judge Sharps motivations were to curtail constitutional
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rights. To the contrary, Plaintiff Judge Marchmans own allegation is that the
purpose was to undermine her authority, not chill her free speech rights. This was
clearly and simply a disagreement among two judges, who are both equals.
4.
5.
B.
Immunity
The Defendant Judges assert that even if Plaintiff Judge Marchman has valid
constitutional claims under the First and Fourteenth Amendments, that they are still
entitled to judicial immunity from such claims. "[F]ew doctrines were more solidly
established at common law than the immunity of judges from liability for damages
for acts committed within their judicial jurisdiction.'" Cleavinger v. Saxner, 474 U.S.
193, 199, 106 S.Ct. 496, 499, 88 L.Ed.2d 507 (1985) (quoting, Pierson, 386 U.S. at
553-54). The two-part Stump test and the four-part McAlester test were each
presented in the Defendant Judges original memorandum in support.5 In sum, the
Defendant Judges alleged actions were conducted in the Ouachita Parish Courthouse,
in courtrooms or adjacent spaces, and while conducting the business of the court,
either on the bench or in en banc meetings. Judicial immunity clearly applies.
In the Opposition, Plaintiff Judge Marchman does not even seek to undertake
an analysis under either the two-part Stump test or the four-part McAlester test.
Rather, the Opposition points to the exceptions, which prove the rule. First, in
addressing Malina v. Gonzales, 994 F.2d 1121 (5th Cir. 1993), the Opposition
correctly focuses on the nature and function of the act, in noting that it is not normally
Stump v. Sparkman, 435 U.S. 349, 357, 98 S.Ct. 1099, 1105, 55 L.Ed.2d 331 (1978); and
McAlester v. Brown, 469 F.2d 1280-82 (5th Cir. 1972).
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judicial in nature for a judge to stop a motorist or to file charges against them, as
those functions are normally performed by police and prosecutor. However, the
Opposition misses the point that all the functions which they complain of concerning
the Defendant Judges are normally performed by judges, including disagreements
with other judges serving in the same courthouse on how to run the court. Finally,
in Morrison v. Lipscomb, 877 F.2d 463 (6th Cir. 1989), the stated basis for the lack
of absolute judicial immunity was because the aggrieved plaintiff had no right of
appeal to a judges order to the clerk to place a blanket moratorium on writs of
restitution. However, the Opposition fails to note that qualified immunity still
applied in that case. Id. pg. 466. Of note, the judge in Morrison who issued the
order remained immune from a suit for damages.
The fact of the matter is, that for every activity alleged against the Defendant
Judges, they were acting as judges within the Ouachita Parish Courthouse, and
performing activities which were judicial in nature, including disagreeing with a
fellow judge from the same court about how to run their court.
III. Conclusion
The motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim should be granted. There is
no evidence of constitutional violations of the First or Fourteenth Amendments.
Alternatively, all Defendant Judges are entitled to absolute judicial immunity for all
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CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I HEREBY CERTIFY that a copy of the above and foregoing Reply
Memorandum was filed with the Clerk of Court by using the CM/ECF system which
will send notice of electronic filing to all counsel of record unless otherwise indicated,
on this the 13th day of July, 2016.
s/Brian D. Landry
_______________________________
Of Counsel
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