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Raiser v. Kono, 10th Cir. (2007)
Raiser v. Kono, 10th Cir. (2007)
July 5, 2007
Elisabeth A. Shumaker
Clerk of Court
AARON RAISER,
Plaintiff-Appellant,
v.
DA VID M . KO NO ; DA NIEL L.
STEELE; FRED HOW ARD, official
capacity; BENNETT TU ELLER
JO H N SO N & D EER E; B RIG H AM
Y O U N G U N IV ER SITY ; JO N
HUNTSM AN, official capacity,
No. 06-4243
(D.C. No. 2:06-CV-256-TC)
(D. Utah)
Defendants-Appellees.
After examining the briefs and appellate record, this panel has determined
unanimously that oral argument would not materially assist the determination of
this appeal. See Fed. R. App. P. 34(a)(2); 10th Cir. R. 34.1(G). The case is
therefore ordered submitted without oral argument. This order and judgment is
not binding precedent, except under the doctrines of law of the case, res judicata,
and collateral estoppel. It may be cited, however, for its persuasive value
consistent with Fed. R. App. P. 32.1 and 10th Cir. R. 32.1.
judge. Because we conclude that it is patently obvious that M r. Raiser could not
prevail on the facts and theories alleged, we affirm.
I.
This case has its origin in a Utah state-court case filed by M r. Raiser
against Brigham Y oung University (BYU), which was represented by David M .
Kono and Daniel L. Steele, of the law firm of Bennett Tueller Johnson & Deere.
In that case, defendant Judge Fred Howard issued a civil bench warrant on
July 19, 2005, when M r. Raiser failed to appear for a supplemental hearing
noticed by defendants to identify property and to apply the property toward the
satisfaction of an attorney-fee award entered as a sanction. See Utah R. Civ. P.
64(c)(2). 1 The bench warrant was stricken on August 19, 2005.
M r. R aiser then filed this case in federal district court, alleging that BYU ,
its law yers, and the law firm conspired with Judge Howard to violate his
constitutional rights to interstate travel, access to federal and state courts in Utah,
due process, and equal protection of the law s. He claimed that the attorneys were
aware that he was homeless and could not afford to appear for the Rule 64(c)(2)
hearing, but they did not inform Judge Howard of this fact. And even after
M r. Raiser advised the court of his financial situation, Judge Howard did not
Several actions on the part of M r. Raiser and the district court preceded the
dismissal. First, the Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the
District of Utah placed appellant A aron Raiser on that courts restricted filer list.
Pursuant to the restriction order, a magistrate judge determined that M r. Raisers
initial complaint was deficient and recommended that the court dismiss the action.
M r. Raiser filed an untimely objection to the magistrate judges report. The
district court conducted a de novo review of the amended complaint and
dismissed the case, mentioning the restriction order and citing 28 U.S.C.
1915(e)(2)(B) (providing for dismissal of deficient complaint filed by a pro se
litigant proceeding in forma pauperis) and M cKinney v. State of Okla. Dept of
Hum an Servs., 925 F.2d 363, 365 (10th Cir. 1991) (discussing the courts inherent
power to enter a sua sponte dismissal of a patently deficient complaint). Today,
this court reverses and remands the Chief Judges order for a procedural
irregularity. See In re Raiser, No. 06-4116 (10th Cir. July 5, 2007). And,
because M r. Raiser was not proceeding in forma pauperis in the district court,
28 U.S.C. 1915(e)(2)(B) is inapplicable. Accordingly, this court reviews the
district courts dismissal under the theory discussed in M cKinney. See M ann v.
Boatwright, 477 F.3d 1140, 1145 (10th Cir. 2007) (stating that we may affirm the
judgment below on any grounds for w hich there is a record sufficient to permit
(continued...)
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28 U.S.C. 455 for recusal of the magistrate judge. On appeal, M r. Raiser argues
that his complaint was sufficient in all respects and takes issue with the denial of
recusal.
II.
Dismissals under Rule 12(b)(6) typically follow a motion to dismiss, which
gives the plaintiff notice and an opportunity to amend his complaint. But in this
circuit, sua sponte dismissal of a meritless complaint that cannot be salvaged by
amendment comports w ith due process and does not infringe the right of access to
the courts. Curley v. Perry, 246 F.3d 1278, 1284 (10th Cir. 2001). A sua sponte
dismissal under Rule 12(b)(6) is not reversible error when: (1) it is patently
obvious that the plaintiff could not prevail on the facts alleged; and
(2) allowing [the plaintiff] an opportunity to amend his complaint would be
futile. M cKinney v. State of Okla. Dept of Human Servs., 925 F.2d 363, 365
(10th Cir. 1991) (quotation omitted); see also Andrews v. Heaton, 483 F.3d 1070,
1074 n.2 (10th Cir. 2007).
W hen ruling on dismissal, a judge must accept as true all of the factual
allegations contained in the complaint. Erickson v. Pardus, 127 S. Ct. 2197,
2200 (2007). A complaint does not need detailed factual allegations, but a
(...continued)
conclusions of law, even grounds not relied upon by the district court) (quotation
omitted).
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1544, 1553 (10th Cir. 1995) (quotation omitted). The district court did not err in
dismissing the claims against Judge Howard.
Claims against G overnor Huntsman
M r. Raiser asserts that Governor Huntsman has violated his constitutional
rights by exercising the power to appoint members of state judicial-selection
committees in a way that results in a state judiciary composed disproportionately
of judges belonging to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Church).
He seeks a writ of mandamus requiring the Governor to instruct members of the
committees to disregard candidates religious affiliation, while at the same time
making progress toward decreasing the number of Church members. He alleges
that, in lawsuits he files against Church-related entities, Church-member judges
will be biased against him. 3
Any potential future harm that may befall M r. Raiser from the Utah
judicial-selection procedures is too speculative to fulfill the requirement of
Article III of the United States Constitution that a case present a case or
controversy between the individually named plaintiff and defendant. The
Supreme Court has recognized that claims predicated upon such speculative
BYU, its attorneys, and the state actors to deprive him of any federal rights.
Thus, he failed to state a 1983 claim. See id.; cf. Bell Atl. Corp., 127 S. Ct. at
1965, 1974 (holding that a complaint under 1 of the Sherman Act is subject to
dismissal for failure to state a claim if it does not provide enough fact to raise a
reasonable expectation that discovery will reveal evidence of illegal agreement
and stating, w e do not require heightened fact pleading of specifics, but only
enough facts to state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face. Because the
plaintiffs here have not nudged their claims across the line from conceivable to
plausible, their complaint must be dismissed). The district court did not err in
dismissing the 1983 claims against BYU and its attorneys.
42 U .S.C. 1985 and RICO
M r. Raiser also alleges that BYU and its attorneys violated 42 U.S.C.
1985 and RICO. Specifically, he argues that the bench warrant was traceable to
their conspiracy to prevent him from tending to his lawsuits in Utah federal and
state courts.
A deterrence claim under 1985 arises when:
[T]wo or more persons in any State or Territory conspire to deter, by
force, intimidation, or threat, any party or witness in any court of the
United States from attending such court, or from testifying to any
matter pending therein, freely, fully, and truthfully, or ... conspire for
the purpose of impeding, hindering, obstructing, or defeating, in any
manner, the due course of justice in any State or Territory, with
intent to deny to any citizen the equal protection of the laws. . . .
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1985(2). But legal claims possessing a reasonable basis in law and fact simply
do not constitute the force or intimidation necessary to satisfy 1985(2).
Timm erman v. U.S. Bank, N.A., 483 F.3d 1106, 1124 (10th Cir. 2007). The
issuance of the bench warrant was a natural consequence of M r. Raisers failure
to appear for the enforcement hearing. Defendants actions in obtaining an aw ard
of attorneys fees, setting an enforcement hearing, failing to inform the court of
M r. Raisers financial status, seeking a bench warrant, and making a settlement
offer cannot support a 1985 claim.
M r. Lawrence alleged that BYU and its attorneys violated 18 U.S.C. 1503
(obstructing justice by trying to influence a juror or officer of the court) as part of
his RICO claim. For the same reasons discussed above, M r. Raisers allegations
do not describe conduct constituting the obstruction of justice. The RICO claim
is meritless and was subject to dismissal.
Common law extortion and fraud upon the court
M r. Raiser alleges that the same acts of these defendants also make them
liable under common-law extortion and fraud-on-the-court theories. Generally,
comm on-law extortion by a private person is limited to obtaining property by
threatening to inflict harm. Rael v. Sullivan, 918 F.2d 874, 876 n.1 (10th Cir.
1990) (quotation omitted).
United States v. Buck, 281 F.3d 1336, 1342 (10th Cir. 2002) (quoting Weese v.
Schukman, 98 F.3d 542, 552-53 (10th Cir. 1996)) (further quotation omitted).
Taken as a whole, the allegations in the amended complaint fall far short of
asserting cognizable extortion or fraud-on-the-court claims. These claims, too,
were properly dismissed.
III.
Finally, M r. Raiser argues that the district court wrongfully denied his
motion to recuse the magistrate judge because the applicable statutory provision
states that a judicial official shall disqualify himself in any proceeding in which
his impartiality might reasonably be questioned. 28 U.S.C. 455(a) (emphasis
supplied). M r. Raiser asserts that the provisions w ording requires the magistrate
judge, not the district court, to rule on his motion. Having reviewed the district
courts decision for an abuse of discretion, United States v. M endoza, 468 F.3d
1256, 1262 (10th Cir. 2006), we see no error in either the district courts
procedure or its determination.
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IV.
The judgment of the district court is A FFIRM ED. The M otion for Leave to
File A ppellees B rief received from BYU, its attorneys, and their law firm is
GRANTED. M r. Raisers renewed M otion to Strike Entry of Appearance and
M otion to Present Oral Argument are DENIED.
John C. Porfilio
Circuit Judge
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