No. 20-881

Huong L. Tran, et al. v. City of Holmes Beach, Florida, et al.

Lower Court: Eleventh Circuit
Docketed: 2021-01-04
Status: Denied
Type: Paid
Tags: 14th-amendment 42-usc-1983 administrative-remedies civil-rights constitutional-rights due-process equal-access equal-protection finality-requirement section-1983 shotgun-pleading
Key Terms:
SocialSecurity DueProcess Takings JusticiabilityDoctri
Latest Conference: 2021-04-30
Question Presented (AI Summary)

Whether strict shotgun pleading rules are permissible to dispose of complaints and deprive litigants equal access to federal courts

Question Presented (OCR Extract)

QUESTIONS PRESENTED “... Mindful of... Ashwander v. Tennessee Valley Auth., 297 U.S. 288, 347 (1936) (“The Court will not pass upon a constitutional question although properly presented by the record, if there is also present some other ground upon which the case may be disposed of.”)” Bickerstaff Clay Prod. v. Harris Cty., 89 F.3d 1481, 1487 n. 9 (11th Cir. 1996). See also Magluta, 256 F.3d 1282, 1284-85 (11th Cir. 2001) (refusing to address... serious constitutional issues on the basis ofa . . . ‘shotgun’ pleading. . . .) Gutierrez v. ILN.S., 745 F.2d 548, 550 (9th Cir. 1984). The first broad question is whether strict shotgun pleading rules, a category of heightened standard, is permissible as used (excessively) in the Eleventh Circuit to dispose of complaints and deprive litigants equal access to federal courts to seek equal justice, relief and secure their constitutional rights on the merits under 42 US.C. §1983 and the Fourteenth Amendment? Alternatively, the specific subsidiary questions are: a) Whether this Court would reconsider the Ashwander rule and define the scope of “some other ground” language so that an Article III court could review a seri: ous constitutional question or claim and not to dismiss and deny justice based solely on pleading technicality? b) Whether the Courts should have reviewed and provided specific guidance for each claim in pro se Petitioners’ complaint to help narrow the issues and correct the deficiencies with limited discovery and a hearing instead of dismissing with prejudice the entire pleading? ii QUESTIONS PRESENTED—Continued c) Whether it is required to identify and name all individuals involved when they act in a collective body such as the City Code Enforcement Board or the City Commission, and to separate the claim for each individual being sued in official capacity under 42 U.S.C. §1983, §1985 and §1986? d) Whether each government official can be held liable in an individual or personal capacity when they act under custom policies or regulations with overlapping, conflicting, vague and confusing provisions that could be invalid or unconstitutional? The second broad question is whether the Supreme Court would reconsider the “Finality requirement” in Williamson Cty., 473 U.S. 172, and define the scope of the final decision, particularly when the final decision requires an exhaustion of administrative remedies that include quasi-judicial hearing, state trial, appellate courts, and involve more than one government agency and several intertwining regula: tions? Alternatively, whether the finality requirement and exhaustion of administrative remedies preclude all Petitioners’ claims under 42 U.S.C. §§1983, 1985 & 1986?

Docket Entries

2021-05-03
Petition DENIED.
2021-04-14
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 4/30/2021.
2021-04-09
Reply of petitioners Huong L. Tran, et al. filed.
2021-03-26
Brief of respondent City of Holmes Beach, Florida in opposition filed.
2021-03-25
Brief of respondents Florida Department of Environmental Protection and its Officials in opposition filed. (04/06/21)
2021-03-16
Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is further extended to and including March 26, 2021, for all respondents.
2021-03-15
Motion to extend the time to file a response from March 19, 2021 to March 26, 2021, submitted to The Clerk.
2021-02-26
Motion to extend the time to file a response from March 5, 2021 to March 19, 2021, submitted to The Clerk.
2021-02-26
Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is further extended to and including March 19, 2021, for all respondents.
2021-02-01
Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including March 5, 2021.
2021-01-29
Motion of respondent City of Holmes Beach, Florida to extend the time to file a response from February 3, 2021 to March 5, 2021, submitted to The Clerk.
2021-01-28
Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including March 5, 2021.
2021-01-27
Motion of respondents Florida Department of Environmental Protection, et al. to extend the time to file a response from February 3, 2021 to March 5, 2021, submitted to The Clerk.
2020-12-22
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due February 3, 2021)

Attorneys

City of Holmes Beach, Florida
Jay DaigneaultTrask Daigneault, LLP, Respondent
Jay DaigneaultTrask Daigneault, LLP, Respondent
Florida Department of Environmental Protection and its Officials
Samuel Robert MandelbaumSamuel R. Mandelbaum, Esq., Respondent
Samuel Robert MandelbaumSamuel R. Mandelbaum, Esq., Respondent
Huong L. Tran, et al.
Huong L. Tran — Petitioner
Huong L. Tran — Petitioner