No. 22-7099

Dana Simmons v. Andrew Beshear, et al.

Lower Court: Sixth Circuit
Docketed: 2023-03-24
Status: Denied
Type: IFP
Response WaivedIFP
Tags: 42-usc-1983 advisory-opinion civil-rights color-of-state-law constitutional-challenge due-process injunctive-relief section-1983 standing state-law summary-judgment
Latest Conference: 2023-05-18
Question Presented (from Petition)

Article III of the Constitution of the United States of America limits federal courts I.
to hearing the actual case or controversy before them. May lower federal courts and
federal courts of appeal transpose a prima facie claim under 42 U.S.C. §1983 into a
Constitutional challenge which was not presented by the Petitioner 's well-pleaded
complaint and forego any analysis required under §1983 thus altering the case before it
and yielding an outcome that is not responsive to the actual claims presented in
Plaintiff 's complaint and is tantamount to an advisory opinion?

A prima facie claim under §1983 consists of two elements: (1) Plaintiff must II.
prove by a preponderance of the evidence that Defendants(s) acted under color of
state law; and (2) While acting under color of state law, Defendant(s) deprived Plaintiff
of a federal constitutional or statutory right. 1 May lower federal courts and federal
courts of appeal dispose of a prima facie claim under 42 U.S.C. §1983 by refusing to
consider whether the defendants acted under color of state law where state law is
established and where no valid abstention doctrine applies?

Summary judgment is appropriate when the pleadings, the discovery and III.
disclosure materials on file, and any affidavits show "that there is no genuine dispute
as to any material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law."2
May lower federal courts and federal courts of appeal deny a motion for summary
judgment under a §1983 claim where the material facts of the case are not in dispute;
where the defendants, by their own admission, have acted under color of state law;
where the defendants have admitted in their filings to the court that they "do not
dispute that...Plaintiff has a protected property interest in her classified employment; "3
and where there is no theory by which the defendants may prevail under established
state law?

"When deciding whether to issue a preliminary injunction, a district court should IV.
address four factors: (1) the likelihood of success on the merits; (2) the irreparable harm
that could result if the injunction is not issued; (3) the impact on the public interest; and
(4) the possibility of substantial harm to others. " Basicomputer Corp. v. Scott, 973 F.2d
507, 511 (6th Cir.1992) (internal citation omitted). "These factors are not prerequisites,
but are factors that are to be balanced against each other." Overstreet v. LexingtonFayette Urban County Gov 't, 305 F.3d 566,573. May lower federal courts deny a motion
for injunctive relief based on its assessment of one of the four factors required without
considering the other three factors and without balancing the four factors against each
other?

The issuance of an injunction is appropriate where there is relief that a court may V.
offer. May circuit courts render an interlocutory appeal of the denial of injunctive relief
moot in a case where a state employee seeks an injunction against her employer and
the employer terminates her, yet the appellate court may order her reinstated upon a
finding that injunctive relief should have been granted below? Would the fact that this
sort of behavior is capable of reputation yet evading review impact this determination?

Question Presented (AI Summary)

Whether lower federal courts may transpose a prima facie §1983 claim into a constitutional challenge not presented by the plaintiff's complaint

Docket Entries

2023-05-22
Petition DENIED.
2023-05-03
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 5/18/2023.
2023-04-17
Waiver of right of respondent Governor Andrew Beshear to respond filed.
2023-04-10
Waiver of right of respondent Ray Perry to respond filed.
2023-04-05
Waiver of right of respondent Gerina Whethers to respond filed.
2023-03-09
Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due April 24, 2023)

Attorneys

Dana Simmons
Dana Simmons — Petitioner
Gerina Whethers
Catherine Marie StevensKentucky Personnel Cabinet, Respondent
Governor Andrew Beshear
Steven Travis MayoKentucky Office of the Governor, Respondent
Ray Perry
Jennifer WolsingKentucky Horse Racing Commission, Respondent