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DISTRICT OF ARIZONA
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v.
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NO. CV12-00981-PHX-ROS
Defendant Arpaios Response to
United States Motion for Summary
Judgment Re: Issue Preclusion
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Defendants.
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moves for summary judgment involving the use of offensive non-mutual issue preclusion
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jurisdiction and Plaintiff lacks standing to bring discrimination claims under Counts 1, 3,
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and 5 because of the Courts decision in Melendres v. Arpaio, 989 F. Supp. 2d 822 (D.
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Ariz. 2013). Furthermore, even assuming this Court has jurisdiction, given Plaintiffs
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wait and see strategy during Melendres, it would be unfair to permit the use of offensive
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non-mutual issue preclusion in this case. Therefore, this Court should deny Plaintiffs
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I.
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The central issue before this Court in the parties cross-motions for
summary judgment is what effect the Melendres Order has on this case. In Defendants
Motion for Summary Judgment, he asserts that Melendres deprives this Court of subject
matter jurisdiction and Plaintiff of standing, while in Plaintiffs Motion for Summary
Judgment it asserts that Melendres has preclusive effect on the claims set forth in Counts
1,3, and 5 of its Complaint. Fortunately, in Gospel Missions of Am. v. City of Los
Angeles, 328 F.3d 548, 554 (9th Cir. 2003), the Ninth Circuit clearly decided this issue,
holding that before a court can determine if issue preclusion is applicable in a case it
must first determine if it has subject matter jurisdiction over the claims brought by a
plaintiff.
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Id.
assistance to homeless individuals who in turn solicit funds and share some of the
proceeds with Gospel Missions. Id. at 552. In 1992, five of its properties were raided by
the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department because the Sheriffs Department believed
Gospel Missions might be violating City and County charitable solicitation laws. Id. In
response to the raid, Gospel Missions sued the City and Los Angeles County, challenging
the City and Countys charitable solicitation laws (GMA I). Id. The district court
entered summary judgment in favor of Gospel Missions and enjoined the City and County
from enforcing numerous provisions of their respective laws.
Missions of Am. v. Bennett, 951 F.Supp. 1429 (C.D.Cal.1997). The City then amended
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Gospel Missions then instituted another action (GMA II) with the
expectation that its members would not be allowed to solicit funds pursuant to the
amended Orginance. Id. The district court in GMA II determined that Gospel Missions
did not have standing to challenge a city ordinances professional fundraiser provisions.
Id. at 553. On appeal, Gospel Missions argued that GMA I, which determined that
plaintiff had standing, precluded the GMA II court from denying plaintiff standing. Id.
Before the Gospel Court would decide whether issue preclusion was permissible, the
Court announced it had to first determine whether plaintiff had standing to challenge the
fundraiser provisions of the amended ordinance:
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Id. at 554. In so doing, the Gospel Court ultimately determined that it lacked standing to
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proper in this case, it must first determine if it has subject matter jurisdiction over
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Plaintiffs discriminatory traffic stop claims. See also Idaho v. Coeur d'Alene Tribe, No.
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and holding that when a courts jurisdiction is challenged under res judicata, it must
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determine first if it has jurisdiction); Steel Co. v. Citizens for a Better Env't, 523 U.S. 83,
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94 (1998) (quoting Ex parte McCardle, 7 Wall. 506, 514, 19 L.Ed. 264 (1868)) (Without
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jurisdiction the court cannot proceed at all in any cause. Jurisdiction is power to declare
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the law, and when it ceases to exist, the only function remaining to the court is that of
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announcing the fact and dismissing the cause.); Righthaven LLC v. Hoehn, 716 F.3d
1166, 1172 (9th Cir. 2013) (The Supreme Court has rejected the doctrine of hypothetical
jurisdiction, in which a federal court assumes jurisdiction for the purpose of reaching the
merits, as the practice carries the courts beyond the bounds of authorized judicial action.)
(quotations omitted); Rivera v. R.R. Ret. Bd., 262 F.3d 1005, 1008 (9th Cir. 2001)
(referencing Steel Co. and holding that [t]he Supreme Court has instructed lower courts
to resolve jurisdictional issues before reaching the merits of a case.).
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B.
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The Supreme Court in Parklane Hoisery Co, Inc. v. Shore, 439 U.S. 322,
331 (1979), granted lower courts broad discretion when deciding whether a party may
use offensive non-mutual issue preclusion. In adopting Parklane, the Ninth Circuit has
articulated the necessary elements of offensive non-mutual issue preclusion:
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(1) there was a full and fair opportunity to litigate the identical
issue in the prior action; (2) the issue was actually litigated in
the prior action; (3) the issue was decided in a final judgment;
and (4) the party against whom issue preclusion is asserted
was a party or in privity with a party to the prior action.
Syverson v. Int'l Bus. Machines Corp., 472 F.3d 1072, 1078 (9th Cir. 2007). Parklane
also emphasized, however, that trial courts also must take into account the potential
mutual issue preclusion, even when the normal test for issue preclusion is met:
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Id. at 329 (quotations and citations omitted) (emphasis added). Of grave concern to the
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Parklane Court was that plaintiffs would abuse offensive issue preclusion by adopting a
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wait and see strategy. Id.; see also Syverson, 472 F.3d at 1079 (adopting Parklanes
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wait and see concern and holding that offensive issue preclusion is improper when the
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plaintiff had the incentive to adopt a wait and see attitude in the hope that the first action
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by another plaintiff would result in a favorable judgment which might then be used
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against the losing defendant.). It is for this reason that courts fiercely disfavor the use of
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offensive non-mutual issue preclusion. See Shaffer v. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., 860 F.
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Supp. 2d 991, 995 (D. Ariz. 2012) (noting that [c]ourts have recognized that where
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offensive nonmutual issue preclusion is being urged, fairness gains special importance,
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and applicability of the doctrine in any given case is detailed, difficult, and potentially
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Finally, courts following Parklanes wait and see admonition have denied
the use of offensive issue preclusion when a party could have joined in the litigation but
chose not to. See e.g., In re Air Crash Disaster at Stapleton Int'l Airport, Denver, Colo.,
on Nov. 15, 1987, 720 F. Supp. 1505, 1523 (D. Colo. 1989) reversed on other grounds by
Johnson v. Cont'l Airlines Corp., 964 F.2d 1059 (10th Cir. 1992) (holding that the wait
and see bar applied to plaintiffs who filed their complaints prior to or during trial
through counsel who represent several other plaintiffs in this litigation and actively
participated in trial.) (emphasis added); Charles J. Arndt, Inc. v. City of Birmingham, 748
F.2d 1486, 1494-95 (11th Cir. 1984) (affirming denial of offensive issue preclusion where
the record established that Arndt was aware of the ongoing litigation between the City and
Tutwiler Drug Company).
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1.
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case because the United States completed its investigation in December 2011 and filed
the Complaint [in this case] in May 2012, long before the court ruled in Melendres in May
2013. (Emphasis original). [Dkt. 332 at 8:6-9] In addition, Plaintiff notes that if it had
joined in Melendres it would have done so at a time when discovery in that case was
already completed and the court had ruled on summary judgment. [Id. at 8:16-17]
Finally, Plaintiff falsely argues that joinder would have complicated the litigation because
in addition to asserting claims based on the discriminatory conduct at issue in Melendres,
the United States also seeks relief from three other [allegedly] systemic violations of
federal law: discriminatory language access failures in MCSO jails, a pattern of
unconstitutional retaliation against critics of Defendant Arpaio, and unreasonable
detention practices during worksite raids in violation of the Fourth Amendment.2 [Id. at
8:17-22] Nothing could be further from the truth.
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[Id. at 7-8] Indeed, Maricopa County was prophetic when it warned the Melendres Court
that [t]he Justice Department may even institute its own civil action seeking the same
relief sought in this case a declaratory judgment and injunction . . . [.] [Id. at 8:10-12]
In response, Plaintiff petitioned the Melendres Court to be permitted to file Amicus Curiae
briefing, as well as filing a motion to oppose Maricopa Countys stay request.4 [See
DSOF 2] As is now clear, Plaintiff attempted to evade becoming part of the Melendres
case and was successful so that it could sit on the sidelines and reap any potential
favorable rulings. [DSOF 3] This strategy is obvious because after the denial of the
Motion to Stay, Plaintiff persisted in trying participate in the Melendres litigation without
the risk of being subjected to any preclusive effects.
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2.
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Plaintiff continued its wait and see gambit by filing an amicus brief
requesting to join in the Melendres parties depositions of Sheriff Arpaio and the
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Defendant also notes that the complication of adding Plaintiff to the Melendres
litigation during the May 2009 Motion to Stay would have only involved one additional
claim treatment of LEP inmates and not three (worksite operations, LEP, and
retaliation). [Dkt. 322 at 7:19-22] In Plaintiffs March 10, 2009 letter informing MCSO
of its investigation, its focus involved only allegations of discriminatory police practices
and MCSOs failure to provide meaningful access to MCSO services for LEP individuals
in its jails. The March 10, 2009 letter did not address any allegations of retaliation or
allege MCSO had committed improper worksite operations. [DSOF 4] Furthermore, to
the extent Plaintiff complains about the feasibility of joinder, it could have easily joined in
the Melendres issues involving discriminatory traffic enforcement and brought a separate
action involving worksite operations, LEP inmate conditions, and retaliation.
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employees of MCSO just two months after the Court denied the Motion to Stay. [See
DSOF 5] In denying Plaintiffs request, Judge Snow expressed his annoyance with
Plaintiffs incessant attempts to control the Melendres litigation without actually being
involved:
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[DSOF 6] This warning did not stop Plaintiff, as it continued to file over eighteen (18)
motions throughout the remainder of the Melendres case requesting deposition transcripts,
substituting counsel, filing motions for protective orders, a motion to change venue, and
making various appearances during court proceedings.5 [See DSOF 7]
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Plaintiff actually suggested the injunctive relief the Melendres Court should order after
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Furthermore, Plaintiff referenced its investigation and Complaint filed in this case against
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Defendant Arpaio and invited the Melendres Court to review a 128 page proposed
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settlement agreement from February 2012, which Plaintiff avowed would be effective in
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can only conclude that Plaintiff was successful, since the Melendres permanent injunction
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Counsel for Plaintiff in this case, Edward G. Casper, appeared for the United States
in Melendres and was also the signatory Counsel for the DOJs Statement of Interest
filing. [DSOF 7]
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The only ground requested by the DOJ not granted in the Melendres injunctive
Order involved Provisions for language assistance in policing operations, particularly
among those subjected to stops. [DSOF 9]
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(3) Adequate training to ensure compliance (3) Adequate training to ensure compliance
of all MCSO personnel;
with reformed policies; [Id. at 41-51]
(4) Reforms to ensure appropriate
supervision of MCSO personnel, including
the deployment of sufficient numbers of
qualified MCSO supervisors in the field to
ensure deputies compliance;
(7) Sustained community outreach so that (7) Creation of a community advisory board
MCSO can hear and appropriately respond to facilitate regular dialogue with the
to community concerns;
community; [Id. at 115-118]
(8) The monitors use of performance (8) Requirement that the independent
metrics to measure MCSOs progress in monitor have access to traffic enforcement
implementing reforms;
data collected; [Id. at 59, 145-150]
(9)
Appropriate
accountability
and
oversight measures within MCSO, such as
an early identification system to identify
and respond to potentially problematic
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(9)
Implementation
of
an
early
identification system to identify and
respond
to
potentially
problematic
behaviors as early as possible; [Id. at 72-
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81]
Development of Policies and
procedures that encourage the reporting of
potential misconduct and to ensure that any
misconduct is appropriately investigated
and that any misconduct is appropriately
addressed; [Id. at 102-106]
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Conclusion
Regardless of whether it would have been feasible for Plaintiff to join in the
Melendres litigation after the conclusion of its investigation in December 2011, the wait
and see doctrine looks to the entirety of a partys actions to determine if offensive nonmutual issue preclusion would be fair and not to the feasibility of joinder. See Syverson,
472 F.3d at 1079 (9th Cir. 2007) (holding that offensive issue preclusion is improper when
the plaintiff had the incentive to adopt a wait and see attitude in the hope that the first
action by another plaintiff would result in a favorable judgment which might then be used
against the losing defendant.); In re Air Crash, 720 F.Supp. at 1053 (holding that
plaintiffs who filed their complaints prior to or during trial and actively participated in
trial, could not use the results of that trial for offensive issue preclusion purposes in a
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Melendres litigation for the very issues Plaintiff now seeks to resolve using issue
preclusion. Plaintiffs tactics were not ignored by the Melendres Court, [DSOF 6] and
should not be ignored in this case. Consequentially, given Plaintiffs painfully obvious
wait and see strategy, it would be unfair for this Court to permit Plaintiff to use
offensive non-mutual issue preclusion in this case.
II.
CONCLUSION
For these reasons, this Court lacks subject matter jurisdiction and Plaintiff
lacks standing to reach Plaintiffs issue preclusion argument and even if it did not, given
Plaintiffs wait and see gambit, it would be unfair for this Court to permit Plaintiff to
use offensive non-mutual issue preclusion in this case. Accordingly, Defendant Arpaio
respectfully requests this Court to deny Plaintiffs Motion for Summary Judgment.
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By s/ Joseph J. Poplizio
William R. Jones, Jr.
John T. Masterson
Joseph J. Popolizio
Justin M. Ackerman
2901 North Central Avenue, Suite 800
Phoenix, Arizona 85012
Attorneys for Defendant Joseph M. Arpaio
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separate action). Furthermore, as previously detailed, it was feasible for Plaintiff to join
in Melendres, it resisted doing so, was then heavily involved during pre and post-trial
litigation, and is now attempting to use the Melendres decision against Defendant Arpaio.
Accordingly it is categorically unfair to permit the use of issue preclusion by Plaintiff in
this case.
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CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I hereby certify that on this 14th day November, 2014, I caused the foregoing document to
be filed electronically with the Clerk of Court through the CM/ECF System for filing and
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s/ Mance Carroll
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