Welchen v. Cnty. of Sacramento
Welchen v. Cnty. of Sacramento
Opinion of the Court
This matter is before the Court pursuant to Defendant County of Sacramento, ("County") Defendant Scott Jones, in his official capacity as Sacramento County Sheriff, ("Sheriff") and Defendant Kamala Harris's, in her official capacity as the California Attorney General, ("AG") (collectively "Defendants") Motions to Dismiss. (ECF No. 35; ECF No. 36.) Plaintiff Gary Wayne Welchen, et al. ("Plaintiff") filed oppositions to Defendants' motions. (ECF No. 37; ECF No. 38.) Defendants filed replies. (ECF No. 39; ECF No. 40.) The Court has carefully considered the parties' arguments. For the reasons set forth below, Defendants' Motions to Dismiss are GRANTED IN PART and DENIED IN PART.
I. FACTUAL ALLEGATIONS
Plaintiff, a 50-year-old indigent and homeless resident of Sacramento, was arrested by Sacramento police on January *92829, 2016, for suspicion of second-degree burglary of an uninhabited dwelling. (Pl.'s First Am. Compl. ("FAC"), ECF No. 31, ¶¶ 27-28, 30.) Plaintiff alleges that after he was taken to jail, he was informed he would be kept in jail unless he paid $10,000 for bail. (ECF No. 31, ¶ 29.) Plaintiff alleges that because he could not afford to pay $10,000, he was detained for six days before he was released by the Sheriff's Department. (ECF No. 31, ¶ 33.) That same day, Plaintiff filed this class action against the County and AG alleging that enforcement of California Penal Code section 1269b ("Bail Law") and the County's bail schedule adopted pursuant to that law ("Bail Schedule") violate his Constitutional rights under the Due Process Clause and Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. (Compl., ECF No. 1, ¶¶ 13, 65-68.) Plaintiff later named the Sheriff as an additional defendant in the FAC for the same claims. (ECF No. 31.)
Plaintiff alleges the County and Sheriff's "policy of implementing the money bail system [pursuant to
Plaintiff alleges that if an arrestee can afford to pay her bail amount, the Sheriff's Department accepts the bail payment and orders the release of the arrestee. (ECF No. 31, ¶ 40.) Plaintiff further states that if an arrestee cannot afford to pay her bail amount, the Sheriff's Department keeps her in jail until either she can make other arrangements to obtain her release, she is discharged, or she is taken to court two to five days later for arraignment. (ECF No. 31, ¶ 41.) Consequently, Plaintiff alleges that "[a]rrestees are given a right to release pending trial, but Defendants' pay-for-freedom system conditions their release on their ability to afford money bail, thus tying their pretrial freedom to their wealth-status." (ECF No. 31, ¶ 47.)
Plaintiff alleges the Bail Law violates substantive due process because the system is not narrowly tailored to public safety or ensuring court appearances. (ECF No. 31, ¶ 74.) Plaintiff further alleges that non-wealth-based alternatives to the money bail system exist and could be implemented. (ECF No. 31, ¶ 75.) Moreover, Plaintiff alleges that Defendants' wealth-based detention system is excessive in relation to its purpose to ensure court appearances considering successful non-money-based systems that do not infringe on the fundamental right to pretrial liberty, such as phone and text message reminders of court dates, rides to court *929for those without transportation or a stable address, counseling, SCRAM bracelets (for alcohol testing), and electronic monitoring services. (ECF No. 31, ¶¶ 76-77, 80.) According to Plaintiff, subjecting the poor to unnecessary pretrial detention causes instability in employment, housing, and care dependent relatives. (ECF No. 31, ¶ 84.) Plaintiff further alleges that unnecessary pretrial detention also leads to worse outcomes at trial when compared with those released pretrial. (ECF No. 31, ¶ 84.) Plaintiff states that unnecessary pretrial detention causes difficulties in preparing a defense, gathering evidence and witnesses, and meeting with their lawyers. (ECF No. 31, ¶ 84.) Plaintiff also alleges that the Bail Law does not provide individualized assessments of risk level. (ECF No. 31, ¶ 78.) For these reasons, Plaintiff alleges Defendants' policy and practice of enforcing the money-based bail system is excessive in relation to the Bail Law's regulatory purpose. (ECF No. 31, ¶ 111.)
Plaintiff brings suit under
Plaintiff requests declaratory judgment that: (1) Defendants violated and continue to violate Plaintiff's and proposed class members' rights under the Fourteenth Amendment; (2) Defendants must follow the requirements of the Equal Protection and Due Process Clauses, regardless of contrary state law or contrary policies and practices; (3) California Penal Code section 1269b(b) and any other state statutory or constitutional provisions that require the use of secured money bail to detain any person without an inquiry into ability to pay are facially unconstitutional; and (4) as applied by Defendants against Plaintiff and class members, California Penal Code section 1269b(b) and any other state statutory or constitutional provisions that require the use of secured money bail to detain any person without an inquiry into ability to pay are unconstitutional. (ECF No. 31 at 21-22.) Plaintiff also seeks preliminary and permanent injunctive relief enjoining Defendants and all involved employees of the County from enforcing the bail policy and practices against all proposed class members and request money damages and attorneys' fees and costs. (ECF No. 31 at 21-22.)
II. PROCEDURAL HISTORY
The Complaint was filed on January 29, 2016, with accompanying motions for a temporary restraining order, preliminary injunction, and class certification. (ECF Nos. 1, 2, & 3.) On February 4, 2016, this Court denied Plaintiff's ex parte motion for a temporary restraining order. (ECF No. 12.) On February 18, 2016, the AG filed a motion to dismiss the complaint. (ECF No. 14.) The County joined in the AG's motion to dismiss, but also in the alternative moved the Court for a more definite statement of the law pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(e). (See Joinder in Mot. to Dismiss and Not. of Mot. in the Alt. for More Def. Statement, *930ECF No. 17.) The Court granted Defendants' motion to dismiss as to Plaintiff's Equal Protection claim without leave to amend and granted the motion for a more definite statement as to Plaintiff's Due Process claim. (ECF No. 30.) The Court denied the pending motion for class certification as moot. (ECF No. 30 at 19-20.) Plaintiff filed the FAC on November 9, 2016. (ECF No. 31.) The AG filed a motion to dismiss the FAC on December 13, 2016. (ECF No. 36). That same day, the Sheriff and the County (collectively "County Defendants") also jointly filed a separate motion to dismiss. (Mot. Dismiss, ECF No. 35; Mem. Points Auth. for Mot. Dismiss, ECF No. 35-1.) The Court will rule on both motions to dismiss in this order.
III. STATUTORY BACKGROUND
Under the challenged Bail Law, Cal. Penal Code section 1269b, a person arrested for a crime may be released on bail while awaiting trial or some alternative resolution of the charges. Cal. Penal Code § 1269b(a). The bail amount is determined by a judge if the arrestee appears before a judge; if not, then the bail amount is determined by "the uniform countywide schedule of bail" (i.e. the Bail Schedule). Cal. Penal Code § 1269b(b). This Bail Schedule is "prepare[d], adopt[ed], and annually revise[d]" by the county's superior court judges who consider the "seriousness of the offense charged." Cal. Penal Code § 1269b(c) & (e). The Bail Law also allows detained individuals to petition for release on their own recognizance or for a lower bail. Cal. Penal Code § 1269c. While individuals charged with serious felonies may seek lower bail than the Bail Schedule, those charged with misdemeanors are presumptively entitled to release unless the court foresees a public safety or court appearance issue.
IV. STANDARD OF LAW
A motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim under Rule 12(b)(6) tests the legal sufficiency of a complaint. Navarro v. Block ,
On a motion to dismiss, the factual allegations of the complaint must be accepted as true. Cruz v. Beto ,
Nevertheless, a court "need not assume the truth of legal conclusions cast in the form of factual allegations." United States ex rel. Chunie v. Ringrose ,
Ultimately, a court may not dismiss a complaint in which the plaintiff has alleged "enough facts to state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face." Iqbal ,
If a complaint fails to state a plausible claim, " '[a] district court should grant leave to amend even if no request to amend the pleading was made, unless it determines that the pleading could not possibly be cured by the allegation of other facts.' " Lopez v. Smith ,
V. ANALYSIS
Defendants request the Court dismiss Plaintiff's FAC in its entirety. (ECF No. 35-1; ECF No. 36.) The County Defendants bring four principal arguments: (1) Plaintiff's claims against the Sheriff are barred by the Eleventh Amendment to the extent Plaintiff seeks money damages because the Sheriff acts on behalf of the state when enforcing the Bail Law; (2) the County is not liable for the Sheriff's conduct because the Sheriff acts on behalf of the state; (3) the County is not liable under § 1983 because its involvement with the Bail Law amounted to ministerial compliance with state law rather than a deliberate choice as required by *932Monell v. Dep't of Soc. Servs. of City of New York ,
The Court will first address the County Defendants' Eleventh Amendment argument as it is dispositive. As such, the Court declines to address the County Defendants' Monell argument. The Court will then address the Due Process claim as it applies to the Sheriff and AG.
A. The Eleventh Amendment
As a threshold matter, the County Defendants argue that Eleventh Amendment sovereign immunity shields the Sheriff from money damages because he acts on behalf of the state when enforcing the Bail Law. (ECF No. 35-1 at 5.) The County Defendants further argue that the County is not liable for the Sheriff's conduct as a state actor implementing the Bail Law and thus claims against the County should be dismissed. (ECF No. 35-1 at 9.) The Court will first address whether the Sheriff is a state or county actor in implementing the Bail Law. The Court will then address the County's liability.
The Eleventh Amendment has been interpreted as a grant of sovereign immunity to the states against suit in federal court. Seminole Tribe of Florida v. Florida ,
Sovereign immunity extends to state officials sued in their official capacity. Will v. Mich. Dep't of State Police ,
While "[t]he Eleventh Amendment erects a general bar against federal lawsuits brought against a state," Porter v. Jones ,
*933Coal. to Defend Affirmative Action v. Brown ,
i. The Sheriff's Eleventh Amendment Immunity
The Sheriff contends that he is entitled to sovereign immunity under the Eleventh Amendment because he acts on behalf of the state of California in enforcing the Bail Law. (ECF No. 35-1 at 5.) Plaintiff argues that the Sheriff acts as a county official when implementing the Bail Law and is not entitled to sovereign immunity based on (1) analysis under McMillian v. Monroe County, Ala. , (2) binding Ninth Circuit precedent, and (3) the state's lack of control over the Sheriff's discretion in implementing the Bail Law. (ECF No. 37 at 2-6.) The Court will address Plaintiff's three arguments in turn.
a. McMillian Analysis
Plaintiff first argues that the Sheriff is a county official based on the analysis set forth in McMillan . (ECF No. 37 at 2.) In McMillian , the Supreme Court analyzed in detail Alabama's constitutional and statutory provisions, governmental structure, and allocation of power among its institutions as applied to sheriffs.
b. Ninth Circuit Precedent
Plaintiff next argues that binding circuit precedent makes clear that a sheriff is a county official when dealing with matters relating to oversight and management of local jails. (ECF No. 37 at 5-6.) To support this contention, Plaintiff cites two Ninth Circuit cases: Streit ,
*934In Streit , the court analyzed a sheriff's department policy requiring a records check on a prisoner's release date.
In Cortez , the Ninth Circuit held that a sheriff acted as a county official "in implementing policies and procedures for the safekeeping of inmates in the county jail."
Neither Streit nor Cortez apply to the facts at hand. The Bail Law is a state law, and the Bail Schedule is set by the Sacramento County Superior Court. (ECF No. 31, ¶¶ 16, 37.) As such, the Bail Law is not a sheriff-established policy that might be considered an administrative action like the policies at issue in Streit or Cortez . See Streit ,
Moreover, district courts within this circuit have determined that California Sheriffs act as representatives of the state, and not a county, when enforcing state laws, including the Bail Law. In Buffin v. City & Cty. of San Francisco , No. 15-CV-04959-YGR,
Despite Plaintiff's argument that Ninth Circuit precedent bars a finding that the Sheriff is a state actor, Plaintiff's Ninth Circuit cases are distinguishable from the instant case. Further, federal district courts determined sheriffs act on behalf of the state when they are detaining an individual based on court orders. See , e.g , McNeely ,
c. Sheriff's Discretion
Finally, Plaintiff argues the Sheriff's actions were not controlled by the state. (ECF No. 37 at 6.) But as noted, Plaintiff admits the Sheriff is obligated to implement the state Bail Law, and the Sheriff enforces bail schedules as set by the Sacramento County Superior Court. (ECF No. 31, ¶¶ 18, 37.) Despite its title, the Sacramento County Superior Court is an arm of the State. Greater Los Angeles Council on Deafness, Inc. v. Zolin ,
Plaintiff alternatively argues that, "this case involves (at most) a conditional order of detention" by the state, whereas the Sheriff makes "innumerable decisions about conditional detention and release," including methods of payment, when arrestees are notified of bail amounts, and whether arrestees receive a list of bail bond agents. (ECF No. 37 at 7-8.) However, the Court finds Plaintiff's argument unpersuasive. Decisions such as methods of payments and lists of bail bond agents are ancillary to the alleged unconstitutional provisions of the Bail Law itself, and do not alter the Sheriff's actions as a state actor in implanting the Bail Law. Buffin ,
For these reasons, the Court finds that the Sheriff acts on behalf of the state in implementing the Bail Law. Accordingly, the Eleventh Amendment shields the Sheriff from suit for money damages. However, based on the Ex Parte Young exception to sovereign immunity, Plaintiff may seek declaratory or injunctive relief against the Sheriff for allegedly unconstitutional conduct related to the Bail Law. Ex Parte Young ,
ii. The County's Liability for the Sheriff's Actions
The County Defendants next argue the County cannot be liable for the Sheriff's actions because the Sheriff acts on behalf of the state, not the county. (ECF No. 35-1 at 9.) Although Plaintiff alleges the County is equally liable for implementation of the Bail Law, the claim against the County fails. (ECF No. 31, *936¶ 112.) Because the Court has determined that the Sheriff acts on behalf of the state on this issue, the County is not liable for the Sheriff's implementation of the Bail Law. See McMillian ,
B. 12(b)(6) Analysis of the Substantive Due Process Claim
The AG independently argues that Plaintiff has not sufficiently pleaded that the Bail Law is facially invalid under Due Process. (ECF No. 36 at 7.) Additionally, the AG and Sheriff both argue that Plaintiff has not sufficiently pleaded that the Bail Law has a punitive purpose or is excessive to its legitimate purposes of ensuring public safety and court appearances. (ECF No. 35-1 at 13-14; ECF No. 36 at 8.) The Court will address each argument in turn.
The Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment provides heightened protection against government interference with certain fundamental rights and liberty interests. Lopez-Valenzuela v. Arpaio ,
i. Facially Invalid
The AG argues that the Bail Law is not facially invalid because it "does not categorically deny bail to any group of individuals; to the contrary, it allows any individual (other than those charged with capital crimes or other serious offenses) to obtain bail." (ECF No. 36 at 7.) "[A] plaintiff can only succeed in a facial challenge by 'establish[ing] that no set of circumstances exists under which the Act would be valid,' i.e. , that the law is unconstitutional in all of its applications." Wash. State Grange v. Wash. State Republican Party ,
In Arpaio , the Ninth Circuit reversed a district court's grant of partial summary judgment of a plaintiff's substantive due process claim. Arpaio ,
[Proposition 100] purport[ed] to deal with a societal ill-unmanageable flight risk posed by undocumented immigrants as a class-that has not been shown to exist. Even if we assume that a problem exists, Proposition 100 employs a profoundly overbroad irrebuttable presumption, rather than an individualized evaluation, to determine whether an arrestee is an unmanageable flight risk. As discussed, this mechanism necessarily results in the deprivation of liberty even where not necessary to ensure appearance at trial, because undocumented immigrants who do not pose a flight risk or who pose a manageable one are categorically denied bail based solely on their status. Given this severe lack of fit between the asserted nonpunitive purpose and the actual operation of the law, we conclude that Proposition 100's bail provisions are punitive rather than regulatory. Thus, the Proposition 100 laws facially violate substantive due process by imposing punishment before trial.
Id. at 791 .
Plaintiff alleges that if an arrestee cannot afford to pay the bail amount, whether by her own means or with the aid of a bail bond agent, the Sheriff's Department keeps her in jail until either she can make other arrangements to obtain her release, she is discharged, or she is taken to court two to five days later for arraignment. (ECF No. 31, ¶¶ 38-41.) According to Plaintiff, "wealthy arrestees can purchase their immediate release, while poorer arrestees must remain in jail." (ECF No. 31, ¶ 105.) Plaintiff further alleges there is "no evidence that ability to pay correlates closely with unmanageable flight risk or public safety ... a person's wealth is not determinative of her likelihood of appearing for trial or threatening public safety." (ECF No. 31, ¶ 69.)
The AG's argument that the Bail Law is not a categorical bar to pretrial release because it "allows any individual ... to obtain bail," (ECF No. 36 at 7), ignores the thrust of Plaintiff's claim, which is that the Bail Law effectively imposes a categorial bar to pretrial release of poor arrestees, not because bail does not exist, but because the poor cannot afford it. (ECF No. 31, ¶ 111.) In the instant case, as in Arpaio , Plaintiff alleges the Bail Law "categorically eliminates the opportunity for people who are poor to achieve pretrial freedom, even if they are not a danger or flight risk," and it does so without any "individualized assessment of risk level" of the arrestee. (ECF No. 31, ¶¶ 76, 78; see Arpaio ,
To survive a 12(b)(6) motion, Plaintiff need only allege "enough facts to state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face." Iqbal ,
ii. Excessive in Relation to its Purpose
The AG and Sheriff both argue that Plaintiff has not sufficiently pleaded that the Bail Law has a punitive purpose or is excessive to its legitimate purposes of ensuring public safety and court appearances. (ECF No. 35-1 at 13-14; ECF No. 36 at 8.) Plaintiff does not claim the Bail Law has an expressly punitive purpose. Rather, Plaintiff responds that the bail provisions are excessive in relation to any legitimate purpose. (ECF No. 38 at 2, 8.)
Plaintiff alleges that the Bail Law "has no connection to public safety" because *938"[t]hose wealthy enough to pay their bail amount have their full amount returned to them if they appear for all their court dates, regardless of whether they commit additional crimes." (ECF No. 31, ¶ 70.) Plaintiff further alleges that the Bail Law is excessive in relation to its sole remaining legitimate purpose, ensuring court appearances. (ECF No. 31, ¶¶ 76-77.)
In Arpaio , the court found that Proposition 100 "employ[ed] a profoundly overbroad irrebuttable presumption, rather than an individualized evaluation, to determine whether an arrestee is an unmanageable flight risk" based on the wealth-status of the arrestee. Arpaio ,
As in Arpaio , Plaintiff's allegations suggest that implementation of the Bail Law "necessarily results in the deprivation of liberty even where not necessary to ensure appearance at trial." (
VI. CONCLUSION
For the foregoing reasons, the Court hereby orders as follows:
1. The County Defendants' Motion to Dismiss is GRANTED as to Plaintiff's claims for monetary damages against the Sheriff;
2. The County Defendants' Motion to Dismiss is GRANTED as to Plaintiff's claims against the County; and
3. Both the County Defendants' and AG's Motions to Dismiss are DENIED as to Plaintiff's Due Process claim.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
The Court notes that California Governor Jerry Brown signed Senate Bill No. 10 ("SB 10") on August 28, 2018. SB 10 will take effect on October 1, 2019, and it will eliminate the money-based bail system in California.
The Court previously found Plaintiff met the threshold showing that pretrial detention is a fundamental right subject to heightened scrutiny. (ECF No. 30 at 17.)
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Gary Wayne WELCHEN v. The COUNTY OF SACRAMENTO, Kamala Harris, in Her Official Capacity as the California Attorney General, and Scott Jones, in His Official Capacity as the Sacramento County Sheriff
- Status
- Published