Aery v. Arhart

U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota

Aery v. Arhart

Trial Court Opinion

                 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT                            
                    DISTRICT OF MINNESOTA                                


 James Paul Aery,                     Case No. 21-cv-2375 (KMM/DLM)      

               Plaintiff,                                                

 v.                                          ORDER                       

 Nick Bender, Kyle Nohre, Patricia                                       
 Grimsley, and Beltrami County,                                          

                Defendants.                                              


    This matter is before the Court on Magistrate Judge Douglas L. Micko’s Report and 
Recommendation  (“R&R”)  dated  January  30,  2024.    [ECF  No.  90].    Judge  Micko 
recommended that the Motion for Summary Judgment [ECF No. 67] filed by Defendants 
Nick Bender, Kyle Nohre, Patricia Grimsley, and Beltrami County be granted, and that 
Plaintiff James Paul Aery’s claims against the Defendants be dismissed with prejudice.  No 
objections have been filed to that R&R in the time period permitted.      
    Mr. Aery brought claims under 
42 U.S.C. § 1983
 against the Defendants in this 
matter based on a traffic stop that occurred on October 6, 2018, in Beltrami County, 
Minnesota.  [Compl., ECF No. 33 at 4].  Judge Micko found that documentary evidence 
shows there are no genuine issues of material fact, and that Mr. Aery failed to establish any 
constitutional  violations.    Furthermore,  because  Mr.  Aery  failed  to  establish  any 
constitutional violation, he cannot overcome a qualified immunity defense on summary 
judgment.                                                                 
    The district court reviews de novo those portions of the R&R to which an objection 
is  made,  and  “may  accept,  reject,  or  modify,  in  whole  or  in  part,  the  findings  or 

recommendations made by the magistrate judge.”  
28 U.S.C. § 636
(b)(1)(C); D. Minn. LR 
72.2(b).  In the absence of specific objections, the Court is not required to conduct a de 
novo review, and instead reviews the R&R for clear error.  Montgomery v. Compass 
Airlines, LLC, 
98 F. Supp. 3d 1012, 1017
 (D. Minn. 2015); accord Grinder v. Gammon, 
73 F.3d 793, 795
 (8th Cir. 1996).                                         
    Having reviewed the R&R for clear error, the Court finds none.  The Court agrees 

with Judge Micko’s conclusion that Mr. Aery has provided no evidence to support any of 
the claims alleged in this suit, and as such, summary judgment is appropriate here.  And as 
stated in  the R&R, because the evidence presented does not establish any violation, 
qualified immunity analysis is unnecessary here.                          

ORDER

    Based upon the Report and Recommendation of the Magistrate Judge, and all the 
files, records and proceedings herein, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:         
    1.  The  Magistrate  Judge’s  Report  and  Recommendation  [ECF  No.  90]  is 
      ADOPTED;                                                           
    2.  Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment [ECF No. 67] is GRANTED; and 

    3.  This action is DISMISSED with prejudice.                         
    LET JUDGMENT BE ENTERED ACCORDINGLY.                                 

Date: March 11, 2024            s/Katherine Menendez                     
                               2                                         
Katherine Menendez                       
United States District Court             
























3                                         

Trial Court Opinion

                 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT                            
                    DISTRICT OF MINNESOTA                                


 James Paul Aery,                     Case No. 21-cv-2375 (KMM/DLM)      

               Plaintiff,                                                

 v.                                          ORDER                       

 Nick Bender, Kyle Nohre, Patricia                                       
 Grimsley, and Beltrami County,                                          

                Defendants.                                              


    This matter is before the Court on Magistrate Judge Douglas L. Micko’s Report and 
Recommendation  (“R&R”)  dated  January  30,  2024.    [ECF  No.  90].    Judge  Micko 
recommended that the Motion for Summary Judgment [ECF No. 67] filed by Defendants 
Nick Bender, Kyle Nohre, Patricia Grimsley, and Beltrami County be granted, and that 
Plaintiff James Paul Aery’s claims against the Defendants be dismissed with prejudice.  No 
objections have been filed to that R&R in the time period permitted.      
    Mr. Aery brought claims under 
42 U.S.C. § 1983
 against the Defendants in this 
matter based on a traffic stop that occurred on October 6, 2018, in Beltrami County, 
Minnesota.  [Compl., ECF No. 33 at 4].  Judge Micko found that documentary evidence 
shows there are no genuine issues of material fact, and that Mr. Aery failed to establish any 
constitutional  violations.    Furthermore,  because  Mr.  Aery  failed  to  establish  any 
constitutional violation, he cannot overcome a qualified immunity defense on summary 
judgment.                                                                 
    The district court reviews de novo those portions of the R&R to which an objection 
is  made,  and  “may  accept,  reject,  or  modify,  in  whole  or  in  part,  the  findings  or 

recommendations made by the magistrate judge.”  
28 U.S.C. § 636
(b)(1)(C); D. Minn. LR 
72.2(b).  In the absence of specific objections, the Court is not required to conduct a de 
novo review, and instead reviews the R&R for clear error.  Montgomery v. Compass 
Airlines, LLC, 
98 F. Supp. 3d 1012, 1017
 (D. Minn. 2015); accord Grinder v. Gammon, 
73 F.3d 793, 795
 (8th Cir. 1996).                                         
    Having reviewed the R&R for clear error, the Court finds none.  The Court agrees 

with Judge Micko’s conclusion that Mr. Aery has provided no evidence to support any of 
the claims alleged in this suit, and as such, summary judgment is appropriate here.  And as 
stated in  the R&R, because the evidence presented does not establish any violation, 
qualified immunity analysis is unnecessary here.                          

ORDER

    Based upon the Report and Recommendation of the Magistrate Judge, and all the 
files, records and proceedings herein, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:         
    1.  The  Magistrate  Judge’s  Report  and  Recommendation  [ECF  No.  90]  is 
      ADOPTED;                                                           
    2.  Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment [ECF No. 67] is GRANTED; and 

    3.  This action is DISMISSED with prejudice.                         
    LET JUDGMENT BE ENTERED ACCORDINGLY.                                 

Date: March 11, 2024            s/Katherine Menendez                     
                               2                                         
Katherine Menendez                       
United States District Court             
























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Reference

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