Candelario v. City of New York
Opinion
SUMMARY ORDER
Joseph Candelario (“Candelario”) appeals from the April 3, 2013 judgment of the District Court dismissing his claims under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 1 for, inter alia, false arrest, malicious prosecution, malicious abuse of process, and conspiracy against all defendants. 2 The District Court dismissed all claims against the City of New York and the City of Yonkers *18 pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6), 3 and sua sponte dismissed without prejudice all claims against all the individual defendants on the basis that they were not timely served under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 4(m), and on the merits. 4 See Candelario v. City of New York, No. 12 Civ. 1206(LAP), 2013 WL 1339102, at *11 (S.D.N.Y. Apr. 3, 2013). Candelario now appeals the portions of the District Court’s judgment dismissing his § 1983 claims. Alternatively, he argues that he should have been permitted to amend his Complaint pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 15(a). Familiarity with the factual and procedural background is presumed.
Candelario does not appeal the District Court’s judgment insofar as it dismissed the individual defendants under Rule 4(m) for improper service. Reply Br. at 16. Thus, the only issue on appeal is whether the District Court erred in dismissing the municipalities. 5 We review a district court’s dismissal of a complaint under Rule 12(b)(6) de novo, and the failure to grant leave to amend for “abuse of discretion.” ATSI Commc’ns, Inc. v. Shaar Fund, Ltd., 493 F.3d 87, 98, 108 (2d Cir. 2007). The District Court held — independent of its findings as to whether Candelario’s rights were violated — that Candelario “failed to identify any policies or customs ... under which [defendants may have violated [his] rights.” Candelario, 2013 WL 1339102, at *10. We agree and, accordingly, affirm the District Court’s judgment dismissing the municipal defendants.
We further conclude that the District Court did not err by failing to grant leave to amend under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 15(a). 6 The individual defendants were dismissed, without prejudice, for improper service, which does not implicate the Complaint. And nothing in the Complaint suggests that the opportunity to re-plead would enable Candelario to state a plausible claim against the municipal defendants. Where permitting plaintiff to amend would be futile, it was not error to implicitly deny leave to replead. See, e.g., Cuoco v. Moritsugu, 222 F.3d 99, 112 (2d Cir. 2000).
CONCLUSION
We have reviewed the record and Can-delario’s arguments on appeal and find them to be without merit. For the reasons set forth above, we AFFIRM the April 3, 2012 judgment of the District Court.
. To state a claim under § 1983, a plaintiff must prove that defendants, while acting "under color of law,” deprived plaintiff of a right secured by the "Constitution and laws” of the United States. Adickes v. S.H. Kress & Co., 398 U.S. 144, 150, 174 n. 44, 90 S.Ct. 1598, 26 L.Ed.2d 142 (1970).
. Candelario also sued under § 1983 for denial of medical treatment, and brought state law claims, but consented to dismissal of the state law claims and withdrew his claim for denial of medical treatment. A142-45. He does not raise these claims on appeal, nor does he contest dismissal of the New York or Yonkers Police Departments which, as agencies of municipalities, are non-suable entities. Jenkins *18 v. City of New York, 478 F.3d 76, 93 n. 19 (2d Cir. 2007).
. The District Court dismissed non-moving defendant City of Yonkers sua sponte.
. Because we affirm on the basis of Rule 4(m) we do not consider the merits of Candelario’s claims against the individual defendants.
. Monell v. Department of Social Setvices, 436 U.S. 658, 98 S.Ct. 2018, 56 L.Ed.2d 611 (1978), established that in order to sustain a § 1983 claim against a municipality, a plaintiff must demonstrate that "the action that is alleged to be unconstitutional implements or executes a policy statement, ordinance, regulation, or decision officially adopted and promulgated by [the municipality’s] officers.” Id. at 690, 98 S.Ct. 2018. Municipal liability may also be established by showing a widespread practice of unconstitutional conduct or deliberate indifference in training municipal employees resulting in constitutional violations. See, e.g. Connick v. Thompson, - U.S.-, 131 S.Ct. 1350, 1359, 179 L.Ed.2d 417 (2011).
. Rule 15(a) provides, in relevant part, that "a party may amend its pleading only with ... the court’s leave. The court should freely give leave when justice so requires.” Fed. R.Civ.P. 15(a)(2).
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Joseph CANDELARIO, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. CITY OF NEW YORK and New York City Police Department, Et Al., Defendants-Appellees
- Cited By
- 3 cases
- Status
- Unpublished