Ascarie v. The County of Santa Clara et al
Filing
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Order by Magistrate Judge Virginia K. DeMarchi denying 93 Motion to Set Aside Dismissal. (vkdlc1S, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 10/7/2019)
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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
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NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
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SAN JOSE DIVISION
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MAHMOUD ASCARIE,
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Plaintiff,
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ORDER DENYING MOTION TO SET
ASIDE DISMISSAL
v.
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THE COUNTY OF SANTA CLARA, et al.,
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United States District Court
Northern District of California
Case No.16-cv-05031-VKD
Re: Dkt. No. 93
Defendants.
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Pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 60(b), pro se plaintiff Mahmoud Ascarie
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moves to set aside the stipulated dismissal of this action. Dkt. Nos. 91, 93. Defendants County of
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Santa Clara (“the County”), Jim Lanz, MaryEllen Luna, Daren Wardell, Michael Harrison, and
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Joseph Takacs oppose the motion. Dkt. No. 94. Pursuant to Civil Local Rule 7-1(b), the Court
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finds Mr. Ascarie’s motion suitable for decision without oral argument. Based on the parties’
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written submissions, the Court denies Mr. Ascarie’s motion to reopen this action.
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I.
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BACKGROUND
Mr. Ascarie filed this action on August 31, 2016 pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1983, asserting
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that defendants violated his constitutional rights to free speech, equal protection, and due process
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under the First and Fourteenth Amendments by discriminating against him based on his race in the
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process of obtaining permits for use of certain property located in Gilroy, California. Dkt. No. 1.
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The parties eventually agreed to resolve their dispute and stipulated to dismissal without prejudice
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pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 41(a)(1)(A)(ii) on September 21, 2018. Dkt. No. 90.
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Although a stipulated dismissal under Rule 41(a)(1)(A)(ii) does not require a Court order to be
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effective, the Court ordered the action dismissed. Dkt. No. 91.
On August 19, 2019, nearly a year later, Mr. Ascarie filed a motion to set aside the
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stipulated dismissal. Dkt. No. 93.
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II.
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DISCUSSION
“Rule 60(b) allows a party to seek relief from a final judgment, and request reopening of
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his case, under a limited set of circumstances . . . .” Gonzalez v. Crosby, 545 U.S. 524, 528
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(2005). Like Rule 59(e), Rule 60(b) relief is extraordinary and will not apply to a showing which
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does not justify its application. See Stevens v. ITT Sys., Inc., 868 F.2d 1040, 1041 n.1 (9th Cir.
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1989). “Motions for relief from judgment pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 60(b) are
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committed to the sound discretion of the trial judge.” Blair v. Shanahan, 38 F.3d 1514, 1518 (9th
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United States District Court
Northern District of California
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Cir. 1994) (citation omitted).
The Court construes Mr. Ascarie’s motion as one brought pursuant to Rule 60(b)(1), as he
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cites “mistake, inadvertence, excusable neglect . . . [and] surprise[]” as the basis for setting aside
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the dismissal of the action. Dkt. No. 93 at 2. Mr. Ascarie asserts that the mistake that occurred
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was his decision to “trust[] defendants.” Id. The remainder of his motion consists primarily of
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descriptions of Mr. Ascarie’s attempts to seek new permits and resolve past violations, and what
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he perceives as uncooperative and retaliatory behavior from the County and its employees. Id. at
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2–3. That Mr. Ascarie now regrets having dismissed his case is not sufficient mistake,
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inadvertence, surprise, or excusable neglect for setting aside the dismissal. Fuchs v. State Farm
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Gen. Ins. Co., 765 F. App’x 223, 224 (9th Cir. 2019) (“A party’s regret is not the type of ‘mistake’
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that provides relief under Rule 60(b)(1).”).
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Alternatively, Mr. Ascarie seeks to amend the claims in the dismissed action to include
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new allegations related to new permits and the potential demolition of buildings on the property.
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Defendants dispute a number of Mr. Ascarie’s new allegations and assert that he lacks standing
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because he is not the legal owner of the property at issue or that owner’s agent. Dkt. No. 94 at 4.
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Additionally, defendants assert that the property is now the subject of an ongoing action in
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California state court that the County filed concerning state law, ordinance code, and zoning
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ordinance violations. Dkt. No. 94, Ex. B. Mr. Ascarie filed two submissions in reply to
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defendants’ opposition brief, and he did not dispute those facts in either of those submissions.
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Dkt. Nos. 95, 96.
As explained above, Mr. Ascarie has identified no proper basis to reopen this action,
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whether to pursue his original claims or to amend those claims. Moreover, his motion recites
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allegations that appear to concern state or local permits and alleged violations and other matters
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that involve state and local law, including matters that may already be the subject of an existing
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state court proceeding. In any event, the dismissed action is not the appropriate vehicle for Mr.
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Ascarie to seek relief as to these matters. Instead, he may initiate a new action in the appropriate
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forum with jurisdiction over his claims.
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III.
For the foregoing reasons, Mr. Ascarie’s Rule 60(b) motion for relief from judgment is
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United States District Court
Northern District of California
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CONCLUSION
denied.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
Dated: October 7, 2019
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VIRGINIA K. DEMARCHI
United States Magistrate Judge
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