Brown et al v. Muskegon, City of et al

Filing 34

MEMORANDUM OPINION; Order to issue; signed by Judge Janet T. Neff (Judge Janet T. Neff, rmw)

81,7(' 67$7(6 ',675,&7 &2857
:(67(51 ',675,&7 2) 0,&+,*$1
6287+(51 ',9,6,21
'25,6 %52:1 individually and
as Personal Representative of the
Estate of Ja'colby Duran Brown,
decedent HW DO
3ODLQWLIIV

&DVH 1R FY

Y

+21 -$1(7 7 1())

&,7< 2) 086.(*21 HW DO
'HIHQGDQWV
BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB
0(025$1'80 23,1,21
3ODLQWLIIV ILOHG WKLV ZURQJIXO GHDWK DFWLRQ WR UHFRYHU GDPDJHV DJDLQVW YDULRXV 'HIHQGDQWV IRU
WKH GHDWKV RI 3ODLQWLIIV¶ GHFHGHQWV -D¶&RE\ 'XUDQ %URZQ DQG 'XSUHH -DPDU -RKQVRQ ZKR ZHUH
DOOHJHGO\ VKRW E\ 'HIHQGDQW -DPDO 4XLQQH\ ZKLOH DWWHQGLQJ DQ HYHQW DW DQ (ONV /RGJH ZKHUH WKH
(ONV QHJOLJHQWO\ DOORZHG XQGHUDJH PLQRU SDWURQV WR SXUFKDVH DQGRU FRQVXPH DOFRKROLF EHYHUDJHV
3HQGLQJ EHIRUH WKH &RXUW LV D 0RWLRQ 6HHNLQJ WR 6HW $VLGH 'HIDXOW XQGHU )(' 5 &,9 3 F 'NW
 E\ 'HIHQGDQWV &LW\ RI 0XVNHJRQ 3XEOLF 6DIHW\ 'LUHFWRU -HIIUH\ /HZLV DQG &LW\ &OHUN $QQ
0DULH &XPPLQJV ³0XQLFLSDO 'HIHQGDQWV´ 3ODLQWLIIV KDYH ILOHG D 5HVSRQVH LQ RSSRVLWLRQ 'NW
 DQG WKH 0XQLFLSDO 'HIHQGDQWV KDYH ILOHG D 5HSO\ 'NW  7KH 0RWLRQ WR 6HW $VLGH 'HIDXOW
LV SURSHUO\ JUDQWHG
)HGHUDO 5XOH RI &LYLO 3URFHGXUH F SURYLGHV WKDW ³>W@KH FRXUW PD\ VHW DVLGH DQ HQWU\ RI
GHIDXOW IRU JRRG FDXVH «´ ,Q DSSO\LQJ 5XOH F WKH 6L[WK &LUFXLW &RXUW RI $SSHDOV KDV QRWHG



(ONV ,%32( RI : &KDULW\ /RGJH 

LW LV LPSRUWDQW WR GLVWLQJXLVK EHWZHHQ VHWWLQJ DVLGH GHIDXOWV DQG GHIDXOW MXGJPHQWV ZLWK WKH IRUPHU
EHLQJ JUDQWHG PRUH OLEHUDOO\ United States v. Real Property & All Furnishings Known as Bridwell’s
Grocery & Video  )G   WK &LU  ³Real Property´ $ ³GLVWULFW FRXUW HQMR\V
FRQVLGHUDEOH ODWLWXGH XQGHU WKH µJRRG FDXVH VKRZQ¶ VWDQGDUG RI 5XOH F WR JUDQW D GHIHQGDQW UHOLHI
IURP D GHIDXOW HQWU\´ Id. FLWDWLRQV DQG LQWHUQDO TXRWDWLRQV RPLWWHG ,Q IDFW WKH 6L[WK &LUFXLW KDV
³LQGLFDWHG D µVWURQJ SUHIHUHQFH IRU WULDOV RQ WKH PHULWV¶´ Id. TXRWLQJ Shepard Claims Serv., Inc.
v. William Darrah & Assoc.,  )G   WK &LU 
7KUHH HTXLWDEOH IDFWRUV DUH FRQVLGHUHG LQ GHWHUPLQLQJ ZKHWKHU ³JRRG FDXVH´ KDV EHHQ VKRZQ
WR VHW DVLGH HQWU\ RI D GHIDXOW ³µ ZKHWKHU FXOSDEOH FRQGXFW RI WKH GHIHQGDQW OHG WR WKH GHIDXOW
 ZKHWKHU WKH GHIHQGDQW KDV D PHULWRULRXV GHIHQVH DQG  ZKHWKHU WKH SODLQWLII ZLOO EH
SUHMXGLFHG¶´ Burrell v. Henderson  )G   WK &LU  TXRWLQJ Waifersong, Ltd.
v. Classic Music Vending,  )G   WK &LU  FLWDWLRQ RPLWWHG see also O.J.
Distrib., Inc. v. Hornell Brewing Co., Inc.  )G   Q WK &LU  ³µ7R EH WUHDWHG
DV FXOSDEOH WKH FRQGXFW RI D GHIHQGDQW PXVW GLVSOD\ HLWKHU DQ LQWHQW WR WKZDUW MXGLFLDO SURFHHGLQJV
RU D UHFNOHVV GLVUHJDUG IRU WKH HIIHFW RI LWV FRQGXFW RQ WKRVH SURFHHGLQJV¶´ Dassault Systemes, SA
v. Childress  )G   WK &LU  TXRWLQJ Shepard Claims  )G DW  ³>$@
GLVWULFW FRXUW DEXVHV LWV GLVFUHWLRQ LQ GHQ\LQJ D PRWLRQ WR VHW DVLGH DQ HQWU\ RI GHIDXOW ZKHQ WZR RI
WKH WKUHH IDFWRUV KDYH EHHQ GHPRQVWUDWHG E\ WKH GHIHQGDQW WKH GHIHQGDQW KDG D PHULWRULRXV GHIHQVH
DQG QR SUHMXGLFH ZRXOG UHVXOW WR WKH SODLQWLII LI WKH PDWWHU ZHUH WR JR IRUZDUG´ O.J. Distrib., 
)G DW  see also United States v. $22,050.00 U.S. Currency  )G   WK &LU 



7KH WHVW LV DOVR VWDWHG DV ZKHWKHU ³µ WKH GHIDXOW ZDV ZLOOIXO  VHWDVLGH ZRXOG
SUHMXGLFH SODLQWLII DQG  WKH DOOHJHG GHIHQVH ZDV PHULWRULRXV¶´ O.J. Distrib.,  )G DW 
FLWDWLRQV DQG TXRWDWLRQV RPLWWHG


+HUH WKH IDFWRUV VXSSRUW VHWWLQJ DVLGH WKH GHIDXOWV DJDLQVW WKH 0XQLFLSDO 'HIHQGDQWV IRU WKH
UHDVRQV DUJXHG 7KH &RXUW LV SHUVXDGHG WKDW 'HIHQGDQWV¶ GHIDXOW ZDV LQDGYHUWHQW WKHVH 'HIHQGDQWV
KDYH D PHULWRULRXV GHIHQVH DQG VHWWLQJ DVLGH WKH GHIDXOWV ZLOO QRW XQGXO\ SUHMXGLFH 3ODLQWLIIV
3ODLQWLIIV LQLWLDWHG WKLV DFWLRQ ZLWK WKH ILOLQJ RI D &RPSODLQW RQ 6HSWHPEHU   :LWKRXW
VHUYLQJ DQ\ 'HIHQGDQW 3ODLQWLIIV ILOHG WKHLU )LUVW $PHQGHG &RPSODLQW RQ 6HSWHPEHU  
)ROORZLQJ D 1RWLFH RI ,PSHQGLQJ 'LVPLVVDO IURP WKLV &RXUW 3ODLQWLIIV ILOHG WKHLU 6HFRQG $PHQGHG
&RPSODLQW RQ 'HFHPEHU   6HUYLFH E\ PDLO XSRQ WKH 0XQLFLSDO 'HIHQGDQWV RFFXUUHG GXULQJ
WKH &KULVWPDV KROLGD\ SHULRG 'HIHQGDQWV VWDWH WKH\ GR QRW XQGHUWDNH WKHLU RZQ GHIHQVH LQ FDVHV
VXFK DV WKLV EXW UDWKHU WKH ODZVXLW GRFXPHQWV DUH IRUZDUGHG WR WKH 0LFKLJDQ 0XQLFLSDO 5LVN
0DQDJHPHQW $XWKRULW\ ZKLFK WKHQ UHWDLQV FRXQVHO RQ WKH 'HIHQGDQWV¶ EHKDOI 'HIHQGDQWV
DFNQRZOHGJH WKDW LQ WKLV FDVH WKH FRQILUPDWLRQ RI VHUYLFH ZDV VLPSO\ QRW FRPPXQLFDWHG WR GHIHQVH
FRXQVHO
7KHVH FLUFXPVWDQFHV UHIOHFW QR FXOSDEOH FRQGXFW RQ 'HIHQGDQWV¶ SDUW LH ³µHLWKHU DQ LQWHQW
WR WKZDUW MXGLFLDO SURFHHGLQJV RU D UHFNOHVV GLVUHJDUG IRU WKH HIIHFW RI LWV FRQGXFW RQ WKRVH
SURFHHGLQJV¶´ Dassault Systemes S.A.  )G DW  FLWDWLRQ RPLWWHG )XUWKHU VHWWLQJ DVLGH
WKH GHIDXOWV ZLOO QRW UHVXOW LQ DQ\ XQGXH ³GHOD\´ RU DQ\ ³SUHMXGLFH´ 7KH GHIDXOWV DJDLQVW 'HIHQGDQWV
&LW\ RI 0XVNHJRQ DQG -HIIUH\ /HZLV ZHUH HQWHUHG E\ WKH &RXUW RQ -DQXDU\   WKH GHIDXOW
DJDLQVW 'HIHQGDQW $QQ 0DULH &XPPLQJV ZDV HQWHUHG -DQXDU\   DQG 'HIHQGDQWV PRYHG WR
VHW DVLGH DOO WKUHH GHIDXOWV WKDW VDPH GD\ 'NW 
)LQDOO\ 3ODLQWLIIV SUHPLVH WKH 0XQLFLSDO 'HIHQGDQWV¶ OLDELOLW\ RQ DOOHJDWLRQV WKDW WKH\ ³FRXOG
KDYH DQG VKRXOG KDYH´ UHTXHVWHG WKH 0LFKLJDQ /LTXRU &RQWURO &RPPLVVLRQ WR UHYRNH WKH (ONV¶
OLFHQVH WR VHOO DOFRKROLF EHYHUDJHV DQG WKHPVHOYHV ³FRXOG KDYH DQG VKRXOG KDYH´ UHYRNHG WKH (ONV¶



³EXVLQHVV FHUWLILFDWH RI UHJLVWUDWLRQ´ EHIRUH WKH HYHQW DW ZKLFK WKH 3ODLQWLIIV¶ GHFHGHQWV ZHUH VKRW
'NW  DW 3DJH,' $GGLWLRQDOO\ WKH 0XQLFLSDO 'HIHQGDQWV VKRXOG KDYH KDG ODZ
HQIRUFHPHQW ³YLVXDOO\ RU SK\VLFDOO\´ SUHVHQW RXWVLGH RU QHDU WKH (ONV /RGJH DW WKH WLPH RI WKH
VKRRWLQJ DQG VKRXOG KDYH WDNHQ QXPHURXV RWKHU DFWLRQV JLYHQ WKH KLVWRU\ RI FRGH YLRODWLRQV
FRPSODLQWV DQG YLROHQFH DW WKH /RGJH id. DW 3DJH,' +RZHYHU WKH 0XQLFLSDO 'HIHQGDQWV
KDYH VHW IRUWK PHULWRULRXV GHIHQVHV LQFOXGLQJ LPPXQLW\ WR DOO RI 3ODLQWLIIV¶ FODLPV 0RUHRYHU WKH\
UDLVH D TXHVWLRQ ZKHWKHU 3ODLQWLIIV KDYH VWDWHG D FRJQL]DEOH VWDWHODZ FODLP DJDLQVW WKH &LW\ RI
0XVNHJRQ XQGHU 0LFKLJDQ ODZ 7KH 0XQLFLSDO 'HIHQGDQWV KDYH PDGH WKH UHTXLVLWH VKRZLQJ IRU
VHWWLQJ DVLGH WKH GHIDXOWV
3ODLQWLIIV VWURQJO\ RSSRVH VHWWLQJ DVLGH WKH GHIDXOWV

7KH\ VWDWH WKDW WKH 0XQLFLSDO

'HIHQGDQWV ZHUH RU VKRXOG KDYH EHHQ ZHOODZDUH RI WKH ILOLQJ RI WKLV ODZVXLW IURP PHGLD UHSRUWV
DQG 'HIHQGDQWV SUHVHQW ³PHUH FRQFOXVRU\ DQGRU KLJKO\ VXVSLFLRXV DQG XQYHULILHG H[FXVHV´ IRU
IDLOLQJ WR WLPHO\ UHVSRQG WR 3ODLQWLIIV¶ 6HFRQG $PHQGHG &RPSODLQW 'NW  DW 3DJH,' 7KH\
DUJXH WKDW ³H[FXVLQJ WKH 'HIHQGDQWV¶ GHIDXOW ZLOO OHDG WR LQFUHDVHG GLIILFXOWLHV LQ GLVFRYHU >VLF@ DQG
JUHDWHU RSSRUWXQLWLHV IRU IUDXG DQG FROOXVLRQ´ id. DW 3DJH,' 3ODLQWLIIV¶ DUJXPHQWV SURYLGH QR
SHUVXDVLYH EDVLV IRU GLVUHJDUGLQJ WKH ZHOOHVWDEOLVKHG OHJDO VWDQGDUGV WKDW IDYRU D GHFLVLRQ RQ WKH
PHULWV ZKHUH WKH UHOHYDQW IDFWRUV IRU VHWWLQJ DVLGH WKH GHIDXOWV DUH PHW DV KHUH
'HIHQGDQWV¶ 0RWLRQ WR 6HW $VLGH 'HIDXOW LV SURSHUO\ JUDQWHG $Q 2UGHU ZLOO HQWHU FRQVLVWHQW
ZLWK WKLV 0HPRUDQGXP 2SLQLRQ

'DWHG $SULO 14 

/s/ Janet T. Neff
-$1(7 7 1())
8QLWHG 6WDWHV 'LVWULFW -XGJH