Brown v. Cooper et al

Filing 75

ORDER granting 34 Motion to Substitute Party. United States of America added. (Written Opinion) Signed by Magistrate Judge Becky R. Thorson on 7/10/2018. (TMM)

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
DISTRICT OF MINNESOTA

James N. Brown, Jr.,

Civ. No. 18-219 (DSD/BRT)

Plaintiff,
v.

ORDER

Associate Warden G. Cooper; Ken Hyle,
Asst. Director; Sara Revell, Regional
Director; Kathleen Kenney, Gen. Counsel;
L. LaRiva, Warden; L. Janssen, R.N.; C.
Orum, Unit Manager; FNU Sanson;
A. Cossette, Unit Manager; D. Holbus,
Lieutenant; C. Stromberg, c/o FNU Hare,
Lieutenant Peter Arroyo; Charles Slater,
MD; Sheila Hadaway, MD; Misbah Baqir,
MBBS; Mayo Clinic; M. Porter, R.N.,
Supervisor; and T. Miller, Captain;
Defendants.

The United States of America moves for an order substituting the United States as
the defendant with respect to Claim Five in the Amended Complaint in place of
Defendants G. Cooper, Ken Hyle, Kathleen Kenny, Sara Revell, L. LaRiva, C. Orum, A.
Cossette, R. Woltman, M. Porter, L. Janssen, D. Holbus, C. Stromberg, Hare, Charles
Slater, Peter Arroyo, and Sheila Hadaway (the “Federal Defendants”). No party
responded to this motion within the time allowed by the Local Rules. See Minn. L.R.
7.1(b)(2).

Claim Five of the Amended Complaint seeks a judgment for money damages and
injunctive relief under the Federal Tort Claims Act (“FTCA”). Federal employees cannot
be named in an FTCA action; instead, the United States is the proper defendant to an
FTCA claim. F.D.I.C. v. Meyer, 510 U.S. 471, 476–77 (1994); Duncan v. Dep’t of Labor,
313 F.3d 445, 447 (8th Cir. 2002). Therefore, the United States must be substituted for
the Federal Defendants with respect to Claim Five.
The Motion to Substitute the United States of America for Federal Defendants as
to Claim Five (Doc. No. 34) is GRANTED.
Dated: July 10, 2018

s/ Becky R. Thorson
BECKY R. THORSON
United States Magistrate Judge

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