QUEEN v. CEDARBROOK CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION, INC.
Filing
7
OPINION. Signed by Judge Susan D. Wigenton on 2/24/2015. (ld, )
NOT FOR PUBLICATION
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF NEW JERSEY
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
BARBARA QUEEN,
Plaintiff,
v.
CEDARBROOK CONDOMINIUM
ASSOCIATION, INC.,
Defendant.
Civil Action No. 14-6393
OPINION
February 24, 2015
WIGENTON, District Judge.
Before this Court is the motion of Defendant Cedarbrook Condominium Association Inc.
(“Cedarbrook” or “Defendant”) to dismiss the Complaint of pro se Plaintiff Barbara Queen
(“Plaintiff”), or in the alternative, for summary judgment pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil
Procedure 56 (“Motion”).
This Court has jurisdiction over this action pursuant to 28 U.S.C § 1332. Venue is proper
pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1391. This motion is decided without oral argument pursuant to Federal
Rule of Civil Procedure 78.
For the reasons set forth below, this Court GRANTS the Defendant’s Motion.
I.
FACTUAL HISTORY
Plaintiff is a seventy-eight (78) year old retired schoolteacher. (Compl. ¶ 8.) Plaintiff
brings this instant action regarding a matter that was adjudicated in the State Court of New Jersey
under Docket Number DC-8183-09; DJ-81889-11 and L-006057-12. (Defendant’s Statement of
Facts (“Def.’s SOF”) ¶1).
1
In 2009, Cedarbrook filed an action against Plaintiff in Morris County Superior Court,
alleging failure to pay certain condominium fees. (Defendant’s Brief in Support of Motion for
Summary Judgment (“Def.’s Br.”), 2.) On November 8, 2010, the Superior Court of New Jersey
entered a judgment in favor of Cedarbrook, in the sum of $15,057.00. (Def.’s SOF ¶2-3.) On or
about October 12, 2011, a levy was placed on Plaintiff’s TD Bank Account in the amount of
$15,530.29. (Id. at ¶4; Dkt. No. 1, Compl. ¶ 15.)
On January 16, 2013, the state court granted Defendant’s Motion for the Turnover of
Funds. (Def.’s SOF at ¶5.) On June 7, 2013, Plaintiff filed a Motion for Hardship and Release of
Exempt Funds Levied, which was denied. (Id. at ¶6.) On July 7, 2013, Plaintiff filed a Motion for
Reconsideration of the trial court’s decision denying her Motion for Hardship. (Id. at ¶ 7.) On
July 26, 2013, the Motion for Reconsideration was denied. (Id. at ¶ 8.)
By August 5, 2013, Plaintiff filed an appeal with the Appellate Division. 1 (Def.’s Cert.,
Exs. A, B.) On June 9, 2014, Plaintiff’s appeal request was denied due to her failure to submit
transcripts. (Def.’s Cert., Ex. B.) On October 14, 2014, Plaintiff filed the instant action before this
federal Court in the District of New Jersey. (Dkt. No. 1, Compl.) Plaintiff’s Complaint includes
the following claims: violation of the Social Security Act, Section 205(c)(2), 207 (Count One);
violation of the New Jersey Exemptions to Levy (with funds exempt under Internal Revenue Code
26 U.S.C. § 401(A)(13) and Social Security Act, Section 205) (Count Two); violation of Internal
Revenue Code 26 U.S.C. § 401(A)(13) (Count Three); and violation of the State of New Jersey
Department of Treasury, Division of Benefits and Annuity Funds Rules (Count Four). (See
Compl.)
1
The exact date that Plaintiff filed her appeal is unclear in the filings. (Def.’s Cert., Exs. A, B.)
2
On November 26, 2014, Defendant filed the instant Motion to dismiss Plaintiff’s
Complaint. (Dkt. No. 3.) On December 16, 2014, Plaintiff filed opposition, and on December 22,
2014, Defendant filed its reply. (Dkt. Nos. 4, 6.)
II.
LEGAL STANDARD
Motion to Dismiss or in the Alternative Summary Judgment
In considering a Motion to Dismiss under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6), the
court must “‘accept all factual allegations as true, construe the complaint in the light most favorable
to the plaintiff, and determine whether, under any reasonable reading of the complaint, the plaintiff
may be entitled to relief.”’ Phillips v. Cnty. of Allegheny, 515 F.3d 224, 231 (3d Cir. 2008) (quoting
Pinker v. Roche Holdings Ltd., 292 F.3d 361, 374 n.7 (3d Cir. 2002)). However, “the tenet that a
court must accept as true all of the allegations contained in a complaint is inapplicable to legal
conclusions. Threadbare recitals of the elements of a cause of action, supported by mere conclusory
statements, do not suffice.” Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678 (2009) (citing Twombly, 550 U.S.
at 555). If the “well-pleaded facts do not permit the court to infer more than the mere possibility
of misconduct,” the complaint should be dismissed for failing to show “‘that the pleader is entitled
to relief’” as required by Rule 8(a)(2). Id. at 679 (quoting Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a)(2)).
According to the Supreme Court in Twombly, “[w]hile a complaint attacked by a Rule
12(b)(6) motion to dismiss does not need detailed factual allegations, a plaintiff’s obligation to
provide the ‘grounds’ of his ‘entitle[ment] to relief’ requires more than labels and conclusions, and
a formulaic recitation of the elements of a cause of action will not do.” 550 U.S. at 555 (second
alteration in original) (internal citations omitted) (quoting Papasan v. Allain, 478 U.S. 265, 286
(1986)). The Third Circuit summarized the Twombly pleading standard as follows: “‘stating . . . a
3
claim requires a complaint with enough factual matter (taken as true) to suggest’ the required
element.” Phillips, 515 F.3d at 234 (alterations in original) (quoting Twombly, 550 U.S. at 556).
Pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(d) “[i]f, on a motion under Rule 12(b)(6)
or 12(c), matters outside the pleadings are presented to and not excluded by the court, the motion
must be treated as one for summary judgment under Rule 56. All parties must be given a
reasonable opportunity to present all the material that is pertinent to the motion.” Fed. R. Civ. P.
12(d).
Summary judgment is appropriate where the movant establishes that “there is no genuine
dispute as to any material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Fed. R.
Civ. P. 56(a). The moving party must show that if the evidentiary material of record were reduced
to admissible evidence in court, it would be insufficient to permit the nonmoving party to carry its
burden of proof. Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 322-23 (1986). Once the moving party
meets its initial burden, the burden then shifts to the nonmovant who must set forth specific facts
showing a genuine issue for trial and may not rest upon the mere allegations, speculations,
unsupported assertions or denials of its pleadings. Shields v. Zuccarini, 254 F.3d 476, 481 (3d Cir.
2001). “In considering a motion for summary judgment, a district court may not make credibility
determinations or engage in any weighing of the evidence; instead, the non-moving party’s
evidence ‘is to be believed and all justifiable inferences are to be drawn in his favor.’” Marino v.
Indus. Crating Co., 358 F.3d 241, 247 (3d Cir. 2004) (quoting Anderson, 477 U.S. at 255).
III.
DISCUSSION
This Court will address this Motion as a motion to dismiss. An overview of the arguments
presented and the applicable legal standards are provided below.
4
Res Judicata
Res judicata, or “claim preclusion”, applies when there has been “(1) a final judgment on
the merits in a prior suit; (2) involving the same parties or their privies; and (3) a subsequent suit
based on the same cause of action.” Elkadrawy v. Vanguard Group, Inc., 584 F.3d 169, 172-73
(3d Cir.2009) (citation omitted). Claim preclusion “bars a party from initiating a second suit
against the same adversary based on the same ‘cause of action’ as the first suit.” Duhaney v. Att'y
Gen. of U.S., 621 F.3d 340, 347 (3d Cir.2010); Sheridan v. NGK Metals Corp., 609 F.3d 239, 260
(3d Cir.2010).
Collateral Estoppel
Dismissal under the doctrine of collateral estoppel is appropriate where: “ ‘(1) the issue
sought to be precluded [is] the same as that involved in the prior action, (2) that issue [was] actually
litigated; (3) it [was] determined by a final and valid judgment; and (4) the determination [was]
essential to the prior judgment.’ ” Leyse v. Bank of America, Nat. Ass’n, 538 Fed.Appx. 156, 15859 (3d Cir. 2013) (citing Nat’l R.R. Passenger Corp. v. Pa. Pub. Util. Comm’n, 288 F.3d 519, 525
(3d Cir.2002); Burlington N. R.R. Co. v. Hyundai Merch. Marine, 63 F.3d 1227, 1231–32 (3d
Cir.1995))).
Entire Controversy Doctrine
“The entire controversy doctrine ‘embodies the principle that the adjudication of a legal
controversy should occur in one litigation in only one court....’” Arab African Intern. Bank v.
Epstein, 10 F.3d 168, (3d Cir. 1993) (citing Cogdell v. Hospital Center at Orange, 116 N.J. 7, 560
A.2d 1169, 1172 (1989)).
5
Analysis
In the instant matter, judgment was entered by the state court for $15,057.00. (Def.’s SOF
¶2-3). As noted above, Plaintiff appealed the state action and when it was not resolved in her
favor, she proceeded with the matter before this Court with essentially the same defenses and
arguments. (See, e.g., Def.’s Cert., Ex. A.) Even considering the facts in the light most favorable
to Plaintiff, she has not set forth a basis for which she may be entitled to relief from this Court.
See generally Phillips, 515 F.3d. at 231. As such, dismissal of this matter is appropriate.
This scenario demonstrates the circumstances that res judicata and the collateral estoppel
doctrines were intended to address. Plaintiff’s claims before this Court are the same as in the state
matter and the issues were already litigated. Plaintiff asserts that she has limited income and funds,
as well as social security income and a pension that should be protected. For those primary
reasons, she has asked that the state court decision be overturned. Plaintiff’s unsupported assertion
that she has not been given “full and fair opportunity to be heard (submit evidence) on the levy of
the exempt funds” is not sufficient to maintain this action. (See Pl.’s Opp’n 5.) Similarly,
Plaintiff’s claims that her “issues were raised but never heard by any New Jersey court and no final
judgment has been rendered” are not supported by Plaintiff’s own papers.
To the extent that any specific related issue was not raised in the state court, it appears that
the entire controversy doctrine would apply. The entire controversy doctrine “requires adversaries
to join all possible claims stemming from an event or series of events in one suit”, and the issues
in this matter all could have been (and were) raised in the prior state matter. See Paramount
Aviation Corp. v. Agusta, 178 F.3d 132 (3d Cir. 1999). As such, the motion to dismiss will be
granted.
6
IV.
CONCLUSION
For the reasons set forth above, Defendants’ Motion is GRANTED. An order consistent
with this opinion follows.
s/ Susan D. Wigenton, U.S.D.J.
Orig: Clerk
cc:
Parties
Magistrate Judge Mannion
7
Disclaimer: Justia Dockets & Filings provides public litigation records from the federal appellate and district courts. These filings and docket sheets should not be considered findings of fact or liability, nor do they necessarily reflect the view of Justia.
Why Is My Information Online?