WALSH v. VILLANO et al

Filing 4

MEMORANDUM OPINION filed. Signed by Judge Peter G. Sheridan on 5/25/2017. (km)

NOT FOR PUBLICATION
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
DISTRICT OF NEW JERSEY

JASON B. WALSH,
Civil Action No. 17-2032 (PGS) (TJB)
Plaintiff,

v.

MEMORANDUM OPINION

JUDGE BARBARA A. VILLANO, et a!.,
Defendants.

SHERIDAN, District Judge:

This matter comes before the Court on a civil rights Complaint filed by Plaintiff Jason B.
Walsh, pursuant to 42 U.S.C.

§ 1983, alleging that his constitutional rights had been violated by

Defendants. The Court previously granted Plaintiff informapauperis status. ECF No. 2. At this
time, the Court must review the Complaint to determine whether it should be dismissed as
frivolous or malicious, for failure to state a claim upon which relief may be granted, or because it
seeks monetary relief from a defendant who is immune from such relief.

See 28 U.S.C.

§

191 5(e)(2)(B).
Plaintiff’s claims are time-barred. Under New Jersey law, an action for an injury caused
by a wrongful act, neglect, or default must be commenced within two years of accrual of the cause
of action. N.J.S.A.

§ 2A:14-2; Estate ofLagano v.

Bergen Cty. Prosecutor’s Office, 769 F.3d 850,

859 (3d Cir. 2014). Federal courts look to state law to determine the limitations period for

§ 1983

actions. Wallace v. Kato, 549 U.S. 384, 387-88 (2007); Lagano, 769 F.3d at 859. Civil rights or
constitutional tort claims are best characterized as personal injury actions and are governed by the
applicable state’s statute of limitations for personal injury actions. Lagano, 769 F.3d at 859.

Accordingly, New Jersey’s two-year limitations period on personal injury actions governs
Plaintiffs claims. Id.
Here, Plaintiffs claims arose out of a criminal prosecution that occurred in the April/June
of 2004 timeframe. ECF No. I at 4. Unless the criminal prosecution lasted more than ten years,
which there is absolutely no allegation in the Complaint to support, it is simply implausible that
the criminal prosecution ended less than two years before the instant Complaint was filed. Indeed,
in a companion case Plaintiff filed with this Court on the same day, the exhibits filed in that case
show that Plaintiff was sentenced on June 21, 2004 for the alleged offense. See Walsh v. Gizinski,
No. 17-203 1, ECF No. 3 at 16 (D.N.J. filed Apr. 21, 2017). As such, Plaintiffs causes of action
arose more than 12 years ago, making his claims grossly untimely, so the Court dismisses the
Complaint with prejudice.

Peter G. Sheridan
United States District Judge

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