HomeMy WebLinkAboutLegal Correspondence 2001-7-10
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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF OREGON
PATRICIA DELONG,
, v.
CITY OF SPRINGFIELD, a
political subdivision of the State
of Oregon, and DAVID PUENT,
Plaintiff,
FILED
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Civil No. 01-6008-AA
Defendants.
JUDGMENT
This action is dismissed without prejudice,
Dated July 10, 2001.
Donald M, Cinnamond, Clerk
by
JUDGMENT
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Leslie Malley, Deputy (\
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DOCUMENT NO:
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ROBERT E. FRANZ JR.
Office of Attrrn~ys and <::ounselors Robert E. Franz Jr.
P.O. Box 62 "-..' ,".' ,', Michael O. Whitty
Springfield, Of~gon 97,1?:.~ i;iit" _ ',,' '::. .". ~': ii"" ,;' ,,:.:.~:L~rryE. Becker
Phone' ,(541)C.741-8220~""-"",,,,c..-,,.... ",'7--mr, ,,,,>,,,,., , .. .:: 'p'
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FAX: (541) 741~8234 " ~,',..'
Irternet:'_:,'rejfranz~Qwest.net Theresa L. Franz
Legal Assistant
Thursday, July 12, 2001
Ms. Meg E. Kieran
Harold Leahy & Kieran
Attorneys at Law
223 North A Street, Suite D
Springfield,OR-97477-4597
Mr. David Puent
Building Official
225 North Fifth Street
Spnngfield OR 97477 r. :i:.' ';?" ':':; '.it';,
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.', ;" . RE;, ",'Patricia, DeLong v. Citv of Sorin"field. et al.
:'::',' .:' '''; ',:l,JE!Y;d ~t~a:~~~ District Court Civil Case No. 01-60Q8;Ai\"';,'::,:.:'L
Dear M~. Kieran and~r.,p.ue~t: "''''''
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Enclosed is a copy of United States District Court Judge Ann Aiken's Order with
regard to Plaintiff's Motion for Order of Dismissal along with the Judgment
dismissing this case without prejudice.
If you should have any questions or concerns, please contact me. ,
Sincerely yours,
----7f ~
Larry E. Becker
LEB:kad
Enclosures
c: Craig L. Gibons
James R. McWilliams
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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF OREGON
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PATRICIA DELONG,
10
Plaintiff,
Civ. No. 01-6008-AA
11
v.
12
ORDER
CITY OF SPRINGFIELD, a political
13 subdivision of the State of
, Oregon, and DAVID PUENT,
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Defendants.
151
16 AIKEN, Judge:
Plaintiff moves to dismiss her complaint pursuant to Fed. R. Civ.
P. 41 (a) .
Plaintiff seeks dismissal following an order of this court
granting defendant's motion to compel plaintiff to allow inspection of
her rental property.
Apparently, plaintiff believes that compliance
with the court order will subject her to liability under the Oregon
Residential Landlord Tenant Act. The court disagrees with plaintiff's
assessment of liability; however, it is plaintiff's choice to dismiss
her complaint. Plaintiff agrees to dismiss her complaint with prejudice
if the court also dismisses "as moot" defendants' "counterclaim" for
attorney fees pursuant to 42 U.5,C. S 1988(b).
"[A] request for attorney's fees under 5 1988 raises legal issues
collateral to the main cause of action." White v. New Hamoshire Deo't
1 - OPINION AND ORDER
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'-T 'of Emolovment Securit\i, 455 U.S. 445, 451 (1982). Because ~ 1988 allO'..Js
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2 for an award of attorney's fees to a prevailing party, "the court's
3 decision of entitlement to fees will therefore require an inquiry
4 separate from the decision on the merits -- an inquiry that cannot even
5 commence until one party has 'prevailed.'" Id. at 451-52. Accordingly,
6 defendants' notice to seek attorney's fees under ~ 19S8 cannot be
characterized as a "counterclaim" which can be dismissed by the court.
The court thus construes plaintiff's motion as a motion to dismiss
without prejudice,
Defendants do not oppose plaintiff's motion.
10 f\.ccordingly, plaintiff's Motion for Order of Dismissal (doc. IS) lS
11 GRANTED. . Plaintiff's Complaint is dismissed without prejudice.
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IT IS SO ORDERED.
Dated this
Ie? day of July, 2001.
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Ann Aiken
United States District Judge
2 - OPINION AND ORDER