Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
Document Info
DocketNumber: 02-5365
Filed Date: 6/5/2003
Status: Precedential
Modified Date: 9/22/2015
-
5(&200(1'(' )25 )8//7(;7 38%/,&$7,21 3XUVXDQW WR 6L[WK &LUFXLW 5XOH 8QLWHG6WDWHVY.ROOH\ 1R (/(&7521,& &,7$7,21 )(' $SS 3 WK &LU )LOH 1DPH DS BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB 23,1,21 81,7('67$7(6&28572)$33($/6 BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB )257+(6,;7+&,5&8,7 s8/,$ 60,7+ *,%%216 &LUFXLW sXGJH 'HIHQGDQW BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB DSSHOODQW s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jVFRQYLFWLRQDQG s()) /(( .2//( L@IDOOIRXUFDVWSULPHUV .HQWXFN\6WDWH3ROLFHWHVWLILHGWKDWH[WUDFWLRQRUUHGXFWLRQRI ZHUH XVHG DQG WKH\ ZHUH LQLWLDWHG RII LW ZRXOG GR VHYHUH HSKHGULQH LV WKH ILUVW VWHS LQ WKH SURFHVV RI PDQXIDFWXULQJ GDPDJHRUOHYHOWKHPRELOHKRPHl$FFRUGLQJWRWKH%XUHDX PHWKDPSKHWDPLQH$WWULDOWKHJRYHUQPHQWDOVRHQWHUHGLQWR RI$OFRKRO7REDFFRDQG)LUHDUPVDQGWKH1DWLRQDO)LUHDUPV HYLGHQFHZULWWHQJULHYDQFHVILOHGE\.ROOH\ZKLOHLQ+DUGLQ 5HJLVWUDWLRQ 7UDQVIHU RI 5HFRUG QHLWKHU s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sHVVLFD 3ULFH WHVWLILHG WKDW RQ 2Q 0DUFK WKH GLVWULFW FRXUW FRQGXFWHG D $XJXVWVKHKDGYLVLWHGWKH.ROOH\UHVLGHQFHZLWKKHU VHQWHQFLQJKHDULQJ$WWKHKHDULQJWKHFRXUWFRQFOXGHGWKDW IDWKHU'DYLG3ULFHDQGKDGREVHUYHGmVWXIIEHLQJFRRNHGl .ROOH\jV SRVVHVVLRQ RI WKH XQUHJLVWHUHG GHVWUXFWLYH GHYLFH 6KH GHVFULEHG ZKDW VKH VDZ DV mPHWKl DQG DGGHG WKDW VKH ZDVmLQFRQQHFWLRQZLWKDQRWKHUIHORQ\RIIHQVHlDQGWKDWD mNQHZLWZDVQjWIRRGRUDQ\WKLQJOLNHWKDW,WVPHOOHGOLNH IRXUOHYHO HQKDQFHPHQW XQGHU .E RI WKH 8QLWHG FKHPLFDOVl6KHDOVRWHVWLILHGWKDWVKHGLGQjWNQRZH[DFWO\ 6WDWHV6HQWHQFLQJ*XLGHOLQHVZDVDSSURSULDWH3XUVXDQWWR ZKDWWKHVXEVWDQFHZDVDQGWKDWVKHGLGQjWNQRZWKHFKHPLFDO WKLVGHWHUPLQDWLRQ.ROOH\UHFHLYHGDWRWDOVHQWHQFHRI FRPSRVLWLRQRIPHWKDPSKHWDPLQH PRQWKVLQSULVRQ2Q0DUFK.ROOH\ILOHGKLVQRWLFH RIDSSHDO ,QDGGLWLRQWRWKHLWHPVSUHYLRXVO\GHVFULEHGRIILFHUVDOVR GLVFRYHUHG VHYHUDO PDULMXDQD SODQWV LQ D SRW RQ WRS RI WKH ,, UHIULJHUDWRULQWKHPRELOHKRPH$PDULMXDQDSODQWZDVIRXQG LQWKHEDFN\DUGRIWKHWUDLOHUDQGKLJKSUHVVXUHVRGLXPOLJKWV $ FRPPRQO\XVHGLQWKHPDQXIDFWXUHRIPDULMXDQDZHUHIRXQG LQ WKH FUDZO VSDFH XQGHUQHDWK WKH WUDLOHU $ SDSHU EDJ .ROOH\DVVHUWVWKDWWKHJRYHUQPHQWSUHVHQWHGLQVXIILFLHQW FRQWDLQLQJPDULMXDQDZDVUHFRYHUHGIURPEHKLQGWKHFRXFKLQ HYLGHQFH WR VXVWDLQ KLV FRQYLFWLRQ XQGHU 86& WKH OLYLQJURRPRIWKHPRELOHKRPH0RUHPDULMXDQDDQG D. +RZHYHU.ROOH\FRQFHGHVWKDWmKHFDQQRWSURYH PDULMXDQD VHHGV ZHUH IRXQG LQ WKH EHGURRP RI WKH PRELOH WKDW KLV WULDO DWWRUQH\ UHQHZHG KHU PRWLRQ IRU MXGJPHQW RI KRPH DFTXLWWDO DQG KH DJUHHV ZLWK WKH JRYHUQPHQW WKDW WKH µPDQLIHVW PLVFDUULDJH RI MXVWLFHj VWDQGDUG JRYHUQV KLV :KLOHFRQGXFWLQJWKHLUVHDUFKRIILFHUVDOVRFDPHDFURVVD FKDOOHQJH WR WKH VXIILFLHQF\ RI WKH HYLGHQFHl $EVHQW D GXIIOHEDJRQWKHWRSVKHOIRIWKHFORVHWLQWKHEHGURRP7KH PDQLIHVWPLVFDUULDJHRIMXVWLFH.ROOH\jVIDLOXUHWRUHQHZKLV FORVHWGLGQRWKDYHDGRRURUDFXUWDLQ8SRQH[DPLQDWLRQ PRWLRQLVDZDLYHURIWKHULJKWWRFKDOOHQJHWKHVXIILFLHQF\RI WKH GXIIOH EDJ ZDV IRXQG WR FRQWDLQ VHSDUDWH SODVWLF EDJV ZUDSSHG LQ GXFW WDSH 7KH SODVWLF EDJV FRQWDLQHG HOHFWULF EODVWLQJFDSVIRXUH[SORVLYHVWLFNVRUmFDVWSULPHUVlIURP .ROOH\ DOVR ZDV LQGLFWHG RQ RQH FRXQW RI SRVVHVVLRQ RI D ILUHDUP E\ ZKLFK WKH GDWH VKLSSHG FRGH KDG EHHQ PDUNHG RXW DQG D D FRQYLFWHG IHORQ LQ YLRODWLRQ RI 86& J EXW WKDW FKDUJH ZDV ODWHU VHYHUHG IURP WKH RWKHU WZR FRXQWV RI WKH LQGLFWPHQW 1R 8QLWHG6WDWHVY.ROOH\ 8QLWHG6WDWHVY.ROOH\ 1R WKHHYLGHQFHRQDSSHDO8QLWHG6WDWHVY0RUURZ)G DQ\ILUHDUPRUDPPXQLWLRQLQFRQQHFWLRQZLWKDQRWKHUIHORQ\ WK&LU6LQFHQRPDQLIHVWPLVFDUULDJHRI RIIHQVHl 7KH WHUP mILUHDUPl LV GHILQHG E\ ' MXVWLFHRFFXUUHGKHUH.ROOH\jVFODLPLVEDUUHG DSSOLFDWLRQQRWHWRLQFOXGHDGHVWUXFWLYHGHYLFH%HFDXVH .ROOH\ REMHFWHG WR WKH UHFRPPHQGDWLRQ RI WKH SUHVHQWHQFH 0RUHRYHU HYHQ LI WKH FRXUW ZHUH WR FRQVLGHU .ROOH\jV LQYHVWLJDWLRQUHSRUWWKDW.DSSO\WKHGLVWULFWFRXUWZDV FKDOOHQJHWRWKHVXIILFLHQF\RIWKHHYLGHQFHWKHJRYHUQPHQW UHTXLUHG WR PDNH ILQGLQJV RI IDFW LQ RUGHU WR GHWHUPLQH LQWURGXFHGDPSOHHYLGHQFHIURPZKLFKWKHMXU\FRXOGLQIHU ZKHWKHURUQRWWKLVJXLGHOLQHLVDSSOLFDEOHWRKLVVHQWHQFH WKDW .ROOH\ PDQXIDFWXUHG PHWKDPSKHWDPLQH :KHQ 6HH )HG 5 &ULP 3 L $IWHU KHDULQJ .ROOH\jV UHYLHZLQJDFKDOOHQJHWRWKHVXIILFLHQF\RIWKHHYLGHQFHWKLV DUJXPHQWFRQWHVWLQJWKHDSSOLFDWLRQRI.WKHGLVWULFW FRXUWPXVWQRWmZHLJKWKHHYLGHQFHSUHVHQWHGFRQVLGHUWKH FRXUWRYHUUXOHGKLVREMHFWLRQV7KHGLVWULFWFRXUWREVHUYHG FUHGLELOLW\RIZLWQHVVHVRUVXEVWLWXWHRXUMXGJPHQWIRUWKDWRI WKDW mWKH GHVWUXFWLYH GHYLFH ZDV LQ WKH FORVHW VKHOI RI WKH WKHMXU\l8QLWHG6WDWHVY'DYLV)GWK&LU FORVHWLQWKHEHGURRPlDQGmZDVUHDGLO\VHHQE\WKHRIILFHUV ,QVWHDGWKLVFRXUWPXVWmGHWHUPLQHPHUHO\ZKHWKHU ZKHQWKH\ZHUHLQWKHUHl7KHGLVWULFWFRXUWDOVRQRWHGWKDW DIWHUYLHZLQJWKHHYLGHQFHLQWKHOLJKWPRVWIDYRUDEOHWRWKH mLWKDGQROHJLWLPDWHDSSOLFDWLRQDWDOOHYHQDQ\LQIHUHQFHRI SURVHFXWLRQDQGDIWHUJLYLQJWKHJRYHUQPHQWWKHEHQHILWRIDOO DOHJLWLPDWHDSSOLFDWLRQDQGWRXVHLWLQDQ\W\SHRIIDUPLQJ LQIHUHQFHVWKDWFRXOGUHDVRQDEO\EHGUDZQIURPWKHWHVWLPRQ\ RSHUDWLRQ,JXHVV\RXKDGWRUXQDQH[WHQVLRQFRUGRXWWRLW DUDWLRQDOWULHURIIDFWFRXOGILQGWKHHOHPHQWVRIWKHFULPH IRUWKHGHWRQDWLQJGHYLFHDQGLWjVQRWSUDFWLFDODQGLWjVQRW EH\RQGDUHDVRQDEOHGRXEWl,G GRQHl7KHGLVWULFWFRXUWSRLQWHGRXWWKDWmWKLVWUDLOHUZDVD VPDOOWUDLOHUHVVHQWLDOO\NLQGRIDQHIILFLHQF\lDQGWKDWWKH ,QWKLVFDVHWKHJRYHUQPHQWSUHVHQWHGHYLGHQFHWKDWVHYHUDO GHYLFHmZDVFORVHHQRXJKWRWKHXQGHUO\LQJDFWLYLW\WKDWZDV LQJUHGLHQWV LQYROYHG LQ WKH ILUVW VWHS RI WKH SURFHVV RI LQYROYHG KHUH LW FRXOG EH DVVHPEOHG E\ VRPHRQH ZKR PDQXIDFWXULQJPHWKDPSKHWDPLQHZHUHIRXQGLQWKHPRELOH NQHZZKDWWKH\ZHUHGRLQJYHU\TXLFNO\l7KHGLVWULFWFRXUW KRPHDORQJZLWKDKDQGZULWWHQGRFXPHQWGHVFULELQJWKHILUVW DFNQRZOHGJHGWKDWmPD\EHLWZDVQjWEHVWIRUVRPHRQHWRXVH VWHS0DQ\REMHFWVFRQWDLQLQJWUDFHVRIPHWKDPSKHWDPLQH WRSURWHFWWKHLUGUXJDFWLYLW\lEXWQRWHGWKDWmSRRUMXGJPHQWl UHVLGXH DOVR ZHUH IRXQG LQ WKH PRELOH KRPH ,Q DGGLWLRQ ZDVQRWDGHIHQVH7KHGLVWULFWFRXUWWKXVFRQFOXGHGWKDWDQ 3ULFH WHVWLILHG WKDW RQ WKH GD\ EHIRUH WKH VHDUFK VKH KDG DGMXVWPHQW SXUVXDQW WR .E RI WKH 6HQWHQFLQJ REVHUYHG mVWXII EHLQJ FRRNHGl ZKLFK mVPHOOHG OLNH *XLGHOLQHVZDVDSSURSULDWH FKHPLFDOVl $OWKRXJK .ROOH\ DUJXHV WKDW m3ULFHjV VXSSRVLWLRQJLYHQIXOOZHLJKWDQGFUHGLWE\WKHMXU\LVQRW .ROOH\QRZFKDOOHQJHVWKLVFRQFOXVLRQDQGDQDORJL]HVWKH HQRXJK E\ LWVHOI WR VXSSRUW D FRQYLFWLRQ RI .ROOH\ IRU GHVWUXFWLYHGHYLFHIRXQGLQWKLVFDVHWRDVLWXDWLRQZKHUHmD SURGXFLQJ PHWKDPSKHWDPLQHl WKH MXU\ ZDV QRW SUHVHQWHG GHIHQGDQWDUUHVWHGDWKLVUHVLGHQFHKDVDQXQORDGHGKXQWLQJ ZLWK3ULFHjVWHVWLPRQ\DORQH3ULFHjVREVHUYDWLRQFRPELQHG ULIOH LQ WKH FORVHWl 6HH ' DSSOLFDWLRQ QRWH ZLWK WKH HYLGHQFH IRXQG LQ WKH PRELOH KRPH DGHTXDWHO\ 6SHFLILFDOO\ .ROOH\ DUJXHV WKDW WKH GHYLFH ZDV FDSDEOH RI VXSSRUWHG WKH MXU\jV GHFLVLRQ WR FRQYLFW .ROOH\ RI OHJLWLPDWH XVH WKDW mWKH GHYLFH LQ .ROOH\jV KRPH ZDV PDQXIDFWXULQJPHWKDPSKHWDPLQH LQRSHUDEOHDQGLQFDSDEOHRITXLFNDVVHPEO\lWKDWWKHmGHYLFH ZDV QRW ORFDWHG LQ FORVH SUR[LPLW\ WR WKH DOOHJHG LOOHJDO % DFWLYLW\lDQGWKDWmWKHUHVLGHQFHFRQWDLQHGQRGUXJVLQQHHG RIGHIHQGLQJDQGQRHYLGHQFHZDVSUHVHQWHGWRVKRZWKDWWKH 6HFWLRQ .E RI WKH 8QLWHG 6WDWHV 6HQWHQFLQJ .ROOH\UHVLGHQFHHYHUFRQWDLQHGODUJHDPRXQWVRIFRQWUROOHG *XLGHOLQHVLQVWUXFWVDFRXUWWRLQFUHDVHDGHIHQGDQWjVIHORQ\ VXEVWDQFHVIRUVDOHl2QWKLVEDVLV.ROOH\FODLPVWKDWWKHUH RIIHQVHE\IRXUOHYHOVm>L@IWKHGHIHQGDQWXVHGRUSRVVHVVHG 1R 8QLWHG6WDWHVY.ROOH\ 8QLWHG6WDWHVY.ROOH\ 1R ZDV QR QH[XV EHWZHHQ WKH GHVWUXFWLYH GHYLFH DQG DQRWKHU KRPHDUHJHQHUDOO\XVHGmERWKWRLQMXUHDQRWKHUSDUW\RUWR IHORQ\RIIHQVH LQMXUHWKHRIILFHUVZKRDUHPD\EHFRPLQJLQWRWKHORFDWLRQ ZKHUHWKHGUXJVPD\EHRUWRERRE\WUDSWKHSODFHl,QOLJKW :KHQUHYLHZLQJDGLVWULFWFRXUWjVVHQWHQFLQJGHFLVLRQVZH RI WKLV WHVWLPRQ\ WKH GLVWULFW FRXUW SURSHUO\ IRXQG D mZLOOGLVWXUEWKHXQGHUO\LQJIDFWXDOILQGLQJVRQO\LIWKH\DUH FRQQHFWLRQ EHWZHHQ WKH GHYLFH DQG .ROOH\jV FRQGXFW FOHDUO\HUURQHRXVl8QLWHG6WDWHVY+LOO)G UHJDUGOHVV RI ZKHWKHU WKH GHYLFH ZDV FDSDEOH RI UDSLG WK &LU 7KH GLVWULFW FRXUWjV DSSOLFDWLRQ RI WKH DVVHPEO\ 6HQWHQFLQJ*XLGHOLQHVWRWKHIDFWVLVUHYLHZHGGHIHUHQWLDOO\ 8QLWHG6WDWHVY(QQHQJD)GWK&LU ,,, 3RVVHVVLRQ RI D GHVWUXFWLYH GHYLFH WKDW LV PHUHO\ )RUWKHIRUHJRLQJUHDVRQVZHDIILUP.ROOH\jVFRQYLFWLRQ FRLQFLGHQWDO WR DQRWKHU IHORQ\ RIIHQVH LV LQVXIILFLHQW WR DQGVHQWHQFH VXSSRUW WKH DSSOLFDWLRQ RI . ,G DW ,Q LWV LQWHUSUHWDWLRQRIWKHmLQFRQQHFWLRQZLWKlFODXVHRI. WKLVFRXUWKDVDGRSWHGWKHmIRUWUHVVWKHRU\lZKLFKVWDWHVWKDW mDVXIILFLHQWFRQQHFWLRQLVHVWDEOLVKHGLILWUHDVRQDEO\DSSHDUV WKDWWKHILUHDUPVIRXQGRQWKHSUHPLVHVFRQWUROOHGRURZQHG E\DGHIHQGDQWDQGLQKLVDFWXDORUFRQVWUXFWLYHSRVVHVVLRQDUH WREHXVHGWRSURWHFWWKHGUXJVRURWKHUZLVHIDFLOLWDWHDGUXJ WUDQVDFWLRQl,GTXRWDWLRQRPLWWHG ,QWKLVFDVHWKHGLVWULFWFRXUWjVILQGLQJVRIIDFWZHUHQRW FOHDUO\HUURQHRXVQRUZDVWKHDSSOLFDWLRQRIWKHJXLGHOLQHVWR WKRVHIDFWVLPSURSHU)LUVWDOWKRXJK.ROOH\DUJXHVWKDWWKH GHYLFHZDVFDSDEOHRIOHJLWLPDWHXVHLQFOXGLQJmUHPRYDORI WUHH VWXPSV DQG RWKHU VLPLODU WDVNVl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jVGUXJ DFWLYLW\ 5DWKHU WKH GHYLFH QHHG RQO\ WR KDYH mKDG VRPH HPEROGHQLQJ UROH LQ GHIHQGDQWjV IHORQLRXV FRQGXFWl WR VXSSRUWWKHDSSOLFDWLRQRI.,G'HWHFWLYH+HQGHUVRQ WHVWLILHGWKDWGHYLFHVVLPLODUWRWKHRQHIRXQGLQWKHPRELOH
Copyright © 2024 by eLaws. All rights reserved.