Public-domain · open source
OpenJurist

528 F.2d 548

Docket No. 75-3053

La Bar v. Royer

Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals

Decided March 10, 1976.

Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals · decided 1976-03-10

Cited by 7 later decisions — most recently July 1983

3 federal appellate · 1 district ·

3 counsel of record

Key passage — most relied on by later courts

“the plaintiff has no personal cause of action against the federal agent who, acting within the scope of his authority, received and holds property seized legally under a warrant . . . .”

quoted by 1 later decision, including Margaret S. Rodriguez v. Donald E. Ritchey

Applies 42 U.S.C. § 1983 (Civil Rights Act of 1871 / Section 1983 (Ku Klux Klan Act)) · 42 U.S.C. § 1985

Relies on Bivens v. Six Unknown Named Agents of Federal Bureau of Narcotics · Isbell Enterprises, Inc. v. Citizens Casualty Co. of New York · Griffin v. Breckenridge

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Opinion by (per_curiam) · Decided 1976-03-10

View the full empirical analysis of this case →

¶1Summary Calendar.*

¶2*549Charles Whitmore La Bar, Jr., pro se.

¶3Ronald T. Knight, U. S. Atty., Macon, Ga., for Royer and Caas.

¶4John Marshall Meisburg, Jr., Dept, of Justice, Criminal Div., Washington, D. C., for defendants-appellees.

¶5Before THORNBERRY, MORGAN and RONEY, Circuit Judges.

¶7PER CURIAM:

¶8Affirmed. Although we agree that the plaintiff has no personal cause of action against the federal agent who, acting within the scope of his authority, received and holds property seized legally under a warrant, the district court adopted the brief of the Government which contains patent errors, repeated in the brief before us.

¶942 U.S.C.A. § 1983 action does not require class-based, discriminatory animus or intent. The statute does require state action. Norton v. McShane, 332 F.2d 855, 862 (5th Cir. 1964).

¶10Plaintiff did not state a claim under 42 U.S.C.A. § 1985(3) because he did not assert racial or otherwise class-based, invidiously discriminatory animus as required by that provision. Griffin v. Breckenridge, 403 U.S. 88, 102, 91 S.Ct. 1790, 29 L.Ed.2d 338 (1971).

¶11Bivens v. Six Unknown Federal Narcotics Agents, 403 U.S. 388, 91 S.Ct. 1999, 29 L.Ed.2d 619 (1971) does not depend upon lack of alternative remedies, as asserted, but is based on an illegal, warrantless search.

¶12Contrary to the Government’s assertion, Rule 41(e) provides only a “person aggrieved by an unlawful search and seizure · Case Law">person aggrieved by an unlawful search and seizure” with a remedy.

¶13We need not consider whether plaintiff would have a cause of action against the United States under the Tort Claims Act, because the United States is not a party and no such claim has been asserted.

¶14Affirmed.

/528/f2d/548 · .json · Public domain