Fields v. Henry

Background

Victor Donnell Fields brought this action under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, alleging violations of his constitutional rights. He claimed that the DOC Defendants—Stephen Hout, Nanette Larson, Diane Medchill, Michelle Saari, Sharlene Lopez, Kristin Muhl, Bronson Austreng, Jeff Titus, and Gregg Smith—and Dr. Lon Augdahl were deliberately indifferent to his medical needs, violating the Eighth Amendment. He also alleged that they subjected him to unequal treatment because of his race, violating the Fourteenth Amendment.

The defendants filed two motions for summary judgment. A magistrate judge recommended granting both motions and dismissing the case with prejudice. Fields filed objections to that recommendation. The opinion notes that his objections were late, although the court had discretion to consider them.

Court’s analysis

The court explained that specific objections to a magistrate judge’s recommendation receive a fresh review, while portions without specific objections are reviewed for clear error. Because Fields did not identify any specific portion of the recommendation as erroneous and largely repeated arguments previously presented to and rejected by the magistrate judge, the court reviewed the recommendation for clear error and found none. The court also declined to consider new arguments that Fields had not presented to the magistrate judge.

Disposition

The court overruled Fields’s objections and adopted the magistrate judge’s July 23, 2019 Report and Recommendation. It granted the DOC Defendants’ and Dr. Augdahl’s motions for summary judgment and dismissed the action with prejudice. It also denied Fields’s later motion as moot and directed that judgment be entered.