F I L E D
United States Court of Appeals
Tenth Circuit
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
OCT 27 1998
TENTH CIRCUIT
__________________________ PATRICK FISHER
Clerk
DENNIS RAY ROEMER,
Plaintiff-Appellant,
v. No. 98-3170
(D. Kan.)
SAM A. CROW, District Judge, (D.Ct. No. 98-CV-4016)
Defendant,
and
SECURITY BANCSHARES INC., Duane K.
Ramsey, Resident Agent and CEO Farmers State
Bank, Security State Bank; EDWARD E. BOUKER,
Ellis County District Court; JOHN SHIRLEY;
CHARLES E. WORDEN, District Judge, Norton
County District Court,
Defendants-Appellants.
____________________________
ORDER AND JUDGMENT *
Before SEYMOUR, BRORBY, and BRISCOE, Circuit Judges.
*
This order and judgment is not binding precedent except under the doctrines of
law of the case, res judicata and collateral estoppel. The court generally disfavors the
citation of orders and judgments; nevertheless, an order and judgment may be cited under
the terms and conditions of 10th Cir. R. 36.3.
After examining the briefs and appellate record, this panel has determined
unanimously that oral argument would not materially assist the determination of
this appeal. See Fed. R. App. P. 34(a); 10th Cir. R. 34.1.9. The case is therefore
ordered submitted without oral argument.
Mr. Roemer is a pro se litigant who commenced suit against a federal
district judge, a bank holding company and an employee, two state district judges
and a private attorney. The district court dismissed the complaint against the
three judges based on absolute immunity and dismissed the amended complaint
against the remaining two defendants for failure to state a claim. We affirm the
actions of the district court.
It is difficult to follow the allegations contained in Mr. Roemer’s
complaint. It appears the complaint stems from two civil cases – the first being a
foreclosure action filed in state court, and the second a civil action filed by Mr.
Roemer in federal district court. The allegations against the judges included such
acts as the state judge “did violate Plaintiff’s Constitutional Right to Due
Process,” and the federal judge “did violate FRCP 38(a), which resulted in a
violation of Plaintiff’s Constitutional Right to a trial by jury.” As a separate
cause, Mr. Roemer alleged the three judges and the attorney “are guilty of
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violating their Oath, and violating Plaintiff’s GOD Given, and Constitutional
Rights.” Insofar as the bank is concerned, Mr. Roemer alleged the bank holding
company owned a bank wherein “during the month of June 1995, asset values are
juggled around by loan officer” and “additional assets are offered .... These are
refused .... [I]n a meeting it is learned that (the Bank) is interested in land owned
by another party for collateral.”
The district court, in two separate orders, dismissed the complaint. In the
first Memorandum and Order, the district court took five pages to carefully
explain the doctrine of absolute judicial immunity in dismissing the complaint
against the judges. In the second, the district court, with explanation, opined why
the complaint failed to state a claim against the remaining defendants and granted
Mr. Roemer fifteen days within which “to state facts which would support a
viable cause of action in this court.”
Mr. Roemer then filed an amended complaint which failed to cure the
defects. For instance, a cause of action was set forth against the three judges
alleging all “are guilty of Perjury of Oath and Constitutional Tort for violating
Plaintiff’s GOD Given, and Constitutional Rights.” Insofar as the bank holding
company is concerned, Mr. Roemer made essentially the same allegations.
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The district court dismissed the amended complaint, concisely pointing to
the previous dismissal of the three defendant judges and stating no factual
allegations support a claim of a constitutional or federal law violation by the
remaining defendants.
Mr. Roemer appeals these decisions. He argues he “filed a Complaint as
required ..., and an Amended Complaint according to the directive of the Court,
and was still denied Due Process,” including his Seventh Amendment right to a
jury.
We review the grant of a motion to dismiss de novo. Morse v. Regents of
the University of Colo., 154 F.3d 1124, 1126 (10th Cir. 1998). While Mr.
Roemer’s pro se pleading must be construed liberally, dismissal for failure to
state a claim is proper when it is clear beyond doubt that the complaint cannot be
read to state a valid claim. See Shaffer v. Saffle, 148 F.3d 1180, 1181 (10th Cir.),
petition for cert. filed (U.S. Sep. 14, 1998) (No. 98-6059). On review of his
complaints, it is clear Mr. Roemer has no understanding of the requirements
necessary to state a claim upon which relief can be granted. Mr. Roemer’s
allegations and argument on appeal lack merit and warrant little discussion.
Moreover, because Mr. Roemer fails to specifically allege actions sufficient to
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show the federal district and state judges acted outside their judicial capacity or in
absence of jurisdiction, they are entitled to absolute immunity. See Mireles v.
Waco, 502 U.S. 9, 11-12 (1991).
We need not address Mr. Roemer’s Seventh Amendment issue since a jury
trial is not required when the parties are entitled to judgment as a matter of law.
See Christensen v. Ward, 916 F.2d 1462, 1466 (10th Cir.), cert. denied, 498 U.S.
999 (1990). Suffice it to say, this court has reviewed the complaint, the amended
complaint and the district court’s orders and finds no error.
The judgment and decisions of the district court are AFFIRMED for
substantially the same reasons set forth therein. A copy of the three primary
district court orders are attached hereto.
Entered by the Court:
WADE BRORBY
United States Circuit Judge
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Attachments not available electronically.