Johnson v. City of Cincinnati

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DVVRFLDWLRQULJKWWRYLVLWKLVDWWRUQH\%HFDXVHERWKSODLQWLIIV¶ LQWUDVWDWHWUDYHO  FODLPVLQYROYHLQWLPDWHUHODWLRQVKLSVWKDW³IRVWHUGLYHUVLW\DQG DFWDVFULWLFDOEXIIHUVEHWZHHQWKHLQGLYLGXDODQGWKHSRZHURI 0RUHRYHU WKH 6XSUHPH &RXUW H[SOLFLWO\ GLIIHUHQWLDWHG WKH 6WDWH´ ZH H[DPLQH WKHLU FODLPV XQGHU WKH IUHHGRP RI EHWZHHQ WKHVH WZR W\SHV RI WUDYHO LQ %UD\ Y $OH[DQGULD LQWLPDWHDVVRFLDWLRQIUDPHZRUNDUWLFXODWHGLQ5REHUWV :RPHQ¶V+HDOWK&OLQLF86  7KHSODLQWLIIV LQ%UD\DOOHJHGWKDWE\REVWUXFWLQJDFFHVVWRDERUWLRQFOLQLFV % WKHGHIHQGDQWVYLRODWHG86&†  E\LQWHUIHULQJ ZLWKWKHSODLQWLIIV¶ULJKWWRLQWHUVWDWHWUDYHO%UD\86DW -RKQVRQ¶VFODLPQHFHVVLWDWHVDQH[DPLQDWLRQRIWKHUHDFKRI   ,Q KROGLQJ WKDW WKH SODLQWLIIV IDLOHG WR VKRZ D FRQVWLWXWLRQDOO\SURWHFWHGIDPLOLDODVVRFLDWLRQLQWHUHVWV FRQVSLUDF\WRYLRODWHWKHLUIHGHUDOULJKWVWKH&RXUWH[SODLQHG WKDW WKH GHIHQGDQWV¶ SURSRVHG GHPRQVWUDWLRQV ZRXOG QRW 7KH6XSUHPH&RXUWKDVUHFRJQL]HGWKDWVRPHRIWKHPRVW LPSOLFDWH WKH ULJKW WR LQWHUVWDWH WUDYHO EHFDXVH WKH UHFRUG LPSRUWDQW SHUVRQDO ERQGV QHFHVVDU\ IRU WKH SURWHFWLRQ RI HVWDEOLVKHGWKDWWKHGHIHQGDQWV¶DFWLRQVZRXOGKDYHUHVWULFWHG LQGLYLGXDO IUHHGRP ³DUH WKRVH WKDW DWWHQG WKH FUHDWLRQ DQG RQO\LQWUDVWDWHWUDYHO VXVWHQDQFH RI D IDPLO\ ± >LQFOXGLQJ@ WKH XSEULQJLQJ DQG HGXFDWLRQRIFKLOGUHQ´5REHUWV86DW FLWLQJ6PLWK $V IDU DV DSSHDUV IURP WKLV UHFRUG WKH RQO\ ³DFWXDO Y2UJRI)RVWHU)DPLOLHV431 U.S. 816, 97 S.Ct. 2094, 53 EDUULHUVWRPRYHPHQW´WKDWZRXOGKDYHUHVXOWHGIURP L.Ed.2d 14 (1977)). Accordingly, the Supreme Court has SHWLWLRQHUV¶SURSRVHGGHPRQVWUDWLRQVZRXOGKDYHEHHQLQ consistently recognized associational rights involving private WKHLPPHGLDWHYLFLQLW\RIWKHDERUWLRQFOLQLFVUHVWULFWLQJ family life as worthy of special constitutional protection. See PRYHPHQWIURP RQHSRUWLRQRIWKH&RPPRQZHDOWKRI Moore v. City of East Cleveland, 431 U.S. 494, 499, 97 S.Ct. 9LUJLQLDWRDQRWKHU6XFKDSXUHO\LQWUDVWDWHUHVWULFWLRQ 1932, 52 L.Ed.2d 531 (1976) ("A host of cases . . . have GRHVQRWLPSOLFDWHWKHULJKWRILQWHUVWDWHWUDYHOHYHQLILW consistently acknowledged a ‘private realm of family life LV DSSOLHG LQWHQWLRQDOO\ DJDLQVW WUDYHOHUV IURP RWKHU which the state cannot enter.’") (plurality opinion) (quoting 6WDWHVXQOHVVLWLVDSSOLHGGLVFULPLQDWRULO\DJDLQVWWKHP  -RKQVRQHWDOY&LW\RI&LQFLQQDWL 1R 1R -RKQVRQHWDOY&LW\RI&LQFLQQDWL  LQVWLWXWLRQ´,GDW7KLVODQJXDJHUDWKHUWKDQDQDVVHUWHG Prince v. Massachusetts, 321 U.S. 158, 166, 64 S.Ct. 438, 88 OLEHUW\LQWHUHVWLQ³>W@KHIUHHGRPIURPSK\VLFDOUHVWUDLQW´RU L.Ed. 645) (1944)). ³WKHULJKWRIDFKLOGWREHUHOHDVHGIURPDOORWKHUFXVWRG\LQWR WKH FXVWRG\ RI LWV SDUHQWV OHJDO JXDUGLDQ RU HYHQ FORVH %RWK6XSUHPH&RXUWSUHFHGHQWDQGRXUQDWLRQDOWUDGLWLRQ UHODWLYHV´FRQVWLWXWHGWKH³FDUHIXOGHVFULSWLRQRIWKHDVVHUWHG VXJJHVWWKDWDIDPLO\PHPEHU¶VULJKWWRSDUWLFLSDWHLQFKLOG ULJKW´ WKDW LV QHFHVVDU\ LQ WKH VXEVWDQWLYHGXHSURFHVV UHDULQJDQGHGXFDWLRQLVRQHRIWKHPRVWEDVLFDQGLPSRUWDQW DQDO\VLV,G LQWHUQDOTXRWDWLRQPDUNVRPLWWHG  DVVRFLDWLRQDOULJKWVSURWHFWHGE\WKH&RQVWLWXWLRQ&I0/% Y6/-866&W/(GG ,QDGGLWLRQWRHPSKDVL]LQJWKHVLJQLILFDQFHRIWKHGHILQLWLRQ   SOXUDOLW\RSLQLRQ  ³&KRLFHVDERXWPDUULDJHIDPLO\ RIWKHDVVHUWHGIXQGDPHQWDOLQWHUHVWLPSOLFDWHGLQDSDUWLFXODU OLIHDQGWKHXSEULQJLQJRIFKLOGUHQDUHDPRQJDVVRFLDWLRQDO FDVHWKH6XSUHPH&RXUW³KDVDOZD\VEHHQUHOXFWDQWWRH[SDQG ULJKWV WKLV &RXUW KDV UDQNHG DV RI EDVLF LPSRUWDQFH LQ RXU WKHFRQFHSWRIVXEVWDQWLYHGXHSURFHVVEHFDXVHJXLGHSRVWVIRU VRFLHW\ ULJKWV VKHOWHUHG E\ WKH )RXUWHHQWK $PHQGPHQW UHVSRQVLEOHGHFLVLRQPDNLQJLQWKLVXQFKDUWHGDUHDDUHVFDUFH DJDLQVW WKH 6WDWH V XQZDUUDQWHG XVXUSDWLRQ GLVUHJDUG RU DQGRSHQHQGHG´&ROOLQVY&LW\RI+DUNHU+HLJKWV86 GLVUHVSHFW´  TXRWLQJ%RGGLHY&RQQHFWLFXW86   VHHDOVR0RRUHY&LW\RI(DVW&OHYHODQG   6&W   /(GG    LQWHUQDO  86     SOXUDOLW\ RSLQLRQ  QRWLQJ WKDW SXQFWXDWLRQRPLWWHG  HPSKDVLVDGGHG 0RRUH86DW ³>V@XEVWDQWLYH GXH SURFHVV KDV DW WLPHV EHHQ D WUHDFKHURXV  ³>7@KH&RQVWLWXWLRQSURWHFWVWKHVDQFWLW\RIWKHIDPLO\ ILHOGIRUWKLV&RXUW´ 7KH&RXUWKDVH[SODLQHGWKHUHDVRQIRU SUHFLVHO\EHFDXVHWKHLQVWLWXWLRQRIWKHIDPLO\LVGHHSO\URRWHG WKLVKHVLWDWLRQDVIROORZV LQWKLV1DWLRQ¶VKLVWRU\DQGWUDGLWLRQ,WLVWKURXJKWKHIDPLO\ WKDWZHLQFXOFDWHDQGSDVVGRZQPDQ\RIRXUPRVWFKHULVKHG %\ H[WHQGLQJ FRQVWLWXWLRQDO SURWHFWLRQ WR DQ DVVHUWHG YDOXHV PRUDO DQG FXOWXUDO´  IRRWQRWHV RPLWWHG  VHH DOVR ULJKWRUOLEHUW\LQWHUHVWZHWRDJUHDWH[WHQWSODFHWKH 5REHUWV86DW ³)DPLO\UHODWLRQVKLSVE\WKHLU PDWWHURXWVLGHWKHDUHQDRISXEOLFGHEDWHDQGOHJLVODWLYH QDWXUH LQYROYH GHHS DWWDFKPHQWV DQG FRPPLWPHQWV WR WKH DFWLRQ  :H PXVW WKHUHIRUH H[HUFLVH WKH XWPRVW FDUH QHFHVVDULO\IHZRWKHULQGLYLGXDOVZLWKZKRPRQHVKDUHVQRW ZKHQHYHUZHDUHDVNHGWREUHDNQHZJURXQGLQWKLVILHOG RQO\ D VSHFLDO FRPPXQLW\ RI WKRXJKWV H[SHULHQFHV DQG OHVWWKHOLEHUW\SURWHFWHGE\WKH'XH3URFHVV&ODXVHEH EHOLHIVEXWDOVRGLVWLQFWLYHO\SHUVRQDODVSHFWVRIRQH¶VOLIH´  VXEWO\ WUDQVIRUPHG LQWR WKH SROLF\ SUHIHUHQFHV RI WKH 0HPEHUVRIWKLV&RXUW *OXFNVEHUJ86DW LQWHUQDOTXRWDWLRQPDUNVDQG  &LWLQJ Meyer v. Nebraska, 262 U.S. 390, 399-401, 43 S.Ct. 625, 67 FLWDWLRQRPLWWHG ,EHOLHYHWKDWWKLVFRXUWOLNHWKH6XSUHPH L.Ed. 1042 (1923); Pierce v. Society of Sisters, 268 U.S. 510, 534-535, &RXUW PXVW SURFHHG ZLWK FDXWLRQ EHIRUH H[SDQGLQJ 45 S.Ct. 571, 69 L.Ed. 1070 (1925); Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113, 152-153, SUHYLRXVO\ UHFRJQL]HG OLEHUW\ LQWHUHVWV WR HQFRPSDVV 93 S.Ct. 705, 35 L.Ed.2d 147 (1973); Wisconsin v. Yoder, 406 U.S. 205, VLWXDWLRQVWKDWKDYHQRW\HWEHHQHQFRXQWHUHG 231-233, 92 S.Ct. 1526, 32 L.Ed.2d 15 (1972); Stanley v. Illinois, 405 U.S. 645, 651, 92 S.Ct. 1208, 31 L.Ed.2d 551 (1972); Ginsberg v. New $ 5LJKWWRLQWUDVWDWHWUDYHO York, 390 U.S. 629, 639, 88 S.Ct. 1274, 20 L.Ed.2d 195 (1968); Griswold v. Connecticut, 381 U.S. 479, 85 S.Ct. 1678, 14 L.Ed.2d 510 (1965); Poe $V WKH PDMRULW\ UHFRJQL]HV WKH 6XSUHPH &RXUW KDV v. Ullman, 367 U.S. 497, 542-544, 549-553, 81 S.Ct. 1752, 6 L.Ed.2d 989 (1961) (Harlan, J., dissenting); Loving v. Virginia, 388 U.S. 1, 12, 87 GHVFULEHGWKHFRQWRXUVRIWKHULJKWWRWUDYHODVIROORZV S.Ct. 1817, 18 L.Ed.2d 1010 (1967); May v. Anderson, 345 U.S. 528, 533, 73 S.Ct. 840, 97 L.Ed. 1221 (1953); Skinner v. Oklahoma ex rel. Williamson, 316 U.S. 535, 541, 62 S.Ct. 1110, 86 L.Ed. 1655 (1942).  -RKQVRQHWDOY&LW\RI&LQFLQQDWL 1R 1R -RKQVRQHWDOY&LW\RI&LQFLQQDWL  0RUHRYHU QRWKLQJ LQ RXU WUDGLWLRQ RU SUHFHGHQW FDQ REMHFWLYHO\ GHHSO\ URRWHG LQ WKLV 1DWLRQ¶V KLVWRU\ DQG FUHGLEO\EHUHDGWRVXJJHVWWKDWWKHright to participate in child WUDGLWLRQDQGLPSOLFLWLQWKHFRQFHSWRIRUGHUHGOLEHUW\ rearing does not extend to grandparents. See, e.g., Moore, VXFKWKDWQHLWKHUOLEHUW\QRUMXVWLFHZRXOGH[LVWLIWKH\ 431 U.S. at 504 ("Ours is by no means a tradition limited to ZHUH VDFULILFHG  6HFRQG ZH KDYH UHTXLUHG LQ respect for the bonds uniting the members of the nuclear VXEVWDQWLYHGXHSURFHVVFDVHVDFDUHIXOGHVFULSWLRQRIWKH family. The tradition of uncles, aunts, cousins, and especially DVVHUWHGIXQGDPHQWDOOLEHUW\LQWHUHVW grandparents sharing a household along with parents and children has roots equally venerable and equally deserving of :DVKLQJWRQ Y *OXFNVEHUJ  86    constitutional recognition.") (emphasis added) (footnote LQWHUQDOTXRWDWLRQPDUNVDQGFLWDWLRQVRPLWWHG VHHLGDW omitted). KROGLQJWKDW³WKHDVVHUWHGµULJKW¶WRDVVLVWDQFHLQFRPPLWWLQJ VXLFLGHLVQRWDIXQGDPHQWDOOLEHUW\LQWHUHVWSURWHFWHGE\WKH C. 'XH3URFHVV&ODXVH´  Neither the Supreme Court nor this court, however, has 7KLV QHHG IRU D ³FDUHIXO GHVFULSWLRQ RI WKH DVVHUWHG addressed the specific issue of whether a grandmother has a IXQGDPHQWDO OLEHUW\ LQWHUHVW´ DSSHDUV UHSHDWHGO\ LQ WKH fundamental freedom of association right to participate in the 6XSUHPH&RXUW¶VGHFLVLRQVLQYROYLQJVXEVWDQWLYHGXHSURFHVV upbringing of her grandchildren. ,Q *OXFNVEHUJ IRU H[DPSOH WKH &RXUW ZDV IDFHG ZLWK D FKDOOHQJHWRDSURKLELWLRQRQSK\VLFLDQDVVLVWHGVXLFLGH7KH Our decision in Bazzetta v. McGinnis, 286 F.3d 311, 316 &RXUWH[SUHVVO\UHMHFWHGIUDPLQJWKHLVVXHLQWHUPVRIZKHWKHU (6th Cir. 2002), provides some guidance. There, we LQGLYLGXDOVKDYH³DOLEHUW\LQWHUHVWLQGHWHUPLQLQJWKHWLPH examined the constitutional validity of a prison regulation that DQG PDQQHU RI RQH¶V GHDWK´ ³D ULJKW WR GLH´ ³D OLEHUW\ WR prohibited prisoners from receiving visits from their minor FKRRVHKRZWRGLH´RU³DULJKWWRFRQWURORIRQH¶VILQDOGD\V´ siblings, nieces and nephews. We struck down the regulation ,GDW LQWHUQDOTXRWDWLRQPDUNV RPLWWHG ,QVWHDGWKH because it was unrelated to legitimate penological goals. Id. &RXUWH[SODLQHGWKDW³WKHTXHVWLRQEHIRUHXVLVZKHWKHUWKH Implicit in our analysis was the recognition that an inmate’s µOLEHUW\¶ VSHFLDOO\ SURWHFWHG E\ WKH 'XH 3URFHVV &ODXVH ability to visit with his or her minor siblings, nieces and LQFOXGHVDULJKWWRFRPPLWVXLFLGHZKLFKLWVHOILQFOXGHVDULJKW nephews involves constitutionally protected associational WRDVVLVWDQFHLQGRLQJVR´,GDW rights. See id. at 317 ("Close analysis is especially appropriate when, as is the case here, the challenged 7KH6XSUHPH&RXUWVLPLODUO\UHMHFWHGEURDGGHILQLWLRQVRI restrictions interfere with family relationships . . . specially WKHDVVHUWHGOLEHUW\LQWHUHVWLQ5HQRY)ORUHV86 protected by the Constitution."). The right to participate in    ZKHUH LW XSKHOG WKH FRQVWLWXWLRQDOLW\ RI the upbringing of one’s grandchild occupies a basic position UHJXODWLRQV SURPXOJDWHG E\ WKH ,PPLJUDWLRQ DQG in our society’s hierarchy of values and is of a more intimate 1DWXUDOL]DWLRQ6HUYLFHWKDWDGGUHVVHGWKHFLUFXPVWDQFHVDQG WHUPVXQGHUZKLFKGHWDLQHGMXYHQLOHDOLHQVFRXOGEHUHOHDVHG  and therefore more fundamental  nature than the right to SHQGLQJWKHLUGHSRUWDWLRQKHDULQJV,QSDUWLFXODUWKH&RXUW visit one’s nieces or nephews. Therefore, a logical extension IUDPHGWKHLVVXHLQWHUPVRI³WKHDOOHJHGULJKWRIDFKLOGZKR of Bazzetta’s reasoning suggests that Johnson has a KDVQRDYDLODEOHSDUHQWFORVHUHODWLYHRUOHJDOJXDUGLDQDQG fundamental freedom of association right to participate in the IRUZKRPWKHJRYHUQPHQWLVUHVSRQVLEOHWREHSODFHGLQWKH upbringing of her grandchildren. FXVWRG\RIDZLOOLQJDQGDEOHSULYDWHFXVWRGLDQUDWKHUWKDQRI D JRYHUQPHQWRSHUDWHG RU JRYHUQPHQWVHOHFWHG FKLOGFDUH  -RKQVRQHWDOY&LW\RI&LQFLQQDWL 1R 1R -RKQVRQHWDOY&LW\RI&LQFLQQDWL  BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB Bazzetta’s implicit conclusion, that a prisoner has a right to receive certain family members as visitors, is in some tension ',66(17 with this court’s prior conclusion in Thompson v. Ashe, that BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB a plaintiff had "no fundamental right to visit his family members on [a public housing development’s] property." 250 521$/'/((*,/0$1&LUFXLW-XGJHGLVVHQWLQJ7KH F.3d at 406-07. PDMRULW\KDVFRQFOXGHGWKDWWKHRUGLQDQFHLQTXHVWLRQYLRODWHG WKHSODLQWLIIV¶IXQGDPHQWDOULJKWVWRLQWUDVWDWHWUDYHODQGWR In Thompson, the plaintiff challenged the constitutionality IUHHGRPRIDVVRFLDWLRQ7RWKHFRQWUDU\,DPRIWKHRSLQLRQ of a "no trespass" list, which kept him from visiting family WKDWWKLVFRXUWKDVSUHYLRXVO\KHOGWKDWQRIXQGDPHQWDOULJKW members in a public housing development.  ,G  7KH WR LQWUDVWDWH WUDYHO H[LVWV  0RUHRYHU , GR QRW VKDUH WKH 7KRPSVRQ FRXUW DGGUHVVHG WKH LVVXH DV IROORZV  )LUVW LW PDMRULW\¶V EHOLHI WKDW WKH RUGLQDQFH YLRODWHG WKH SODLQWLIIV¶ DFNQRZOHGJHG WKDW WKH %LOO RI 5LJKWV SURWHFWV WKH ULJKW WR ULJKWVWRIUHHGRPRIDVVRFLDWLRQ,WKHUHIRUHFRQFOXGHWKDWWKH ³HQWHU LQWR DQG PDLQWDLQ FHUWDLQ LQWLPDWH RU SULYDWH RUGLQDQFHGLGQRWLQIULQJHXSRQWKHSODLQWLIIV¶IXQGDPHQWDO UHODWLRQVKLSV´ DQG OLVWHG VSHFLILF UHODWLRQVKLSV WKDW WKH ULJKWV7KHRUGLQDQFHZDVWKXVVXEMHFWWRWKHORZHUVWDQGDUG ³6XSUHPH&RXUWKDVDFFRUGHGFRQVWLWXWLRQDOSURWHFWLRQWR´ RI UDWLRQDO EDVLV UHYLHZ ZKLFK , EHOLHYH LW PHW  , DOVR ,G QRWLQJ WKDW WKH 6XSUHPH &RXUW ³KDV DFFRUGHG FRQFOXGH WKDW WKH RUGLQDQFH GLG QRW YLRODWH WKH 'RXEOH FRQVWLWXWLRQDO SURWHFWLRQ WR PDUULDJH WKH EHJHWWLQJ DQG -HRSDUG\&ODXVHRIWKH)LIWK$PHQGPHQWDQLVVXHWKDWWKH EHDULQJ RI FKLOGUHQ FKLOG UHDULQJ DQG HGXFDWLRQ DQG PDMRULW\ KDG QR QHHG WR UHDFK  )RU DOO RI WKHVH UHDVRQV , FRKDELWDWLRQ ZLWK UHODWLYHV´  FLWDWLRQV RPLWWHG   7KH ZRXOGUHYHUVHWKHMXGJPHQWRIWKHGLVWULFWFRXUW 7KRPSVRQFRXUWWKHQQRWHGWKDWWKHSODLQWLIIGLGQRWFODLPDQ DVVRFLDWLRQ LQWHUHVW WR ZKLFK WKH 6XSUHPH &RXUW KDG ,)81'$0(17$/5,*+76 SUHYLRXVO\ DFFRUGHG FRQVWLWXWLRQDO SURWHFWLRQ ± LH 7KHPDMRULW\FRQFOXGHVWKDWWKHRUGLQDQFHLQIULQJHGXSRQ FRKDELWDWLRQ ZLWK UHODWLYHV ± and that the "Court has not WKHULJKWVRIERWK-RKQVRQDQG$X)UDQFHWRLQWUDVWDWHWUDYHO extended constitutional protection to mere visitation with -RKQVRQ¶VULJKWWRDVVLVWLQUDLVLQJKHUJUDQGFKLOGUHQDQG$X family members." Id. (emphasis added). Without further )UDQFH¶VULJKWWRYLVLWKLVDWWRUQH\$FFRUGLQJWRWKHPDMRULW\ explanation, the Thompson panel concluded that the plaintiff HDFKRIWKHVHULJKWVFRQVWLWXWHVDIXQGDPHQWDOOLEHUW\LQWHUHVW did not have a fundamental right to visit his family members. , UHVSHFWIXOO\ GLVDJUHH    %HIRUH GLVFXVVLQJ HDFK RI WKHVH Put more succinctly, Thompson concluded that the plaintiff SXUSRUWHG ULJKWV LQ GHWDLO , EHOLHYH WKDW D IHZ JHQHUDO had no fundamental right to visit his family members because FRPPHQWVDERXWVXEVWDQWLYHGXHSURFHVVDUHZDUUDQWHG the Supreme Court had not yet articulated such a right. That 7KH6XSUHPH&RXUW¶VDSSURDFKWRGHWHUPLQLQJZKHWKHUD the Supreme Court’s recognition of a right establishes that SDUWLFXODUULJKWLVSURWHFWHGE\WKH)RXUWHHQWK$PHQGPHQW¶V right’s existence for lower courts, however, tells us nothing 'XH 3URFHVV &ODXVH HVWDEOLVKHV WKH IUDPHZRUN IRU P\ about the existence of rights that the Court has not yet DQDO\VLV addressed. Unless one accepts the indefensible premise that the absence of a Supreme Court opinion on the existence of 2XU HVWDEOLVKHG PHWKRG RI VXEVWDQWLYHGXHSURFHVV DQDO\VLV KDV WZR SULPDU\ IHDWXUHV  )LUVW ZH KDYH UHJXODUO\REVHUYHGWKDWWKH'XH3URFHVV&ODXVHVSHFLDOO\  7KRPSVRQ GRHV QRW VSHFLI\ SURWHFWVWKRVHIXQGDPHQWDOULJKWVDQGOLEHUWLHVZKLFKDUH %H\RQG D SDVVLQJ UHIHUHQFH WR D EURWKHU ZKLFK RI WKH SODLQWLII¶V IDPLO\ PHPEHUV OLYHG LQ WKH KRXVLQJ SURMHFW  -RKQVRQHWDOY&LW\RI&LQFLQQDWL 1R 1R -RKQVRQHWDOY&LW\RI&LQFLQQDWL  a particular right means that a particular right does not exist, DSSO\´  VHH DOVR 1XQH]  )G DW  ILQGLQJ 6DQ there is simply no reason to infer the absence of a 'LHJR¶VRUGLQDQFH³SUREOHPDWLF´EHFDXVHLWGLGQRW³SURYLGH fundamental right to visit a family member based on the H[FHSWLRQV IRU PDQ\ OHJLWLPDWH DFWLYLWLHV ZLWK RU ZLWKRXW fortuity that the Supreme Court has not yet addressed the SDUHQWDOSHUPLVVLRQ´  issue. & 1RWZLWKVWDQGLQJRXUFRQFHUQVZHQHYHUWKHOHVVZRXOGEH ERXQGE\7KRPSVRQ¶VFRQFOXVLRQ±DVRSSRVHGWR%D]]HWWD¶V ,Q VWULNLQJGRZQWKH2UGLQDQFHZHGRQRWIRUHFORVHWKH LPSOLFLW FRQFOXVLRQ ± LI -RKQVRQ KDG PHUHO\ DVVHUWHG D SRVVLELOLW\ WKDW D QDUURZHU YHUVLRQ RI WKH 2UGLQDQFH IXQGDPHQWDOULJKWWRYLVLWKHUGDXJKWHURUJUDQGFKLOGUHQWK VXSSRUWHGE\DFOHDUHUUHFRUGFRXOGZLWKVWDQGVWULFWVFUXWLQ\ &LU5 F VHHDOVR8QLWHG6WDWHVY6PLWK)G 7HPSRUDU\ H[FOXVLRQ LV DQ H[WUHPH PHDVXUH EXW ZH  WK&LU  UHFRJQL]HWKDWPXQLFLSDOLWLHVOLNHWKH&LW\RI&LQFLQQDWLIDFH IRUPLGDEOHFKDOOHQJHVLQLPSURYLQJWKHVDIHW\DQGZHOOEHLQJ The issue before this court, however, is whether Johnson RI LWV FLWL]HQV LQ KLJK FULPHV DUHDV  :KLOH ZH KDYH HYHU\ has a fundamental associational right to participate in the FRQILGHQFHWKDWWKH&LW\DFWHGLQWKHXWPRVWJRRGIDLWKDQG education and rearing of her grandchild. Unlike the plaintiff ZLWK WKH EHVW LQWHQWLRQV LQ HQDFWLQJ WKH 2UGLQDQFH WKH in Thompson, Johnson has been an active participant in the 2UGLQDQFH LQ LWV SUHVHQW IRUP GRHV QRW ZLWKVWDQG lives and activities of her grandchildren, with the consent and FRQVWLWXWLRQDOVFUXWLQ\ support of the children’s mother. Thompson itself recognized the distinction between participating in child rearing and 9,, merely visiting one’s family. See Thompson, 250 F.3d at 407 (acknowledging that "[t]he Court has accorded constitutional )RUWKHIRUHJRLQJUHDVRQVZH$)),50WKHMXGJPHQWRIWKH protection to . . . child rearing and education") (citing Pierce GLVWULFWFRXUW v. Society of Sisters, 268 U.S. 510, 534-35, 45 S.Ct. 571, 69 L.Ed. 1070 (1925)). Moreover, to the extent that Thompson can be read to proclaim the absence of a fundamental right to participate in child-rearing it conflicts with Supreme Court precedent and cannot bind this court. See Pierce, 268 U.S. at 534-35 (recognizing a fundamental child-rearing right); Meyer, 262 U.S. at 398 (noting that "without doubt" the liberty interest guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment denotes the right to "establish a home and bring up children"). Accordingly, we find that Johnson does have a fundamental freedom of association right to participate in the upbringing of her grandchildren.  %HFDXVH ZH ILQG WKDW WKH 2UGLQDQFH XQFRQVWLWXWLRQDOO\ LQIULQJHV RQ SODLQWLIIV¶ ULJKWV WR IUHHGRP RI DVVRFLDWLRQ DQG D ULJKW WR ORFDOL]HG WUDYHO ZH GR QRW UHDFK $X )UDQFH¶V GRXEOH MHRSDUG\ FODLP  -RKQVRQHWDOY&LW\RI&LQFLQQDWL 1R 1R -RKQVRQHWDOY&LW\RI&LQFLQQDWL  $QGDVDKRPHOHVVLQGLYLGXDO$X)UDQFHODFNHGDFFHVVWRD D. SULYDWHWHOHSKRQHWRVHHNDQGUHFHLYHOHJDODGYLFH*LYHQWKH REYLRXVO\SULYLOHJHGQDWXUHRIKLVFRQYHUVDWLRQVLWFDQQRWEH Our analysis of Au France’s claim  that the Ordinance VDLG WKDW $X )UDQFH¶V DFFHVV WR WKH &LW\¶V SUHGRPLQDQWO\ infringes on his freedom of association right to visit his XQHQFORVHGSXEOLFSKRQHVDOOHYLDWHGKLVSUREOHPRIDFFHVV attorney  is more straightforward. Much of our system of $QXUEDQVWUHHWFRUQHUVLPSO\GRHVQRWSURYLGHDVXIILFLHQW law is based upon the presumption that one of the most JXDUDQWHHRISULYDF\DQGDUHDOLVWLFDOO\HIIHFWLYHJXDUGDJDLQVW important relationships for "safeguarding of individual GLVFORVXUHRISULYLOHJHGDQGFRQILGHQWLDOLQIRUPDWLRQWREH freedom" is that between an individual and his or her FRQVLGHUHGDYLDEOHDOWHUQDWLYH(YHQLI$X)UDQFHVHFXUHGD attorney. See Roberts, 468 U.S. at 617-618. It simply cannot ZKROO\HQFORVHGSXEOLFSKRQHKHLVKRPHOHVVDQGWKXVLQDOO be denied that an individual’s relationship with his or her OLNHOLKRRG ODFNV WKH PRQH\ IRU DQ\WKLQJ PRUH WKDQ D VKRUW attorney "acts as a critical buffer between the individual and FRQYHUVDWLRQZLWKKLVDWWRUQH\7KXVWKH2UGLQDQFHQRWRQO\ the power of the State." See id. Accordingly, we find that Au EORFNHG$X)UDQFH¶VSK\VLFDODFFHVVWRKLVDWWRUQH\¶VRIILFH France has a fundamental freedom of association right to visit LWHIIHFWLYHO\EORFNHGDOODFFHVVWRKLVDWWRUQH\:KLOHWKLVD his attorney. 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