Case: Valimont v. Minnesota

0:17-cv-03655 | U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota

Filed Date: Aug. 9, 2017

Closed Date: July 16, 2018

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Case Summary

This is a case about a Protection and Advocacy (P&A) agency’s representation of a person who is deaf and who requested an interpreter so that he could participate on a grand jury.  After he made the request for the interpreter, the court involuntary excused him from jury service.   On August 9, 2017, the Minnesota Disability Law Center, Minnesota’s P&A, filed this lawsuit on behalf of the plaintiff in the U.S. District Court for Minnesota. MDLC claimed the State, the Judicial Branch, the Judici…

This is a case about a Protection and Advocacy (P&A) agency’s representation of a person who is deaf and who requested an interpreter so that he could participate on a grand jury.  After he made the request for the interpreter, the court involuntary excused him from jury service.  

On August 9, 2017, the Minnesota Disability Law Center, Minnesota’s P&A, filed this lawsuit on behalf of the plaintiff in the U.S. District Court for Minnesota. MDLC claimed the State, the Judicial Branch, the Judicial Council, the State Court Administrator, and the Third Judicial District violated  Athletic Association violated the ADA, Section 504 and the state’s human rights act when it deprived the plaintiff of the ability to participate in grand jury proceedings by dismissing him from those proceedings.  The case was assigned to Judge Michael J. Davis and referred to Magistrate Judge Katherine M. Menendez. 

The plaintiff was summoned for grand jury duty and the plaintiff, who is deaf, requested an interpreter so that he could participate in grand jury proceedings.  The state court did not respond to the interpreter request but dismissed the plaintiff from grand jury participation.  The plaintiff wanted to participate in the grand jury proceeding and filed the lawsuit for him to be able to participate.  

The state defendants filed a motion to dismiss on October 2, 2017. On March 6, 2018, the court denied the Defendants’ motion to dismiss in part and allowed the ADA and Section 504 claims to proceed.  The court granted the defendants’ motion to dismiss the state law claims based on sovereign immunity grounds.  The court also dismissed only the plaintiff’s injunctive relief requests under the ADA and 504.  

The parties settled and the state defendants stipulated to the dismissal of the case on July 16, 2018 and the court dismissed the case on the same day. The terms of the settlement are unknown to the Clearinghouse at this time. 

The case is now closed.

Summary Authors

NDRN (6/12/2024)

People

For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/7446488/parties/valimont-v-state-of-minnesota/


Judge(s)

Davis, Michael James (Minnesota)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Macpherson, Roderick J (Minnesota)

Attorney for Defendant

Kimble, Janine Wetzel (Minnesota)

Landrum, Kathryn Iverson (Minnesota)

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document
27

0:17-cv-03655

Amended Complaint Jury Trial Demanded

Jan. 9, 2018

Jan. 9, 2018

Complaint
36

0:17-cv-03655

Memorandum of Law & Order

March 6, 2018

March 6, 2018

Order/Opinion
44

0:17-cv-03655

Stipulation of Dismissal with Prejudice

July 16, 2018

July 16, 2018

Pleading / Motion / Brief

Resources

Docket

See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/7446488/valimont-v-state-of-minnesota/

Last updated Dec. 16, 2024, 5:42 p.m.

Docket sheet not available via the Clearinghouse.

Case Details

State / Territory: Minnesota

Case Type(s):

Disability Rights

Public Benefits/Government Services

Key Dates

Filing Date: Aug. 9, 2017

Closing Date: July 16, 2018

Case Ongoing: No

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

deaf individual

Attorney Organizations:

NDRN/Protection & Advocacy Organizations

Public Interest Lawyer: Yes

Filed Pro Se: No

Class Action Sought: No

Class Action Outcome: Not sought

Defendants

State of Minnesota, State

Defendant Type(s):

Jurisdiction-wide

Case Details

Causes of Action:

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), 42 U.S.C. §§ 12111 et seq.

Section 504 (Rehabilitation Act), 29 U.S.C. § 701

State law

Available Documents:

Trial Court Docket

Complaint (any)

Any published opinion

Outcome

Prevailing Party: Plaintiff

Nature of Relief:

Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement

Source of Relief:

Settlement

Form of Settlement:

Voluntary Dismissal

Issues

Disability and Disability Rights:

Hearing impairment