INTHEUNITEDSTATESDISTRICTCOURT

FORTHESOUTHERNDISTRICTOFALABAMA

CARID.SEARCY,etal., )
)
Plaintiffs, )
)
v. ) CivilActionNo.:1:14cv00208
)
ROBERTBENTLEY,etal., )
)
)
Defendants. )

MOTIONTODISMISSBYDEFENDANTNANCYBUCKNER

COMES NOW Defendant Nancy Buckner, individually and in her official capacity
as the Commissioner for the Alabama Department of Human Resources, (hereinafter
CommissionerBuckner)movesthisCourttodismisswithprejudiceallclaimsagainst
her pertaining to this action pursuant to FED. R. CIV. P. 12(b) (1) and (6) . Defendant
showsuntothisHonorableCourtasfollows:
1. Plaintiffs complaint fails to state a claim upon which relief may be granted
againstCommissionerBuckner.
2. To establish standing, plaintiffs must prove (1) injury in fact; (2) injury must be
fairly traceable to the defendants conduct; and (3) their harm is likely to be
redressedshouldthecourtorder relieftoestablishstanding.Lujanv.Defenders
of Wildlife, 504 U.S. 555, 560 (1992). Plaintiffs cannot prove each of these
elementsastoCommissionerBuckner.
Case 1:14-cv-00208-N Document 14 Filed 06/03/14 Page 1 of 3

3. Claims against Commissioner Buckner must fail because she is entitled to

qualifiedimmunity.Plaintiffsfailtoshowaclearlyestablishedrightviolatedby
CommissionerBucknerwhosestatutorydutiesentailadministrationofawelfare
agency. Foraconstitutionalrighttobeclearlyestablished,itscontoursmustbe
sufficiently clear that a reasonable officer would understand that what he is
doingviolatesthatright.Hopev.Pelzer,536U.S.730,739(2002).
WHEREFORE, THE ABOVE PREMISES CONSIDERED, Defendant Nancy
Buckner,respectfullyrequeststhisHonorableCourtto:
a. dismiss Plaintiffs Complaint and each and every count against Defendant
NancyBuckner,and
b. grant such other, further, and different relief as this Honorable Court may
deemjustandproper.
RESPECTFULLYSUBMITTEDonthisthe3
rd
dayofJune,2014.

LUTHERSTRANGE(STR003)
ATTORNEYGENERAL

SHARONE.FICQUETTE(FIC001)
GENERALCOUNSEL

/s/FeliciaM.Brooks
FeliciaM.Brooks(BRO153)
DeputyAttorneyGeneral

ATTORNEYSFORCOMMISSIONERBUCKNER

Case 1:14-cv-00208-N Document 14 Filed 06/03/14 Page 2 of 3

OFCOUNSEL:
STATEOFALABAMADEPARTMENT
OFHUMANRESOURCES
LegalOffice
P.O.Box304000
Montgomery,Alabama361304000
PhoneNumber:(334)2429330
Facsimile:(334)2420689
Email:felicia.brooks@dhr.alabama.gov

CERTIFICATEOFSERVICE
I hereby certify that I have served the foregoing MOTION TO DISMISS BY
DEFENDANTNANCYBUCKNERonthefollowingviaCM/ECFEfilesystemand/or
U.S.Mailtothefollowingonthisthe3
rd
dayofJune,2014.
Hon.ChristineC.Hernandez
christine@hernandezlaw.comcastbiz.net

Hon.DavidG.Kennedy
david@kennedylawyers.com

Hon.LutherStrange,III
501WashingtonAvenue
Montgomery,AL36104

CatherineM.Donald
201MonroeStreet,Ste.1150
Montgomery,AL36104

/s/FeliciaM.Brooks
FeliciaM.Brooks(BRO153)
OfCounsel

Case 1:14-cv-00208-N Document 14 Filed 06/03/14 Page 3 of 3