Johnnie L. Williams v. Stephanie V. Daniels, Director, Miami Dade Police Department, in her Official Capacity; Department of Financial Services; Francianne Dorvilus, in her Official Capacity; and Officer D. Forbes, Badge #0055, in his Individual Capacity

Summary

The United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida granted in part three motions to dismiss in an action brought by Johnnie L. Williams. The court dismissed the Department of Financial Services without prejudice on Eleventh Amendment immunity grounds and transferred the remaining case to the Southern District of Florida based on venue. The transferee court was left to consider the defendants’ arguments that the complaint failed to state a claim.

Holdings

1. The Department of Financial Services was protected by Eleventh Amendment immunity because Florida had not consented to the suit and Congress had not validly abrogated the immunity; the claims against DFS were therefore dismissed without prejudice.
2. Venue was not proper in the Middle District of Florida because the remaining defendants resided in Miami-Dade County and the relevant events occurred there; the case was transferred to the Southern District of Florida.
3. The court deferred the remaining failure-to-state-a-claim arguments for consideration by the transferee court.

Questions Presented

1. Whether the Department of Financial Services was immune from Williams's monetary-damages claims under the Eleventh Amendment.
2. Whether venue was proper in the Middle District of Florida or whether the action should be transferred to the Southern District of Florida.
3. Whether the remaining defendants' arguments that the complaint failed to state a claim should be decided by the transferor court.

Disposition

remanded