Steven A. Deloge v. Scott Homar, Laramie District Attorney and Cheyenne Police Department
2013 WY 33
| Wyo. | 2013Background
- DeLoge’s 1999 property seizure followed by six life-sentence conviction and affirming appeals
- His 2003–2010 efforts sought return of seized property and court orders; prior WY Supreme Court rulings addressed disclosure and oversight of the property
- In 2011 DeLoge filed 42 U.S.C. § 1983 claim for damages, alleging federal constitutional violations by state actors
- District court dismissed as untimely under § 1983 and Wyoming Governmental Claims Act; court commented on barring further suits
- Wyoming Supreme Court affirmed dismissal as time barred and prohibited further related litigation without leave
Issues
| Issue | Plaintiff's Argument | Defendant's Argument | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whether § 1983 claims were timely | DeLoge argues timely under discovery rule | State actors contend limitations expired | Yes, time barred; affirmed dismissal |
| Whether governmental claims timing applied | Claim filed timely under GWCA | GWCA deadline not met | GWCA timing not reached; alternative grounds suffice |
| Whether DeLoge should be barred from further suits | Requests ability to pursue more actions | Court should restrict further suits | Yes; prohibited future litigation without leave of the Wyoming Supreme Court |
Key Cases Cited
- DeLoge v. State, 2002 WY 155, 55 P.3d 1233 (Wyo. 2002) (establishes prior property-related remedies and procedural posture (DeLoge I))
- DeLoge v. State, 2005 WY 152, 123 P.3d 573 (Wyo. 2005) (deemed denial rule rejected; remand for decision (DeLoge II))
- DeLoge v. State, 2007 WY 71, 156 P.3d 1004 (Wyo. 2007) (remand for further proceedings; appointment and disqualification issues (DeLoge III))
- DeLoge v. State, 2010 WY 60, 231 P.3d 862 (Wyo. 2010) (property disposition; sovereign immunity noted (DeLoge IV))
- Cosco v. Lampert, 2010 WY 52, 229 P.3d 962 (Wyo. 2010) (finality and leave to file restrictions on related actions)
- Redland v. Redland, 2012 WY 148, 288 P.3d 1173 (Wyo. 2012) (discovery rule and accrual for § 1983 in WY context)
- Carnahan v. Lewis, 2012 WY 45, 273 P.3d 1065 (Wyo. 2012) (statute of limitations accrual principles in WY cases)
- Ray v. St. Vincent HealthCare, Inc., 2006 WY 98, 139 P.3d 464 (Wyo. 2006) (choice of limitations for § 1983 claims; state-law period applies)
- Whitney Holding Corp. v. Terry, 2012 WY 21, 270 P.3d 662 (Wyo. 2012) (de novo review of statute-of-limitations defense)