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Case TitleJarrell v. Secretary of Veterans Affairs et al
DistrictSouthern District of Ohio
CityDayton
Case Number3:2015cv00187
Date Filed2015-05-22
Date Closed2015-12-03
JudgeJudge Walter H Rice
PlaintiffStephen Paul Jarrell
Case DescriptionStephen Jarrell filed suit against the Department of Veterans Affairs alleging numerous inaccuracies in his service record. Among his claims were that records were illegible or had not been produced.
Complaint issues: Adequacy - Search

DefendantSecretary of Veterans Affairs Robert McDonald
DefendantUnited States Attorney
DefendantUnited States Attorney General
Documents
Docket
Complaint
Complaint attachment 1
Opinion/Order [11]
FOIA Project Annotation: A federal court in Ohio has ruled that Stephen Jarrell filed his Privacy Act suit after the two-year statute of limitations had expired and thus may not sue the Department of Veterans Affairs because he knew of the existence of allegedly inaccurate information in his records in 2011. The court noted that "Jarrell frames his complaint as if he had just learned about the faulty record, pleading in his claim that the Records Management Center in St. Louis sent him on May 5, 2015, what was stated to be 'the entire packet (105) pages of records' the VA said they used in their Determination. However, on December 9, 2011, Jarrell filed suit in this Court against the National Personnel Records Center claiming that the records they maintained of this military service 'are incomplete and or inaccurate.' In that case Jarrell filed a motion for summary judgment supported by numerous excerpts from his military records." The court pointed out that "plainly, Jarrell knew of the claimed errors in his military personnel file many years ago, certainly more than two years before filing this case on May 22, 2015. Statutes of limitations on actions against the United States, because they condition the sovereign's consent to suit, are jurisdictional. This Court has expressly found that the limitations period in the Privacy Act is jurisdictional in an action against the Department of Veterans Affairs."
Issues: Litigation - Statute of Limitations
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2015-05-221COMPLAINT against Secretary of Veterans Affairs, United States Attorney, United States Attorney General, filed by Stephen Paul Jarrell. (pb) (Additional attachment(s) added on 5/22/2015: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet) (pb). (Entered: 05/22/2015)
2015-05-222Summons Issued as to Secretary of Veterans Affairs, United States Attorney, United States Attorney General, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (pb) (Entered: 05/22/2015)
2015-05-223Filing fee: $ 400.00, receipt number 300DAY015492 (pb) (Entered: 05/22/2015)
2015-06-094SUMMONS Returned Executed as to Defendants Secretary of Veterans Affairs, United States Attorney General. Secretary of Veterans Affairs served on 5/28/2015, answer due 7/27/2015; United States Attorney General served on 5/28/2015, answer due 7/27/2015. (ead) (Entered: 06/09/2015)
2015-07-205MOTION to Dismiss for Lack of Jurisdiction by Defendants Secretary of Veterans Affairs, United States Attorney, United States Attorney General. Responses due by 8/13/2015 (Attachments: # 1 Deeter Declaration) (Dunsky, Gregory) (Entered: 07/20/2015)
2015-07-216ORDER TO PRO SE PLAINTIFF. Signed by Magistrate Judge Michael R. Merz on 7/21/2015. (kpf)(This document has been sent by regular mail to the party(ies) listed in the NEF that did not receive electronic notification.) (Entered: 07/21/2015)
2015-07-287RESPONSE in Opposition re 5 MOTION to Dismiss for Lack of Jurisdiction filed by Plaintiff Stephen Paul Jarrell. (pb) (Entered: 07/28/2015)
2015-07-318REPLY to Response to Motion re 5 MOTION to Dismiss for Lack of Jurisdiction filed by Defendants Secretary of Veterans Affairs, United States Attorney, United States Attorney General. (Dunsky, Gregory) (Entered: 07/31/2015)
2015-08-059MOTION for Leave to File Sur Reply - Entitled - Plaintiff's Reply Memorandum in Support of his Memorandum in Opposition re 5 , 7 , and 8 by Plaintiff Stephen Paul Jarrell. Responses due by 8/31/2015 (Attachments: # 1 Sur Reply - Entitled - Plaintiff's Reply Memorandum in Support of his Memorandum in Opposition) (pb) (Entered: 08/05/2015)
2015-08-05Notation ORDER granting 9 Motion for Leave to File Sur-reply. Signed by Magistrate Judge Michael R. Merz on 8/5/2015. (MRM) (Entered: 08/05/2015)
2015-08-0510Plaintiff's Reply Memorandum in Support of his Memorandum in Opposition re 5 , 7 and 8 by Plaintiff Stephen Paul Jarrell. (pb) (Entered: 08/05/2015)
2015-08-0711REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS - Because Jarrell discovered the inaccuracies in his military personnel file of which he complains more than two years before he filed this action, the Court lacks subject matter jurisdiction of the case which should therefore be dismissed without prejudice under Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(1). Objections to R&R due by 8/24/2015. Signed by Magistrate Judge Michael R. Merz on 8/7/2015. (kpf)(This document has been sent by regular mail to the party(ies) listed in the NEF that did not receive electronic notification.) (Entered: 08/07/2015)
2015-08-1712PLAINTIFF'S OBJECTION TO MAGISTRATE MERZ'S REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS 11 Report and Recommendations by Plaintiff Stephen Paul Jarrell. (srb) (Entered: 08/17/2015)
2015-08-1813RECOMMITTAL ORDER - The District Judge has preliminarily considered the Objections and believes they will be more appropriately resolved after further analysis by the Magistrate Judge. Accordingly, pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 72(b)(3), this matter is hereby returned to the Magistrate Judge with instructions to file a supplemental report analyzing the Objections and making recommendations based on that analysis. re 11 Report and Recommendations, 12 Objection to Report and Recommendations filed by Stephen Paul Jarrell. Signed by Judge Walter H Rice on 8/18/2015. (srb)(This document has been sent by regular mail to the party(ies) listed in the NEF that did not receive electronic notification.) (Entered: 08/18/2015)
2015-08-1914ORDER TO SUPPLEMENT THE RECORD - It is ORDERED that Plaintiff file with the Court 1. a copy of the records produced to him by the Records Management Center in May 2015. If Plaintiff brings the original CD to the Clerks Office, a deputy clerk will upload the records to the Court's CM/ECF system. If Plaintiff wishes to have them filed under seal, the Court finds that is appropriate because they are personnel records, so the Clerk will file them under seal if requested. 2. a list of each alleged misrepresentation in the records, identified by the PageID number of the page on which it appears in the filed copy. When the records are uploaded to the CM/ECF system, the Court's computer will add a line at the top of each page with the following appearance: "Case: 3:15-cv-00187-WHR-MRM Doc #: 12 Filed: 08/17/15 Page: 2 of 3 PAGEID #: ____." These filings are to be complete by September 1, 2015. Signed by Magistrate Judge Michael R. Merz on 8/19/2015. (kpf)(This document has been sent by regular mail to the party(ies) listed in the NEF that did not receive electronic notification.) (Entered: 08/19/2015)
2015-08-2716Reply re 14 Order by Plaintiff Stephen Paul Jarrell. (Attachments: # 1 Attachment) (pb) (Entered: 08/27/2015)
2015-08-28Scheduling ORDER - The United States may respond to Plaintiff's most recent filing not later than September 10, 2015. Signed by Magistrate Judge Michael R. Merz on 8/28/2015. (MRM) (Entered: 08/28/2015)
2015-09-0117MOTION for Extension of Time to File New date requested 9/24/2015. by Defendants Secretary of Veterans Affairs, United States Attorney, United States Attorney General. Responses due by 9/25/2015 (Dunsky, Gregory) (Entered: 09/01/2015)
2015-09-01Notation ORDER granting 17 Motion for Extension of Time to File to and including 9/25/2015. Signed by Magistrate Judge Michael R. Merz on 9/1/2015. (MRM) (Entered: 09/01/2015)
2015-09-2518REPLY to Response to Motion re 17 MOTION for Extension of Time to File New date requested 9/24/2015. filed by Defendant Secretary of Veterans Affairs. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A - Declaration of Richard Ivy, # 2 Exhibit A - attachment 1, # 3 Exhibit A - attachment 2, # 4 Exhibit A - attachment 3, # 5 Exhibit A - attachment 4, # 6 Exhibit B - Oct 25, 1998 ltr from Jarrell to VA, # 7 Exhibit C - Jarrell's Motion for New Trial with exhibits, Civil Case 3:13cv343) (Dunsky, Gregory) (Entered: 09/25/2015)
2015-09-28Notice of Correction re: 18 Reply to Response to Motion,,....DELETE, COUNSEL TO RESUBMIT BY USING CORRECT EVENT AND PROPER EVENT RESPONSE TO MOTION AND NOT REPLY TO RESPONSE to Motion re 17 ...COUNSEL NOTIFIED (pb) (Entered: 09/28/2015)
2015-09-2819Response re 16 Reply (non motion), Order by Defendant Secretary of Veterans Affairs. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A, # 2 Exhibit B, # 3 Exhibit C) (Dunsky, Gregory) (Entered: 09/28/2015)
2015-09-2920AMENDED DOCUMENT by Defendant Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Amendment to 19 Response (non motion) Amended Exhibits B, C . (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit B (amended), # 2 Exhibit C (amended)) (Dunsky, Gregory) (Entered: 09/29/2015)
2015-10-0221Reply Entitled - Plaintiff Rebuttal to Defendants Recent Response re 20 Amended Document, 19 Response (non motion) by Plaintiff Stephen Paul Jarrell. (Attachments: # 1 Attachment) (pb) (Entered: 10/02/2015)
2015-10-0522Plaintiff's Rebuttal to Defendant's Recent Response re 16 Reply (non motion), 15 Sealed Document by Plaintiff Stephen Paul Jarrell. (Attachments: # 1 Attachment) (ead) (Entered: 10/05/2015)
2015-10-0523Cover letter to USA. by Plaintiff Stephen Paul Jarrell (ead)(This document has been sent by regular mail to the party(ies) listed in the NEF that did not receive electronic notification.) (Entered: 10/05/2015)
2015-11-0224ORDER - This case is hereby set for an evidentiary hearing on the Motion to Dismiss at 9:30 A.M. on Thursday, December 3, 2015, in Courtroom No. 4 at 200 West Second Street, Dayton, Ohio. The burden of proving subject matter jurisdiction in federal court if on the party asserting it. Plaintiff must therefore be prepared to show by admissible evidence which documents on the May 2015 CD have been altered or in what other ways he asserts that record violates the Privacy Act. Signed by Magistrate Judge Michael R. Merz on 11/2/2015. (kpf)(This document has been sent by regular mail to the party(ies) listed in the NEF that did not receive electronic notification.) (Entered: 11/02/2015)
2015-11-1025MOTION FOR PERMISSIVE JOINDER OF PARTIES. Responses due by 12/4/2015 (ead) (Entered: 11/10/2015)
2015-11-1226DECISION AND ORDER denying 25 Motion for Joinder. Signed by Magistrate Judge Michael R. Merz on 11/12/2015. (kpf)(This document has been sent by regular mail to the party(ies) listed in the NEF that did not receive electronic notification.) (Entered: 11/12/2015)
2015-12-0327Brief by Plaintiff Stephen Paul Jarrell in support of objections to dismissal for lack of subject matter jurisdiction with attached envelopes (2) of documents extracted from the record. (kpf) (Entered: 12/03/2015)
2015-12-03Minute Entry for proceedings held before Magistrate Judge Michael R. Merz: Evidentiary Hearing on Defendants' Motion to Dismiss held on 12/3/2015. Plaintiff appeared pro se with brother Richard Jarrell. Attorney Gregory Dunsky appeared for Defendants. Stephen and Richard Jarrell sworn and testified. Exhibits marked into evidence and will be maintained in chambers. Plaintiff moved to dismiss this action without prejudice and the Court will issue an entry to that effect forthwith. (Court Reporter Lainey Fergueson, Britton & Associates.) (kpf) (Entered: 12/03/2015)
2015-12-0328ORDER - Pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 41(a)(2), this action is DISMISSED without prejudice. The Report and Recommendations (ECF No. 11) is WITHDRAWN. Signed by Magistrate Judge Michael R. Merz on 12/3/2015. (kpf)(This document has been sent by regular mail to the party(ies) listed in the NEF that did not receive electronic notification.) (Entered: 12/03/2015)
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by FOIA Project Staff
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