Jeffrey Gorman v. Floyd Bartch, Chief, Kansas City Missouri, Police Department Steven Bishop, Former Chief, Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department and Emanuel Cleaver Ii, John Dillingham, Jack Headley, Jacqueline L. Paul, Bailus Tate, Dona Boley, Neil Becker, Dr. Stacey Daniels, and James F. Ralls, Jr., United States of America, Amicus Curiae
Docket: 96-2564
Court: Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit; September 4, 1997; Federal Appellate Court
Jeffrey Gorman, a paraplegic, was arrested in 1992 for trespassing and subsequently injured while being transported by the Kansas City, Missouri, police. He alleged that the officers discriminated against him by using a transport vehicle unsuitable for individuals with mobility impairments, violating the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Gorman sued multiple defendants, including the police chief and officers involved, claiming both individual and official capacity violations. The district court granted summary judgment to all defendants based on qualified immunity and concluded that the Rehabilitation Act and ADA did not apply to Gorman's situation during transport. Gorman appealed these rulings. However, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed the appeal for lack of jurisdiction, noting that the district court had issued multiple summary judgment orders but had not entered a final judgment document that resolved all claims as required by Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Consequently, the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the appeal and dismissed it without prejudice.