NEWPORT BEACH

Ryan Huntsman, the former Corona del Mar High School student who is suing the city for $5 million, will get his day in court Nov. 2, a federal judge said Monday. Huntsman’s $5 million suit against the school district does not yet have a trial date.

Both lawsuits charge that the city and the school district violated Huntsman’s civil rights when he was transferred from Corona del Mar High to Newport Harbor High for violating Newport-Mesa Unified’s zero-tolerance drug policy. Police pulled over Huntsman last spring for playing his car radio too loudly. Officers reportedly found a marijuana pipe and a small amount of marijuana in Huntsman’s possession but cited him for only noise pollution. Police nevertheless faxed a copy of their report to the school district.

Based on that report, school officials suspended and transferred Huntsman. David Shores, Huntsman’s attorney, said this caused such a disruption in Huntsman’s life that he missed college application deadlines and then spent his college funds to pay his legal fees.

Huntsman, now a student at Orange Coast College, claims in his suit that the city and the Police Department illegally searched his car and then told the school district about the marijuana pipe they found. He also claims the district violated his due process rights by suspending him without a fair hearing. City attorneys could not be reached for comment.