Bass v. Arizona Motor Vehicle Division et al
Filing
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ORDER: Plaintiff's Application to Proceed In District Court Without Prepaying Fees or Costs 5 is granted. As required by the accompanying Order to the appropriate government agency, Plaintiff must pay the $350.00 filing fee and is asses sed an initial partial filing fee of $9.20. The Complaint 1 is dismissed for failure to state a claim. Plaintiff has 30 days from the date this Order is filed to file a first amended complaint in compliance with this Order. If Plaintiff fai ls to file an amended complaint within 30 days, the Clerk of Court must, without further notice, enter a judgment of dismissal of this action with prejudice that states that the dismissal may count as a "strike" under 28 U.S.C. § 191 5(g) and deny any pending unrelated motions as moot. Plaintiff's Amended Motion for Limited Discovery Order to Identify John Doe Defendants 7 is denied as premature. See document for complete details. Signed by Senior Judge James A Teilborg on 1/29/2025. (KLG)
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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
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FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA
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Johann Alexander Bass,
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No.
CV-24-02380-PHX-JAT (JFM)
Plaintiff,
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v.
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Arizona Motor Vehicle Division, et al.,
ORDER
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Defendants.
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JDDL-K
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Self-represented Plaintiff Johann Alexander Bass, who is confined in the Greene
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Correctional Facility in Coxsackie, New York, filed a civil rights Complaint pursuant to
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42 U.S.C. § 1983 (Doc. 1) and a Motion for Limited Discovery Order to Identify John Doe
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Defendants. He subsequently filed an Application to Proceed In District Court Without
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Prepaying Fees or Costs (Doc. 5) and an Amended Motion for Limited Discovery Order to
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Identify John Doe Defendants (Doc. 7). The Court will grant the Application to Proceed,
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dismiss the Complaint with leave to amend, and deny without prejudice the Amended
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Motion.
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I.
Application to Proceed and Filing Fee
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The Court will grant Plaintiff’s Application to Proceed. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a).
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Plaintiff must pay the statutory filing fee of $350.00. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1). The Court
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will assess an initial partial filing fee of $9.20. The remainder of the fee will be collected
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monthly in payments of 20% of the previous month’s income credited to Plaintiff’s trust
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account each time the amount in the account exceeds $10.00. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(2). The
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Court will enter a separate Order requiring the appropriate government agency to collect
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and forward the fees according to the statutory formula.
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II.
Statutory Screening of Prisoner Complaints
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The Court is required to screen complaints brought by prisoners seeking relief
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against a governmental entity or an officer or an employee of a governmental entity. 28
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U.S.C. § 1915A(a). The Court must dismiss a complaint or portion thereof if a plaintiff
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has raised claims that are legally frivolous or malicious, fail to state a claim upon which
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relief may be granted, or seek monetary relief from a defendant who is immune from such
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relief. 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(b)(1)–(2).
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A pleading must contain a “short and plain statement of the claim showing that the
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pleader is entitled to relief.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a)(2) (emphasis added). While Rule 8 does
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not demand detailed factual allegations, “it demands more than an unadorned, the-
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defendant-unlawfully-harmed-me accusation.”
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(2009). “Threadbare recitals of the elements of a cause of action, supported by mere
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conclusory statements, do not suffice.” Id.
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“[A] complaint must contain sufficient factual matter, accepted as true, to ‘state a
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claim to relief that is plausible on its face.’” Id. (quoting Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly,
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550 U.S. 544, 570 (2007)). A claim is plausible “when the plaintiff pleads factual content
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that allows the court to draw the reasonable inference that the defendant is liable for the
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misconduct alleged.” Id. “Determining whether a complaint states a plausible claim for
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relief [is] . . . a context-specific task that requires the reviewing court to draw on its judicial
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experience and common sense.” Id. at 679. Thus, although a plaintiff’s specific factual
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allegations may be consistent with a constitutional claim, a court must assess whether there
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are other “more likely explanations” for a defendant’s conduct. Id. at 681.
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But as the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has instructed, courts
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must “continue to construe [self-represented litigant’s] filings liberally.” Hebbe v. Pliler,
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627 F.3d 338, 342 (9th Cir. 2010). A “complaint [filed by a self-represented prisoner]
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JDDL-K
Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678
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‘must be held to less stringent standards than formal pleadings drafted by lawyers.’” Id.
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(quoting Erickson v. Pardus, 551 U.S. 89, 94 (2007) (per curiam)).
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If the Court determines that a pleading could be cured by the allegation of other
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facts, a self-represented litigant is entitled to an opportunity to amend a complaint before
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dismissal of the action. See Lopez v. Smith, 203 F.3d 1122, 1127-29 (9th Cir. 2000) (en
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banc). The Court will dismiss Plaintiff’s Complaint for failure to state a claim, with leave
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to amend because it may possibly be amended to state a claim.
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III.
Complaint
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In his Complaint,1 Plaintiff names as Defendants the Arizona Motor Vehicle
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Division (AMVD) and four John Doe employees of the AMVD in their individual and
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official capacities. Plaintiff makes the following allegations.
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After being stopped by the South Dakota Department of Public Safety while driving
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a semi-truck in May 2021, Plaintiff pleaded guilty to ingestion of a controlled substance
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and was sentenced to probation.
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Commercial Driver’s License (CDL), the state court “did not make any kind of order
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affecting Plaintiff’s CDL,” and the conviction “does not constitute committing a felony in
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a Commercial Motor Vehicle” under South Dakota law. However, Plaintiff subsequently
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received a letter from the South Dakota Department of Public Safety stating that his CDL
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“had been withdrawn for committing a felony in a commercial motor vehicle.”
He was told the conviction would not affect his
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Plaintiff attempted to get an administrative hearing in South Dakota, but he did not
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receive one. He contacted Defendant AMVD and requested a hearing but was told that
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“because the situation happened in South Dakota, [Defendant] AMVD could not help him.”
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He claims Arizona law requires notice and an opportunity to be heard, but he “never
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received any kind of notice” from Defendant AMVD and was not given a hearing, even
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though he timely requested one.2
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Plaintiff’s Complaint contains minor misspellings and misplaced or omitted
punctuation. The Court, when quoting the Complaint, has corrected these without
specifically noting them.
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JDDL-K
Plaintiff claims he received a document from Defendant AMVD “with a caption
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JDDL-K
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After filing a 2023 civil rights lawsuit in the United States District Court for the
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Central District of South Dakota, Plaintiff wrote letters to Defendant AMVD “requesting
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records pertaining to the disqualification/withdrawal of his CDL.” He never received the
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documents because, according to Plaintiff, Defendant AMVD “has a policy of not
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providing records to those in custody until they are within 90 days of their release.” A
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judge in the Central District of South Dakota denied Plaintiff’s motion to subpoena those
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records, but Plaintiff obtained, through family members, his “driver records” from
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Defendant AMVD. The records “contained the South Dakota court case number but had
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Arizona Revised Statutes in the violation information.”
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In July 2024, Plaintiff wrote to Defendant AMVD and the Arizona Attorney
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General’s Office, requesting “the incorrectly reported violation be removed from his
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records because he did not violate any laws in either state that required his CDL to be
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withdrawn or disqualified."
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Plaintiff “submit the Complaint to the South Dakota [Department of Public Safety].”
The Arizona Attorney General’s Office recommended
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According to Plaintiff, his drivers license record lists two Arizona statutes in the
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“Violation information.” He claims, however, that his South Dakota conviction does not
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meet the criteria in these statutes “for taking away his CDL” in either Arizona or South
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Dakota.
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Plaintiff contends Defendants John Does 1-4 violated his due process rights “by
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entering a decision to withdraw suspend, revoke, or disqualify his CDL,” without sufficient
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evidence, without comparing the out-of-state information to Arizona law, and without
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providing notice and an opportunity to be heard. He also invokes the Court’s supplemental
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jurisdiction and contends Defendants John Does 1-4 breached their duty to obtain sufficient
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information, compare the out-of-state information to Arizona law, and provide notice and
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an opportunity to be heard.
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....
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indicating the [a]dministrative procedures were dismissed due to the incident having
occurred in South Dakota.”
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JDDL-K
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Plaintiff seeks monetary damages, an order directing Defendants to remove the
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violation from Plaintiff’s driver records held by Defendant AMVD, and his filing fees,
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attorney’s fees, and court costs.
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IV.
Failure to State a Claim
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Although self-represented pleadings are liberally construed, Haines v. Kerner, 404
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U.S. 519, 520-21 (1972), conclusory and vague allegations will not support a cause of
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action. Ivey v. Bd. of Regents, 673 F.2d 266, 268 (9th Cir. 1982). Further, a liberal
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interpretation of a civil rights complaint may not supply essential elements of the claim
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that were not initially pled. Id.
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A.
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The Arizona Motor Vehicle Division is not a proper Defendant. Under the Eleventh
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Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, a state or state agency may not be
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sued in federal court without its consent. Pennhurst State Sch. & Hosp. v. Halderman, 465
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U.S. 89, 100 (1984); Taylor v. List, 880 F.2d 1040, 1045 (9th Cir. 1989). Furthermore, “a
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state is not a ‘person’ for purposes of section 1983. Likewise ‘arms of the State’ . . . are
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not ‘persons’ under section 1983.” Gilbreath v. Cutter Biological, Inc., 931 F.2d 1320,
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1327 (9th Cir. 1991) (citation omitted). Therefore, the Court will dismiss Defendant
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Arizona Motor Vehicle Division.
Defendant AMVD
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B.
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Plaintiff has simply made vague and conclusory allegations against a group of
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Defendants, without any factual specificity as to what any particular Defendant did or
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failed to do. This is insufficient. See Marcilis v. Twp. of Redford, 693 F.3d 589, 596 (6th
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Cir. 2012) (upholding dismissal of complaint that referred to all defendants “generally and
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categorically” because the plaintiff had failed to “‘allege, with particularity, facts that
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demonstrate what each defendant did to violate the asserted constitutional right.’” (quoting
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Lanman v. Hinson, 529 F.3d 673, 684 (6th Cir. 2008))); Robbins v. Oklahoma, 519 F.3d
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1242, 1250 (10th Cir. 2008) (“Given the complaint’s use of either the collective term
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‘Defendants’ or a list of the defendants named individually but with no distinction as to
Defendants Does 1-4
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JDDL-K
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what acts are attributable to whom, it is impossible for any of these individuals to ascertain
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what particular unconstitutional acts they are alleged to have committed.”). Thus, the
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Court will dismiss without prejudice Defendants Does 1-4.
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C.
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The Court will not exercise supplemental jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1367 over
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Plaintiff’s state-law claim because Plaintiff’s federal claims have been dismissed. See Ove
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v. Gwinn, 264 F.3d 817, 826 (9th Cir. 2001) (“A court may decline to exercise supplemental
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jurisdiction over related state-law claims once it has ‘dismissed all claims over which it has
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original jurisdiction.’” (quoting 28 U.S.C. § 1367(c)(3))); Gini v. Las Vegas Metro. Police
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Dep’t, 40 F.3d 1041, 1046 (9th Cir. 1994) (when federal law claims are eliminated before
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trial, the court generally should decline jurisdiction over state law claims and dismiss them
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without prejudice). Thus, the Court will dismiss without prejudice Plaintiff’s state-law
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claim.
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V.
Supplemental Jurisdiction
Leave to Amend
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For the foregoing reasons, the Court will dismiss Plaintiff’s Complaint for failure to
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state a claim upon which relief may be granted. Within 30 days, Plaintiff may submit a
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first amended complaint to cure the deficiencies outlined above. The Clerk of Court will
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mail Plaintiff a court-approved form to use for filing a first amended complaint. If Plaintiff
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fails to use the court-approved form, the Court may strike the amended complaint and
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dismiss this action without further notice to Plaintiff.
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Plaintiff must clearly designate on the face of the document that it is the “First
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Amended Complaint.” The first amended complaint must be retyped or rewritten in its
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entirety on the court-approved form and may not incorporate any part of the original
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Complaint by reference. Plaintiff may include only one claim per count.
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A first amended complaint supersedes the original Complaint. Ferdik v. Bonzelet,
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963 F.2d 1258, 1262 (9th Cir. 1992); Hal Roach Studios v. Richard Feiner & Co., 896 F.2d
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1542, 1546 (9th Cir. 1990). After amendment, the Court will treat the original Complaint
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as nonexistent. Ferdik, 963 F.2d at 1262. Any cause of action that was raised in the
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JDDL-K
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original Complaint and that was voluntarily dismissed or was dismissed without prejudice
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is waived if it is not alleged in a first amended complaint. Lacey v. Maricopa County, 693
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F.3d 896, 928 (9th Cir. 2012) (en banc).
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If Plaintiff files an amended complaint, Plaintiff must write short, plain statements
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telling the Court: (1) the constitutional right Plaintiff believes was violated; (2) the name
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of the Defendant who violated the right; (3) exactly what that Defendant did or failed to
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do; (4) how the action or inaction of that Defendant is connected to the violation of
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Plaintiff’s constitutional right; and (5) what specific injury Plaintiff suffered because of
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that Defendant’s conduct. See Rizzo v. Goode, 423 U.S. 362, 371-72, 377 (1976).
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Plaintiff must repeat this process for each person he names as a Defendant. If
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Plaintiff fails to affirmatively link the conduct of each named Defendant with the specific
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injury suffered by Plaintiff, the allegations against that Defendant will be dismissed for
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failure to state a claim.
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Defendants has violated a constitutional right are not acceptable and will be
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dismissed.
Conclusory allegations that a Defendant or group of
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If Plaintiff does not know the names of individual Defendants, he must list the
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individual unknown Defendants as Defendant John (or Jane) Doe 1, John Doe 2, and so on
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in the caption of his amended complaint. In the body of the amended complaint, Plaintiff
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must allege facts to support how each particular Doe Defendant violated Plaintiff’s rights.
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It is insufficient to simply list a category of Defendants (such as “John Does 1-4”) and
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make conclusory allegations against them as a group.
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VI.
Amended Motion for Limited Discovery Order
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In his Amended Motion for Limited Discovery Order to Identify John Doe
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Defendants, Plaintiff requests the Court order the Arizona Attorney General’s Office to
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identify the John Doe employees who “entered the violation and withdrew Plaintiff’s
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CDL,” “were required to provide notice and opportunity to be heard,” and “were required
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to compare the South Dakota conviction with Arizona’s laws as required under Arizona
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law before taking enforcement action against the Plaintiff.”
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JDDL-K
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The Court, in its discretion, will not permit discovery at this juncture. If Plaintiff
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files an amended complaint, the Court will screen it pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915A. If the
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Court determines an answer is required against a particular Doe Defendant, the Court
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will give Plaintiff an opportunity through discovery to identify that particular unknown
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defendant. Thus, the Court will deny as premature Plaintiff’s Amended Motion.
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VII.
Warnings
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A.
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If Plaintiff is released while this case remains pending, and the filing fee has not
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been paid in full, Plaintiff must, within 30 days of his release, either (1) notify the Court
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that he intends to pay the unpaid balance of his filing fee within 120 days of his release or
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(2) file a non-prisoner application to proceed in forma pauperis. Failure to comply may
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result in dismissal of this action.
Release
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B.
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Plaintiff must file and serve a notice of a change of address in accordance with Rule
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83.3(d) of the Local Rules of Civil Procedure. Plaintiff must not include a motion for other
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relief with a notice of change of address. Failure to comply may result in dismissal of this
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action.
Address Changes
Possible “Strike”
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C.
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Because the Complaint has been dismissed for failure to state a claim, if Plaintiff
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fails to file an amended complaint correcting the deficiencies identified in this Order, the
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dismissal may count as a “strike” under the “3-strikes” provision of 28 U.S.C. § 1915(g).
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Under the 3-strikes provision, a prisoner may not bring a civil action or appeal a civil
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judgment in forma pauperis under 28 U.S.C. § 1915 “if the prisoner has, on 3 or more prior
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occasions, while incarcerated or detained in any facility, brought an action or appeal in a
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court of the United States that was dismissed on the grounds that it is frivolous, malicious,
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or fails to state a claim upon which relief may be granted, unless the prisoner is under
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imminent danger of serious physical injury.” 28 U.S.C. § 1915(g).
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....
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D.
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If Plaintiff fails to timely comply with every provision of this Order, including these
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warnings, the Court may dismiss this action without further notice. See Ferdik, 963 F.2d
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at 1260-61 (a district court may dismiss an action for failure to comply with any order of
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the Court).
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IT IS ORDERED:
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(1)
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Possible Dismissal
Plaintiff’s Application to Proceed In District Court Without Prepaying Fees
or Costs (Doc. 5) is granted.
(2)
As required by the accompanying Order to the appropriate government
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agency, Plaintiff must pay the $350.00 filing fee and is assessed an initial partial filing fee
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of $9.20.
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(3)
The Complaint (Doc. 1) is dismissed for failure to state a claim. Plaintiff
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has 30 days from the date this Order is filed to file a first amended complaint in compliance
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with this Order.
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(4)
If Plaintiff fails to file an amended complaint within 30 days, the Clerk of
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Court must, without further notice, enter a judgment of dismissal of this action with
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prejudice that states that the dismissal may count as a “strike” under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(g)
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and deny any pending unrelated motions as moot.
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(5)
Plaintiff’s Amended Motion for Limited Discovery Order to Identify John
Doe Defendants (Doc. 7) is denied as premature.
(6)
The Clerk of Court must mail Plaintiff a court-approved form for filing a civil
rights complaint by a prisoner.
Dated this 29th day of January, 2025.
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JDDL-K
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Instructions for a Prisoner Filing a Civil Rights Complaint
in the United States District Court for the District of Arizona
1. Who May Use This Form. The civil rights complaint form is designed to help incarcerated
persons prepare a complaint seeking relief for a violation of their federal civil rights. These
complaints typically concern, but are not limited to, conditions of confinement. This form
should not be used to challenge your conviction or sentence. If you want to challenge a state
conviction or sentence, you should file a petition under 28 U.S.C. ' 2254 for a writ of habeas
corpus by a person in state custody. If you want to challenge a federal conviction or sentence,
you should file a motion under 28 U.S.C. § 2255 to vacate sentence in the federal court that entered
the judgment.
2. The Form. Local Rule of Civil Procedure (LRCiv) 3.4 provides that complaints by
incarcerated persons must be filed on the court-approved form. The form must be typed or
neatly handwritten. The form must be completely filled in to the extent applicable. All questions
must be answered clearly and concisely in the appropriate space on the form. If needed, you may
attach additional pages, but no more than fifteen additional pages, of standard letter-sized paper.
You must identify which part of the complaint is being continued and number all pages. If you do
not fill out the form properly, you will be asked to submit additional or corrected information,
which may delay the processing of your action. You do not need to cite law.
3. Your Signature. You must tell the truth and sign the form. If you make a false statement of
a material fact, you may be prosecuted for perjury.
4. The Filing and Administrative Fees. The total fees for this action are $405.00 ($350.00 filing
fee plus $55.00 administrative fee). If you are unable to immediately pay the fees, you may
request leave to proceed in forma pauperis. Please review the “Information for Prisoners Seeking
Leave to Proceed with a (Non-Habeas) Civil Action in Federal Court In Forma Pauperis Pursuant
to 28 U.S.C. ' 1915” for additional instructions.
5. Original and Judge=s Copy. You must send an original plus one copy of your complaint and
of any other documents submitted to the Court. You must send one additional copy to the Court
if you wish to have a file-stamped copy of the document returned to you. All copies must be
identical to the original. Copies may be legibly handwritten. This section does not apply to
inmates housed at an Arizona Department of Corrections facility that participates in
electronic filing.
6. Where to File. You should file your complaint in the division where you were confined
when your rights were allegedly violated. See LRCiv 5.1(a) and 77.1(a). If you were confined
in Maricopa, Pinal, Yuma, La Paz, or Gila County, file in the Phoenix Division. If you were
confined in Apache, Navajo, Coconino, Mohave, or Yavapai County, file in the Prescott Division.
If you were confined in Pima, Cochise, Santa Cruz, Graham, or Greenlee County, file in the Tucson
Division. Unless you are an inmate housed at an Arizona Department of Corrections facility
that participates in electronic filing, mail the original and one copy of the complaint with the
$405 filing and administrative fees or the application to proceed in forma pauperis to:
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Revised 11/6/24
Phoenix & Prescott Divisions:
U.S. District Court Clerk
U.S. Courthouse, Suite 130
401 West Washington Street, SPC 10
Phoenix, Arizona 85003-2119
OR
Tucson Division:
U.S. District Court Clerk
U.S. Courthouse, Suite 1500
405 West Congress Street
Tucson, Arizona 85701-5010
7. Change of Address. You must immediately notify the Court and the defendants in writing of
any change in your mailing address. Failure to notify the Court of any change in your mailing
address may result in the dismissal of your case.
8. Certificate of Service. You must furnish the defendants with a copy of any document you
submit to the Court (except the initial complaint and application to proceed in forma pauperis).
Each original document (except the initial complaint and application to proceed in forma pauperis)
must include a certificate of service on the last page of the document stating the date a copy of the
document was mailed to the defendants and the address to which it was mailed. See Fed. R. Civ.
P. 5(a), (d). Any document received by the Court that does not include a certificate of service
may be stricken. This section does not apply to inmates housed at an Arizona Department
of Corrections facility that participates in electronic filing.
A certificate of service should be in the following form:
I hereby certify that a copy of the foregoing document was mailed
this
(month, day, year) to:
Name:
Address:
Attorney for Defendant(s)
(Signature)
9. Amended Complaint. If you need to change any of the information in the initial complaint,
you must file an amended complaint. The amended complaint must be written on the courtapproved civil rights complaint form. You may file one amended complaint without leave
(permission) of Court within 21 days after serving it or within 21 days after any defendant has
filed an answer, whichever is earlier. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 15(a). Thereafter, you must file a
motion for leave to amend and lodge (submit) a proposed amended complaint. LRCiv 15.1. In
addition, an amended complaint may not incorporate by reference any part of your prior complaint.
LRCiv 15.1(a)(2). Any allegations or defendants not included in the amended complaint are
considered dismissed. All amended complaints are subject to screening under the Prison
Litigation Reform Act; screening your amendment will take additional processing time.
10. Exhibits. You should not submit exhibits with the complaint or amended complaint.
Instead, the relevant information should be paraphrased. You should keep the exhibits to use to
support or oppose a motion to dismiss, a motion for summary judgment, or at trial.
11. Letters and Motions. It is generally inappropriate to write a letter to any judge or the staff
of any judge. The only appropriate way to communicate with the Court is by filing a written
pleading or motion.
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12. Completing the Civil Rights Complaint Form.
HEADING:
1. Your Name. Print your name, prison or inmate number, and institutional mailing
address on the lines provided.
2. Defendants. If there are four or fewer defendants, print the name of each. If you
name more than four defendants, print the name of the first defendant on the first line,
write the words “and others” on the second line, and attach an additional page listing the
names of all of the defendants. Insert the additional page after page 1 and number it “1A” at the bottom.
3. Jury Demand. If you want a jury trial, you must write “JURY TRIAL DEMANDED”
in the space below “CIVIL RIGHTS COMPLAINT BY A PRISONER.” Failure to do so
may result in the loss of the right to a jury trial. A jury trial is not available if you are
seeking only injunctive relief.
Part A. JURISDICTION:
1. Nature of Suit. Mark whether you are filing the complaint pursuant to 42 U.S.C. ' 1983
for state, county, or city defendants; “Bivens v. Six Unknown Federal Narcotics Agents”
for federal defendants; or “other.” If you mark “other,” identify the source of that
authority.
2. Location. Identify the institution and city where the alleged violation of your rights
occurred.
3. Defendants. Print all of the requested information about each of the defendants in the
spaces provided. If you are naming more than four defendants, you must provide the
necessary information about each additional defendant on separate pages labeled “2-A,”
“2-B,” etc., at the bottom. Insert the additional page(s) immediately behind page 2.
Part B. PREVIOUS LAWSUITS:
You must identify any other lawsuit you have filed in either state or federal court while
you were a prisoner. Print all of the requested information about each lawsuit in the spaces
provided. If you have filed more than three lawsuits, you must provide the necessary information
about each additional lawsuit on a separate page. Label the page(s) as “2-A,” “2-B,” etc., at the
bottom of the page and insert the additional page(s) immediately behind page 2.
Part C. CAUSE OF ACTION:
You must identify what rights each defendant violated. The form provides space to allege
three separate counts (one violation per count). If you are alleging more than three counts, you
must provide the necessary information about each additional count on a separate page. Number
the additional pages “5-A,” “5-B,” etc., and insert them immediately behind page 5. Remember
that you are limited to a total of fifteen additional pages.
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1. Counts. You must identify which civil right was violated. You may allege the
violation of only one civil right per count.
2. Issue Involved. Check the box that most closely identifies the issue involved in your
claim. You may check only one box per count. If you check the box marked “Other,”
you must identify the specific issue involved.
3. Supporting Facts. After you have identified which civil right was violated, you must
state the supporting facts. Be as specific as possible. You must state what each
individual defendant did to violate your rights. If there is more than one defendant, you
must identify which defendant did what act. You also should state the date(s) on which
the act(s) occurred, if possible.
4. Injury. State precisely how you were injured by the alleged violation of your rights.
5. Administrative Remedies. You must exhaust any available administrative remedies
before you file a civil rights complaint. See 42 U.S.C. § 1997e. Consequently, you
should disclose whether you have exhausted the inmate grievance procedures or
administrative appeals for each count in your complaint. If the grievance procedures were
not available for any of your counts, fully explain why on the lines provided.
Part D. REQUEST FOR RELIEF:
Print the relief you are seeking in the space provided.
SIGNATURE:
You must sign your name and print the date you signed the complaint. Failure to sign the
complaint will delay the processing of your action. Unless you are an attorney, you may not bring
an action on behalf of anyone but yourself.
FINAL NOTE
You should follow these instructions carefully. Failure to do so may result in your
complaint being stricken or dismissed. All questions must be answered concisely in the proper
space on the form. If you need more space, you may attach no more than fifteen additional pages.
But the form must be completely filled in to the extent applicable. If you attach additional pages,
be sure to identify which section of the complaint is being continued and number the pages.
4
___________________________________________
Name and Prisoner/Booking Number
___________________________________________
Place of Confinement
___________________________________________
Mailing Address
___________________________________________
City, State, Zip Code
(Failure to notify the Court of your change of address may result in dismissal of this action.)
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA
_________________________________________ ,
(Full Name of Plaintiff)
Plaintiff,
CASE NO. __________________________________
(To be supplied by the Clerk)
v.
(1) _______________________________________ ,
(Full Name of Defendant)
CIVIL RIGHTS COMPLAINT
BY A PRISONER
(2) _______________________________________ ,
(3) _______________________________________ ,
G Original Complaint
G First Amended Complaint
G Second Amended Complaint
(4) _______________________________________ ,
Defendant(s).
G Check if there are additional Defendants and attach page 1-A listing them.
A. JURISDICTION
1.
2.
This Court has jurisdiction over this action pursuant to:
G 28 U.S.C. § 1343(a); 42 U.S.C. § 1983
G 28 U.S.C. § 1331; Bivens v. Six Unknown Federal Narcotics Agents, 403 U.S. 388 (1971).
G Other:
.
Institution/city where violation occurred:
.
Revised 12/1/23
1
550/555
B. DEFENDANTS
1. Name of first Defendant:
. The first Defendant is employed
as: ______________________________________________ at_______________________________________.
(Position and Title)
(Institution)
2. Name of second Defendant:
. The second Defendant is employed as:
as: ______________________________________________ at_______________________________________.
(Position and Title)
(Institution)
3. Name of third Defendant:
. The third Defendant is employed
as: ______________________________________________ at_______________________________________.
(Position and Title)
(Institution)
4. Name of fourth Defendant:
. The fourth Defendant is employed
as: ______________________________________________ at_______________________________________.
(Position and Title)
(Institution)
If you name more than four Defendants, answer the questions listed above for each additional Defendant on a separate page.
C. PREVIOUS LAWSUITS
1.
Have you filed any other lawsuits while you were a prisoner?
2.
If yes, how many lawsuits have you filed?
G Yes
G No
. Describe the previous lawsuits:
a. First prior lawsuit:
1. Parties:
v.
2. Court and case number:
3. Result: (Was the case dismissed? Was it appealed? Is it still pending?)
.
.
b. Second prior lawsuit:
1. Parties:
v.
2. Court and case number:
3. Result: (Was the case dismissed? Was it appealed? Is it still pending?)
.
.
c. Third prior lawsuit:
1. Parties:
v.
2. Court and case number:
3. Result: (Was the case dismissed? Was it appealed? Is it still pending?)
.
.
If you filed more than three lawsuits, answer the questions listed above for each additional lawsuit on a separate page.
2
D. CAUSE OF ACTION
1.
COUNT I
State the constitutional or other federal civil right that was violated:
.
2.
Count I. Identify the issue involved. Check only one. State additional issues in separate counts.
G Basic necessities
G Mail
G Access to the court
G Medical care
G Disciplinary proceedings
G Property
G Exercise of religion
G Retaliation
G Excessive force by an officer G Threat to safety G Other:
.
3. Supporting Facts. State as briefly as possible the FACTS supporting Count I. Describe exactly what
each Defendant did or did not do that violated your rights. State the facts clearly in your own words without
citing legal authority or arguments.
.
4.
Injury. State how you were injured by the actions or inactions of the Defendant(s).
.
5.
Administrative Remedies:
a. Are there any administrative remedies (grievance procedures or administrative appeals) available at
your institution?
G Yes
G No
G Yes
G No
b. Did you submit a request for administrative relief on Count I?
c. Did you appeal your request for relief on Count I to the highest level?
G Yes
G No
d. If you did not submit or appeal a request for administrative relief at any level, briefly explain why you
did not.
.
3
1.
COUNT II
State the constitutional or other federal civil right that was violated:
.
2.
Count II. Identify the issue involved. Check only one. State additional issues in separate counts.
G Basic necessities
G Mail
G Access to the court
G Medical care
G Disciplinary proceedings
G Property
G Exercise of religion
G Retaliation
G Excessive force by an officer G Threat to safety G Other:
.
3. Supporting Facts. State as briefly as possible the FACTS supporting Count II. Describe exactly what
each Defendant did or did not do that violated your rights. State the facts clearly in your own words without
citing legal authority or arguments.
.
4.
Injury. State how you were injured by the actions or inactions of the Defendant(s).
.
5.
Administrative Remedies.
a. Are there any administrative remedies (grievance procedures or administrative appeals) available at
your institution?
G Yes
G No
G Yes
G No
b. Did you submit a request for administrative relief on Count II?
c. Did you appeal your request for relief on Count II to the highest level?
G Yes
G No
d. If you did not submit or appeal a request for administrative relief at any level, briefly explain why you
did not.
.
4
1.
COUNT III
State the constitutional or other federal civil right that was violated:
.
2.
Count III. Identify the issue involved. Check only one. State additional issues in separate counts.
G Basic necessities
G Mail
G Access to the court
G Medical care
G Disciplinary proceedings
G Property
G Exercise of religion
G Retaliation
G Excessive force by an officer G Threat to safety G Other:
.
3. Supporting Facts. State as briefly as possible the FACTS supporting Count III. Describe exactly what
each Defendant did or did not do that violated your rights. State the facts clearly in your own words without
citing legal authority or arguments.
.
4.
Injury. State how you were injured by the actions or inactions of the Defendant(s).
.
5.
Administrative Remedies.
a. Are there any administrative remedies (grievance procedures or administrative appeals) available at
your institution?
G Yes
G No
G Yes
G No
b. Did you submit a request for administrative relief on Count III?
c. Did you appeal your request for relief on Count III to the highest level?
G Yes
G No
d. If you did not submit or appeal a request for administrative relief at any level, briefly explain why you
did not.
.
If you assert more than three Counts, answer the questions listed above for each additional Count on a separate page.
5
E. REQUEST FOR RELIEF
State the relief you are seeking:
.
I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct.
Executed on
DATE
SIGNATURE OF PLAINTIFF
___________________________________________
(Name and title of paralegal, legal assistant, or
other person who helped prepare this complaint)
___________________________________________
(Signature of attorney, if any)
___________________________________________
(Attorney=s address & telephone number)
ADDITIONAL PAGES
All questions must be answered concisely in the proper space on the form. If you need more space, you may
attach no more than fifteen additional pages. But the form must be completely filled in to the extent applicable.
If you attach additional pages, be sure to identify which section of the complaint is being continued and number
all pages.
6
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