Addison et al v. Mills et al
Filing
3
INITIAL ORDER FOR PRO SE PRISONERS. Plaintiff Addison has filed an IFP motion that does not contain information about the funds he has in his prisoner trust account. The Clerk is directed to send him a prisoner calculation sheet. Plaintiff Addison mu st return the completed form signed by an authorized prison official and return it to the Clerk on or before January 4, 2016. The Clerk is directed to mail Plaintiffs Herrin and Havens separate IFP motions and separate prisoner calculation sheets. Herrin and Havens must each file on or before January 4, 2016, separate IFP motions and separate prison calculation sheets. Signed by Magistrate Judge J. Thomas Ray on 12/4/2015. (jak)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
EASTERN DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS
JONESBORO DIVISION
NICHOLAS ADDISON,
AUSTIN HERRIN, and
DONALD HAVENS
V.
PLAINTIFFS
3:15CV00380 DPM/JTR
LARRY MILLS, Sheriff; and
PHILLIS CRAFT, Cook,
Poinsett County Detention Center
DEFENDANTS
INITIAL ORDER FOR PRO SE PRISONERS
You have filed this federal civil rights lawsuit pro se, that is, without the help
of a lawyer. There are rules and procedures that you must follow in order to proceed
with your lawsuit, even though you are not a lawyer.
First: Follow All Court Rules. You must comply with the Federal Rules of
Civil Procedure as well as Local Rules for the Eastern District of Arkansas. In
particular, Local Rule 5.5(c)(2) provides that:
It is the duty of any party not represented by counsel to promptly
notify the Clerk and the other parties to the proceedings of any change
in his or her address, to monitor the progress of the case, and to
prosecute or defend the action diligently. A party appearing for
himself/herself must sign his/her pleadings and state his/her address, zip
code, and telephone number. If any communication from the Court to a
pro se plaintiff is not responded to within thirty (30) days, the case may
be dismissed without prejudice. Any party proceeding pro se must be
expected to be familiar with and follow the Federal Rules of Civil
Procedure.
Second: The Three Strikes Rule.
U.S.C. § 1915(g), provides that:
The Prison Litigation Reform Act, 28
In no event shall a prisoner bring a civil action or appeal a
judgment in a civil action or proceeding under this section if the prisoner
has, on 3 or more prior occasions, while incarcerated or detained in any
facility, brought an action or appeal in a court of the United States that
was dismissed on the grounds that it is frivolous, malicious, or fails to
state a claim upon which relief may be granted, unless the prisoner is
under imminent danger of serious physical injury.
Third: Service of Defendants. All Defendants must be served within 120
days of the filing of the Complaint. This includes “John/Jane Doe” Defendants. It
is your responsibility to identify all Defendants, including “Doe” Defendants. The
Court will order service on all properly identified Defendants, but you are responsible
for providing valid service addresses for each of them. Any Defendant who is not
served within 120 days will be dismissed, without prejudice, from the lawsuit. See
Fed. R. Civ. P. 4(m); Lee v. Armontrout, 991 F.2d 487, 489 (8th Cir. 1993).
Fourth: No Right to Appointed Counsel. This is a civil case. Unlike
criminal cases, there is no right to have an appointed lawyer in a civil case. Phillips
v. Jasper County Jail, 437 F.3d 791, 794 (8th Cir. 2006). If your case proceeds to a
jury trial, however, a lawyer will be appointed to assist you.
Fifth: Do Not File Discovery. Discovery requests (such as interrogatories and
requests for production of documents) and responses to discovery requests cannot be
filed with the Court. Instead, you must mail discovery requests and responses directly
to counsel for the Defendant. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 5(d). Do not mail discovery requests
to Defendants' counsel until after he or she has filed an Answer or Motion to Dismiss.
Sixth: Do Not Send Documents to the Court, Except in Two Situations.
You may send documents or other evidence to the Court only if: (1) it is attached to
a Motion for Summary Judgment, or a Response thereto; or (2) the Court orders you
to file documents or other evidence.
Seventh: Witnesses. If your case is set for trial, as your trial date approaches,
you will be asked to provide a witness list. After reviewing your witness list, the
Court will subpoena the necessary witnesses.
Eighth: Filing Fee. Every civil case filed by a prisoner requires the payment
of a filing fee. 28 U.S.C. § 1915. A $400 filing fee must be paid at the beginning of
the lawsuit unless the plaintiffs cannot afford to pay the entire fee at once. If you
cannot afford to pay the filing fee in a lump sum, you must each file separate motions
to proceed in forma pauperis (“IFP motions”). If you are granted IFP status, the
filing fee is $350, which will be collected in installments taken from each of your
prisoner accounts. Importantly, a total fee of $350 will be collected, even if this
lawsuit is dismissed.
Plaintiff Addison has filed an IFP motion that does not contain information
about the funds he has in his prisoner trust account. The Clerk is directed to send him
a prisoner calculation sheet. Plaintiff Addison must have that form completed by
an authorized prison official and return it to the Clerk on or before January 4,
2016. If he does not do so, Plaintiff Addison's claims will be dismissed without
prejudice.
Plaintiffs Herrin and Havens have not paid the filing fee or filed separate IFP
motions. The Clerk is directed to mail each of them separate IFP motions and
separate prisoner calculation sheets, which must be completed by an authorized
prison official. Plaintiffs Herrin and Havens must each file, on or before January
4, 2016, separate IFP motions and separate prison calculation sheets. If they do
not do so, their claims will be dismissed without prejudice.
IT IS SO ORDERED this 4th day of December, 2015.
UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE
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