Adams v. Bush et al
Filing
9
ORDER ADOPTING 4 REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS in its entirety and denying 2 Motion for Leave to Proceed in forma pauperis; further Mr. Adams is ordered to tender the filing fee of $350.00 by Friday, 11/9/12 and should plaintiff fail to compl y by that deadline, his compaint will be dismissed for failure to obey a court order; further 5 Motion for voluntary dismissal is terminated as withdrawn and granting Mr. Adam's 6 Motion to Withdraw his Motion for voluntary dismissal. Signed by Honorable P. K. Holmes, III on October 26, 2012. (rw)
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
WESTERN DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS
HARRISON DIVISION
DALE B. ADAMS
v.
PLAINTIFF
Case No. 3:12-CV-03113
GEORGE BUSH, U.S. President; JOHN NEGROPONTE,
Director of National Intelligence; KEITH B. ALEXANDER,
Lt. General; ALBERTO GONZALES,U.S. Attorney General;
MICHAEL B. MUKASEY, U.S. Attorney General; ROBERT
MUELLER, U.S. Director – FBI; VALERIE CAPRONI,
Officer of General Counsel – FBI; ROBERT GATES, U.S.
Secretary of Defense; CONDOLEEZA RICE, U.S. Secretary
of State; MICHAEL CHERTOFF, U.S. Dept. Of Homeland
Security Administrator; KAREN TANDY, Drug Enforcement
Agency Administrator; and ANY UNKNOWN NAMED
ESSENTIAL PARTIES
DEFENDANTS
ORDER
Currently before the Court is the Report and Recommendation (Doc. 4) filed in this case on
August 27, 2012, by the Honorable James R. Marschewski, Chief United States Magistrate Judge
for the Western District of Arkansas. Also before the Court are Plaintiff’s Objections filed on
September 6, 2012.1 (Doc. 8). Also currently pending are Plaintiff’s Motion for Voluntary
Dismissal (Doc. 5) and Plaintiff’s Motion to Withdraw his Motion for Dismissal – both motions filed
on August 30, 2012. The Report and Recommendation recommends that Plaintiff’s request to
proceed in forma pauperis be denied based on Plaintiff’s history of bringing unmeritorious litigation
1
Adams also filed an Affidavit in Support of his earlier-filed Motion for Leave to Proceed
in forma pauperis (Doc. 7), in which he essentially outlines why he should be considered indigent
and unable to afford to pay a filing fee. The Court notes that the issues raised by the Magistrate and
herein are unrelated to Adams’s indigent status. The Court does not dispute that Adams’s financial
status would otherwise make him eligible to proceed in forma pauperis. Rather, the Court finds that
Adams should not be allowed to proceed in forma pauperis on other grounds, namely, his history
of bringing unmeritorious litigation before this Court.
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before this Court.
Having reviewed Plaintiff’s objections, the Court finds that Plaintiff’s objections offer neither
law nor fact that would require departure from the Report and Recommendation of the Magistrate.
Mr. Adams objects to the Magistrate’s recommendation that he be denied leave to proceed in forma
pauperis due to the volume and frivolity of his filings. The Court has tried to parse through Mr.
Adams’s Response and give it due attention and will attempt to respond to his objections as
comprehensively as possible.
In his Response, Mr. Adams states that his “complaints alleged a valid cause of action with
an itemized prima facie that can’t be disputed.” (Doc. 8, p. 2). However, three of Mr. Adams’s
cases have previously been dismissed on the merits (3:09-cv-03054, 3:11-cv-03020, 3:10-cv-03028),
and another was largely dismissed on the merits with any remaining claims being voluntarily
nonsuited by Mr. Adams (3:11-cv-03021). In five other cases, Mr. Adams filed a complaint, only
to nonsuit his claims shortly thereafter (3:11-cv-03059, 3:12-cv-03028, 3:12-cv-03058, 3:12-cv03076, 3:12-cv-03012), which nevertheless required the attention of the Court and the expenditure
of the Court’s time and resources. Furthermore, Mr. Adams’s claims, though given due regard and
attention by the Court, consist of largely unsubstantiated allegations and/or conspiracy theories. The
Court has nevertheless parsed through his filings, in every case, in an attempt to construe any viable
claims which might be allowed to proceed. In no case, however, has it been clear to the Court from
Mr. Adams’s initial filing that he has an indisputable prima facie case based on a valid cause of
action. Rather, the Court has occasionally found that certain allegations were sufficient to preclude
dismissal of some of Mr. Adams’s claims at the earliest stages of litigation.
Mr. Adams argues that any statutes of limitations should not apply to pro se litigants or
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should be equitably tolled. Mr. Adams states that he “is a pro se litigant who doesn’t know the laws,
rules and procedures of the court.” Id. at p. 7. First, the Court is unable to ascertain the relevance
of any statute of limitations argument to the issue at hand of whether Mr. Adams should be allowed
to proceed in forma pauperis. Second, Mr. Adams’s claimed ignorance of the law and rules does not
excuse him from compliance with the Court’s rules and directives. Soliman v. Johanns, 412 F.3d
920, 922 (8th Cir. 2005) (“Even pro se litigants must comply with court rules and directives.”)
“Although pro se pleadings are to be construed liberally, pro se litigants are not excused from
compliance with relevant rules of the procedural and substantive law.” Schooley v. Kennedy, 712
F.2d 372, 373 (8th Cir. 1983) (per curiam).
Mr. Adams argues that in filing motions, he was not abusing the process, but “was only trying
to save the lives of his family members who were dying due to a lack of justice.” (Doc. 8, p. 8). Mr.
Adams has filed numerous motions in this District. By the Court’s count, Mr. Adams has filed 17
civil complaints in this District over the past three years, since August 4, 2009, with 8 cases currently
pending at this time. According to the Court’s best calculation, Mr. Adams has filed 139 Motions,
10 of which remain pending at this time. That number does not include the numerous supplements,
notices, or requests Mr. Adams has filed over the past three years, which have likewise required the
Court’s attention. Mr. Adams has filed six appeals to the Eighth Circuit, two petitions for writs of
mandamus, and one petition for a writ of certiorari from the Supreme Court – all of which have been
dismissed or denied. Mr. Adams has previously been allowed to proceed in forma pauperis in this
District in six different cases, three of which remain pending (3:10-cv-03117, 3:10-cv-03120, and
3:11-cv-03043), two of which have been dismissed on the merits (3:09-cv-03054, 3:11-cv-03020),
and one of which was largely dismissed on the merits with the remaining claims being voluntarily
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dismissed by Mr. Adams (3:11-cv-03021). There is currently a Report and Recommendation
pending in case number 3:10-cv-03117 recommending that case be dismissed on the merits. Mr.
Adams voluntarily dismissed five of his filed complaints before the Court could make a
determination on whether in forma pauperis status should be granted (3:11-cv-03059, 3:12-cv03028, 3:12-cv-03058, 3:12-cv-03076, 3:12-cv-03012). The Court has has dismissed one of Mr.
Adams’s cases on the merits upon initial review of his Complaint and before in forma pauperis
status was either granted or denied (3:10-cv-03028). Mr. Adams currently has five cases in which
he has a pending request to be granted leave to proceed in forma pauperis (3:12-cv-03077, 3:12-cv03078, 3:12-cv-03083, 3:12-cv-03113, 3:12-cv-03092). Mr. Adams has filed numerous duplicative
motions,2 as well as numerous motions and cases which he later moved to withdraw or dismiss, the
examples of which would be too lengthy to list herein. In the instant matter, Mr. Adams filed a
Motion to Voluntarily Dismiss the case, and later on the same day, filed a Motion to Withdraw the
Motion to Voluntarily Dismiss. (Docs. 5-6).
At each turn, the Court has attempted to focus and direct Mr. Adams, but the Court is not
responsible for making Mr. Adams’s claims for him. In denying or granting a motion, the Court has
explained its reasons for doing do. Mr. Adams continues, however, to raise many of the same issues
which have previously been addressed by the Court, although apparently not to Mr. Adams’s
satisfaction. Although Mr. Adams’s subjective intent in filing his pleadings may not have been to
2
See, e.g., case 3:09-cv-03054, in which he filed a Motion for Recusal (Doc. 73) and later
Motion to Withdraw the Motion for Recusal (Doc. 94); another Motion for Recusal (Doc. 150)
which was denied (Doc. 151); and another Motion for Recusal (Doc. 169), which was set for a
hearing at which the Court heard argument from Mr. Adams and Judge Hendren explained why he
was denying the Motion. In that same case, Mr. Adams filed four Motions requesting injunctive
relief on the same day (Docs. 75-78), which is not to mention the various other motions for
injunctive relief filed in that case on other days.
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abuse the process, but rather to “save the lives of his family members,” the fact remains that his
filings have nevertheless amounted to an abuse of the Court’s time and resources, due to the fact that
the content of the pleadings is largely frivolous and lacking in foundation, and the filings are often
not made in accordance with the Court’s rules and directives. In other words, the Court does not
believe that it has been Mr. Adams’s intent to abuse the process, but his filings have been abusive
regardless of his intent.
Mr. Adams argues that he wanted to resolve “all of the issues in one complaint with Tyson
Foods, the EEOC and other federal agencies engaged in illegal conduct and to possibly challenge
being placed onto the Patriot Act watchlist and the court informed Adams to file additional
complaints.” Id. (emphasis in original). Mr. Adams also argues that the Court denied him the ability
to pursue both FOIA and APA claims in a single action, saying “the court required Adams to file
more complaints despite Adams [sic] pleas.” Id. at p. 9. Mr. Adams states that he “realized the
difficulty of filing numerous APA claims, for himself and the court, so he filed one Bivens action
against all of the parties,” but when the Court took no action on his claims for two to four weeks, he
“withdrew the case believing the court wanted him to file APA claims.” Id. at p. 11. Mr. Adams
states that “the court appears to want Adams to file separate claims for each party.” Id. at p. 13. The
Court, contrary to what Mr. Adams may believe, does not rule according to the personal preferences
of each individual judge. Rather, each federal judge is responsible for applying federal law in
accordance with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure as well as the Local Rules for the Western
District of Arkansas. The Court is confined by the applicable law and the applicable rules in each
case. Any rulings that the Court has made in any of Mr. Adams’s cases have been made as a result
of a deliberative application of the law and the rules of procedure to the facts of each case. The
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reasons for those decisions have been set out in each case and ruling, and the Court will not restate
them herein. Furthermore, the Court cannot, and would not, require Mr. Adams to file a complaint
in any case. Rather, the Court has ruled, where appropriate, that certain claims cannot properly be
joined in a single action. It is Mr. Adams’s responsibility to determine if he believes he has a valid
claim to bring in any case that would justify filing a separate complaint with this Court.
Mr. Adams argues that he is “overwhelmed with the impossible task of trying to decipher
terrorist laws, file a suitable complaint and understand the mind of the Honorable Judges trying to
figure out what they want him to do.” Id. at p. 12. Mr. Adams alleges that “the courts dismiss his
claims because they don’t meet the secret standards of the court Adams isn’t aware of.” Id. Mr.
Adams also takes issue with any characterization of his claims as “malicious.” Mr. Adams states
that “[i]t appears Adams is filing too much evidence in support of his claims and the court feels this
is malicious.” Id. at p. 20. He further claims that “the court won’t compromise to help Adams file
adequate pleadings with the court to satisfy their mysterious unwritten rules” and states that “[t]he
court needs to somehow assist Adams with better communication of exactly what they want him to
do.” Id. at pp. 20, 21. First, the Court does not believe that Adams has had a subjectively malicious
intent in filing any of his cases. The fact remains, however, that – as noted by the Magistrate – Mr.
Adams’s filings are largely frivolous and “are repetitive with the obvious effect of burdening the
office of the Clerk and other members of the Court staff.” (Doc. 4, p. 2) (quoting Zatcov. California,
502 U.S. 16 (1991) (internal quotation omitted)). Second, the Court does not operate according to
“secret” or “mysterious unwritten” rules. The Court operates, procedurally, according to the Federal
Rules of Civil Procedure and the Local Rules for the Western District of Arkansas. There is a link
to the Local Rules on the website for the United States District Court for the Western District of
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Arkansas,3 and the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure are likewise available for public access online
through various sources.4 Substantively, the Court applies the law as mandated by legislation passed
by Congress and, where available and appropriate, as previously interpreted by higher courts. Mr.
Adams has cited extensively to cases in his various pleadings, and therefore does not seem to have
any lack of access to substantive law resources. In addition, the Court has attempted to provide Mr.
Adams with controlling or persuasive legal precedent, rules, or statutes when ruling on any motions
or other issues he has raised.
Finally, Mr. Adams claims that he “has proven the executive violated the law and the
Constitution to unlawfully place him onto the Patriot Act;” that “the court has denied every plea to
obtain his Constitutional rights leaving Adams open to being entrapped with a crime;” that “the
militia is being used to deprive Adams of natural rights;” that “Adams has federal investigators in
his home wiretapping . . . and they may even have cameras monitoring us within and outside our
home, ultra vires;” that “his whole life has been illegally searched and seized;” that “Adams is being
punished as guilty” without “rights to a speedy and public trial, nor informed of the nature of the
crime he committed and is unable to obtain counsel or witnesses in his favor;” and that “we have no
ability for bail,” among numerous other grievances. (Doc. 8, pp. 13-16). Mr. Adams also alleges
that “[t]he court secretly issued an order for a special prosecutor to investigate Adams instead of the
parties who were harming Adams as he requested.” Id. at 17. First, the Court has no knowledge as
to any facts that might substantiate the above allegations. In his various pleadings, Mr. Adams
points to what he believes and alleges is evidence proving certain of his grievances. The Court has
3
www.arwd.uscourts.gov
4
See, e.g., www.law.cornell.edu/rules/frcp/.
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not seen, however, actual evidence, as opposed to mere allegations or theories, that Mr. Adams has
been unlawfully placed on a Patriot Act watch list, entrapped for a crime, the victim of a militia,
wiretapped, monitored, illegally searched or seized, or “punished as guilty.” The Court has no
knowledge or evidence that Mr. Adams is currently being investigated or prosecuted for any crime.
The Court acknowledges that Mr. Adams firmly believes in the truth of his allegations. A firm belief
in one’s personal version of the truth, however, is not evidence upon which a Court may
affirmatively act absent substantiating proof.
In a hearing in case 3:09-cv-03054, Judge Marschewski admonished Mr. Adams that “I think
you’ve kind of abused the process with just multiple, multiple filings” and “are inundating the court
system with what the Court feels is a lot of these were unnecessary motions.” (Doc. 144, p. 42, case
3:09-cv-03054). Subsequently, Judge Marschewski entered an Order (Doc. 139, p. 3, case 3:09-cv03054) that stated “[t]he court finds [Mr. Adams] has abused court process by these filings and by
filing multiple documents raising the same issues.” Since that time, Mr. Adams has filed 16 cases
and many more unnecessary motions. Although the Court acknowledges that Mr. Adams fervently
believes otherwise, it has appeared to the Court that the majority of Mr. Adams’s pleadings are
frivolous in the sense that the factual contentions are largely baseless and the facts alleged often “rise
to the level of the irrational or the wholly incredible.” Denton v. Hernandez, 504 U.S. 25, 32-33
(1992).
Mr. Adams had notice of the Magistrate’s Report and Recommendation and an opportunity
to response or object. Mr. Adams filed objections, which the Court has considered. The Court finds
that Mr. Adams’s objections have not shown any sufficient cause for why the Magistrate’s Report
and Recommendation should not be adopted and his application for leave to proceed in forma
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pauperis denied.
Therefore, because of Mr. Adams’s history of continuous, frivolous, and vexatious filings,
and for all the reasons set forth above, the Court finds that the Report and Recommendation is proper
and should be and hereby is ADOPTED IN ITS ENTIRETY. Accordingly, for the reasons stated
herein and in the Magistrate Judge’s Report and Recommendations, IT IS ORDERED that Mr.
Adams’s IFP application is DENIED, and Mr. Adams is ordered to tender the filing fee of $350.00
by Friday, November 9, 2012. Should Plaintiff fail to comply by that deadline, his Complaint will
be dismissed for failure to obey a court order.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Mr. Adams’s Motion to Withdraw (Doc. 6) his Motion for
Voluntary Dismissal is GRANTED, and the Motion for Voluntary Dismissal (Doc. 5) is
TERMINATED AS WITHDRAWN.
IT IS SO ORDERED this 26th day of October, 2012.
/s/P. K. Holmes, III
P.K. HOLMES, III
CHIEF U.S. DISTRICT JUDGE
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