Harris v. Pimentel, et al.
Filing
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ORDER DENYING PLAINTIFF'S MOTION FOR EXTENSION TO TIME TO FILE OPPOSITION TO DEFENDANTS MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT 103 signed by Magistrate Judge Michael J. Seng on 7/6/2016. Plaintiff's Opposition due by 7/20/2016. (Lundstrom, T)
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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
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EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
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DARREL HARRIS,
Plaintiff,
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v.
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S. ESCAMILLA, et al.,
Defendants.
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1:13-cv-01354-DAD-MJS (PC)
ORDER DENYING PLAINTIFF’S MOTION
FOR EXTENSION TO TIME TO FILE
OPPOSITION TO DEFENDANT’S MOTION
FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT
(ECF No. 103)
PLAINTIFF’S OPPOSITION DUE BY JULY
20, 2016
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I.
INTRODUCTION
Plaintiff is a prisoner proceeding pro se and in forma pauperis in a civil rights
action brought pursuant to 42 U.S.C. ' 1983. Pending before the Court is Plaintiff’s July
1, 2016 motion for a thirty (30) day extension of time to file an opposition to Defendant’s
motion for summary judgment. (ECF No. 103.)
II.
PROCEDURAL HISTORY
On February 8, 2016, Defendant filed a motion for summary judgment. (ECF No.
69.) On February 22, 2016, Plaintiff filed a motion for a sixty (60) day extension of time
to file an opposition. (ECF No. 72.) Plaintiff’s motion was granted on February 25, 2016.
(ECF No. 73.)
On April 21, 2016, Plaintiff filed a second motion requesting a forty-five
(45) day extension to time to file an opposition to Defendant’s summary judgment
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motion. (ECF No. 90.) Plaintiff’s motion was granted on April 27, 2016. On June 20,
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2016, Plaintiff requested a third extension of time, for sixty (60) days, to file his
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opposition to Defendant’s summary judgment motion, citing lack of access to the law
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library, the inefficient prison mail system, and his laymen’s understanding of the law.
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(ECF No. 98.) On June 29, 2016, the Court denied Plaintiff’s motion, noting Plaintiff had
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filed numerous motions in the preceding months despite these supposed obstacles.
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(ECF No. 102.) The Court ordered Plaintiff to submit his opposition within twenty-one
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(21) days of the Court’s order, thus imposing a deadline of July 20, 2016 for Plaintiff’s
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opposition.
Before the Court is Plaintiff’s fourth motion, filed July 1, 2016, for an
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extension of time to file his opposition. (ECF No. 103.) He requests thirty (30) additional
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days, or until July 31, 2016, on the grounds he is still awaiting outstanding discovery.
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Plaintiff also renews his claim that he has had insufficient access to the law library.
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III.
DISCUSSION
Plaintiff lists several reasons for requesting an extension.
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He is awaiting
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statements from inmate witnesses incarcerated at other institutions, he has an
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outstanding motion to compel that has yet to be ruled on, and his access to the law
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library has been too limited for him to draft his opposition. (ECF No. 103.)
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The Court previously advised Plaintiff that the statements of his inmate witnesses
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would not affect his opposition to Defendant’s summary judgment motion. Defendant’s
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motion turns on whether Defendant violated a clearly established constitutional right and
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whether Defendant substantially impaired Plaintiff’s ability to practice his religion. The
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purported inmate witnesses offer only character evidence against Defendant. (ECF No.
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69.)
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Furthermore, Plaintiff’s outstanding motion to compel concerns a single
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interrogatory pertaining to Defendant’s disciplinary record; this discovery also appears
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unlikely to influence Plaintiff’s opposition.
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Finally, the Court reiterates that in the nearly five months Plaintiff has had to file
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his opposition, he has managed to file: a motion to stay the proceedings for the purpose
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of reopening discovery (ECF No. 78); objections to two different sets of the magistrate
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judge’s findings and recommendations (ECF Nos. 80 & 92); and, a motion to compel
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discovery (ECF No. 95). Such activity is inconsistent with the claimed lack of sufficient
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library access to file an opposition to Defendant’s summary judgment motion.
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Based on the foregoing, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Plaintiff’s fourth request
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for an extension of time to file his opposition (ECF No. 103) is DENIED. Pursuant to the
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Court’s June 29, 2016 order, docketed as ECF No. 102, Plaintiff’s opposition is due on
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or before July 20, 2016.
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IT IS SO ORDERED.
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Dated:
July 6, 2016
/s/
Michael J. Seng
UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE
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