Townsel v. Richard Ciummo & Associates et al
Filing
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Order dismissing complaint with leave to amend, signed by Magistrate Judge Sandra M. Snyder on 10/8/2015. Amended Complaint due by 11/12/2015. (Rosales, O)
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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
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EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
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DAVID TOWNSEL,
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Plaintiff,
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CASE NO. 1:15-CV-894---SMS
ORDER DISMISSING COMPLAINT WITH
LEAVE TO AMEND
v.
RICHARD CIUMMO & ASSOCIATES;
KEVIN R. WEIMER,
Defendants.
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Plaintiff David Townsel brings the instant complaint in pro se and in forma pauperis
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against defendants Richard Ciummo & Associates and Kevin R. Weimer for actions related to
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Plaintiff’s representation in a criminal matter. For the reasons below, Plaintiff’s complaint will be
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dismissed with leave to amend.
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I.
SUMMARY OF ALLEGATIONS
According to the complaint, it appears that defendant Richard Ciummo & Associates is a
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law firm and Kevin R. Weimer is an attorney, which provided Plaintiff representation in a criminal
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matter. It appears that Plaintiff was arraigned on January 20, 2014 in Madera Superior Court for
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three counts of grand theft auto. On February 21, 2014, Mr. Weiner advised Plaintiff to enter a
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plea as to one count of grand theft auto, which would dismiss two other counts of grand theft auto,
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one count of driving over the speed limit, and one count of driving on a suspended license. This
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plea resulted in a twenty-eight month split sentence: fourteen months in Madera County
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Department of Corrections, and fourteen months post-release community supervision. Plaintiff
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was also required to pay $2500 in fines and restitution.
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Plaintiff had been in custody since November 15, 2013. His Miranda rights were not read.
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Plaintiff filed the instant complaint in this Court on June 12, 2015, seeking damages. He
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was not in custody. Plaintiff alleges that he was harmed in several ways and lists several potential
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causes of action including malpractice, intentional infliction of emotional distress, ineffective
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assistance of counsel, and cruel and unusual punishment prohibited by the Eighth Amendment.
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II.
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SCREENING STANDARD
Under 28 U.S.C § 1915(e)(2), the Court must screen all complaints brought in forma
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pauperis or by prisoners. Lopez v. Smith, 203 F.3d 1122, 1129 (9th Cir. 2000). The Court must
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dismiss the complaint or any portion of it that is “frivolous,” “malicious,” “fails to state a claim
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upon which relief may be granted,” or “seeks monetary relief from a defendant who is immune
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from such relief.” 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2). To dismiss a complaint, or portion thereof, for failure to
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state a claim, the Court applies the same standard as for motions to dismiss under Rule 12(b)(6).
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Barren v. Harrington, 152 F.3d 1193, 1194 (9th Cir. 1998). This screening for failure to state a
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claim is cumulative of, and not a substitute for, any subsequent Rule 12(b)(6) motion that the
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defendant may choose to bring. Teahan v. Wilhelm, 481 F. Supp. 2d 1115, 1119 (S.D. Cal. 2007).
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III.
RULE 8
A complaint 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). Detailed factual allegations are not required,
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but “[t]hreadbare recitals of the elements of a cause of action, supported by mere conclusory
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statements, do not suffice.” Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 679 (2009) (citing Bell Atlantic Corp.
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v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 555 (2007)). Plaintiff must set forth “sufficient factual matter, accepted
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as true, to ‘state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face.’” Iqbal, 556 U.S. at 663 (quoting
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Twombly, 550 U.S. at 570). While factual allegations are accepted as true, legal conclusions are
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not. Id. at 678.
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A pleading may not simply allege a wrong has been committed and demand relief. A
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pleading must give fair notice of the claim being asserted and the grounds upon which it rests.
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Conley v. Gibson, 355 U.S. 41, 47-48 (1957); Yamaguchi v. United States Department of Air
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Force, 109 F.3d 1475, 1481 (9th Cir. 1997).
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If the Court determines that the complaint fails to state a claim, it should grant leave to
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amend to the extent that the deficiencies of the complaint can be cured by amendment. Lopez v.
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Smith, 203 F.3d at 1130. Dismissal of a pro se complaint for failure to state a claim is proper only
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where it is obvious that the Plaintiff cannot prevail on the facts that he has alleged and that an
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opportunity to amend would be futile. Id. at 1128.
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IV.
DISCUSSION
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Plaintiff’s complaint contains very few facts. The only allegation against either defendant
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is that Mr. Weimer advised him to enter a plea. As stated above, Plaintiff must set forth sufficient
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factual matter that states a claim to relief. Plaintiff’s complaint does not state a sufficient claim for
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relief. It is not clear what harm he alleges or how any defendant caused that harm.
Considering the identified causes of action, it can be gathered that Plaintiff is unsatisfied
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with his legal representation. But he has not alleged how his attorney fell below the standard of
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practice in representing him, or how his attorney’s actions harmed him. To the extent possible,
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Plaintiff should allege specific facts that explain what actions were committed by what defendant,
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and how those actions violated the law or how those actions harmed him. Plaintiff must allege
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sufficient facts to give defendants fair notice of his claims against them, and his reasons for
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asserting those claims, such that they would be able to engage a proper defense. Plaintiff has only
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identified that his attorney advised him to enter a plea. This is a very proper and common action
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undertaken by an attorney in a criminal matter. Plaintiff has not identified any fact or facts
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demonstrating that there was anything improper about the plea or the attorney’s advice.
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Plaintiff identifies the Eighth Amendment prohibition against cruel and unusual
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punishment several times, but he does not allege any fact specifying what was cruel or unusual
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about his punishment. He also does not identify the proper party responsible for a potential Eighth
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Amendment violation. It is not plausible that his attorney is liable for an Eighth Amendment
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violation.
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As currently pled, Plaintiff’s complaint does not demonstrate that he is entitled to relief.
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The complaint does not contain sufficient factual matter that states a plausible claim, and it will be
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dismissed with leave to amend.
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V.
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LEAVE TO AMEND
Plaintiff will be given opportunity to amend his complaint with sufficient factual detail to
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state a claim for relief. Plaintiff is advised to research each cause of action he intends to bring in
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order to understand the necessary elements of each claim and the proper defendants. Plaintiff is
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also advised to research the relevant statutes of limitation which impose deadlines in which a
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claim may be brought. Plaintiff is further advised that the federal court is of limited jurisdiction
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and will not usually hear claims arising solely under state law.
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If Plaintiff elects to file an amended complaint, it must bear the docket number assigned in
this case and be labeled “First Amended Complaint.” Plaintiff is advised that an amended
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complaint supersedes the original complaint and must be “complete in itself without reference to
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the prior or superseded pleading,” Local Rule 220. Plaintiff is warned that all causes of action
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alleged in an original complaint which are not alleged in an amended complaint will be deemed
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waived.
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VI.
ORDER
Based on the foregoing, it is hereby ORDERED that Plaintiff’s complaint is DISMISSED
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with leave to amend. Plaintiff may file an amended complaint curing the deficiencies identified by
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the Court in this order within thirty (30) days from the date of service of this order. Plaintiff is not
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required to file an amended complaint, but failure to do so by the deadline will result in dismissal
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of this action.
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IT IS SO ORDERED.
Dated:
October 8, 2015
/s/ Sandra M. Snyder
UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE
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