LAUDERDALE v. KNIGHT

Filing 16

ORDER granting 14 Motion to Dismiss. Judgment consistent with this Entry shall now issue. Signed by Judge Tanya Walton Pratt on 8/15/2017. (CBU)

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF INDIANA
INDIANAPOLIS DIVISION

LAMONE LAUDERDALE,
Petitioner,
vs.
WENDY KNIGHT,
Respondent.

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No. 1:17-cv-01057-TWP-MJD

Entry and Order Dismissing Action
Petitioner Lamone Lauderdale (“Lauderdale”) seeks a writ of habeas corpus with respect
to a prison disciplinary proceeding identified as No. CIC 17-01-0044. In the course of this action,
the Indiana Department of Correction reviewed the disciplinary case and decided to dismiss the
hearing officer’s guilty finding. Sanctions have been rescinded. The respondent argues that this
action is now moot and must be dismissed. Lauderdale has not opposed the motion to dismiss.
A case becomes moot, and the federal courts lose subject matter jurisdiction, when a
justiciable controversy ceases to exist between the parties. See Church of Scientology of Cal. v.
United States, 506 U.S. 9, 12 (1992) (“if an event occurs while a case is pending . . . that makes it
impossible for the court to grant ‘any effectual relief whatever’ to a prevailing party, the [case]
must be dismissed.”)(quoting Mills v. Green, 159 U.S. 651, 653 (1895)); Honig v. Doe, 484 U.S.
305, 317 (1988) (grounding mootness doctrine in the Constitution’s Article III requirement that
courts adjudicate only “actual, ongoing cases or controversies”). “A case is moot when issues
presented are no longer ‘live’ or the parties lack a legally cognizable interest in the outcome.” Erie
v. Pap's A.M., 529 U.S. 277, 287 (2000) (internal citations omitted). The development described

above, being that the finding of misconduct was vacated and the sanctions rescinded, renders the
action moot.
A case which is moot must be dismissed for lack of jurisdiction. Board of Educ. of Downers
Grove Grade School Dist. No. 58 v. Steven L., 89 F.3d 464, 467 (7th Cir. 1996), cert. denied, 117
S. Ct. 1556 (1997).
The respondent’s motion to dismiss, Dkt. [14], is granted. Judgment consistent with this
Entry shall now issue.
IT IS SO ORDERED.

Date: 8/15/2017

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