Rush v. Holmes

Filing 39

ORDER dismissing without prejudice this action for Plaintiff's failure to file updated address; denying as moot ECF Nos. 28 , 34 motions; directing Clerk to enter judgment accordingly. Signed by Judge Miranda M. Du on 10/12/2016. (Copies have been distributed pursuant to the NEF - KR)

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

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DISTRICT OF NEVADA

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***

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JOHN RUSH,

Case No. 3:15-cv-00331-MMD-VPC
Plaintiff,

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ORDER

v.
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DOCTOR HOLMES et al.,
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Defendants.
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This action is a pro se civil rights complaint filed pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 by

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a state prisoner. On September 1, 2016, the Court issued an order directing Plaintiff to

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file an updated address with the Court within thirty (30) days. (ECF No. 38 at 1). The

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thirty-day period has now expired, and Plaintiff has not filed an updated address with

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this Court or otherwise responded to the Court’s order.

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District courts have the inherent power to control their dockets and “[i]n the

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exercise of that power, they may impose sanctions including, where appropriate . . .

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dismissal” of a case. Thompson v. Hous. Auth. of City of Los Angeles, 782 F.2d 829,

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831 (9th Cir. 1986). A court may dismiss an action, with prejudice, based on a party’s

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failure to prosecute an action, failure to obey a court order, or failure to comply with

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local rules. See Ghazali v. Moran, 46 F.3d 52, 53-54 (9th Cir. 1995) (dismissal for

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noncompliance with local rule); Ferdik v. Bonzelet, 963 F.2d 1258, 1260-61 (9th Cir.

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1992) (dismissal for failure to comply with an order requiring amendment of complaint);

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Carey v. King, 856 F.2d 1439, 1440-41 (9th Cir. 1988) (dismissal for failure to comply

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with local rule requiring pro se plaintiffs to keep court apprised of address); Malone v.

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U.S. Postal Service, 833 F.2d 128, 130 (9th Cir. 1987) (dismissal for failure to comply

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with court order); Henderson v. Duncan, 779 F.2d 1421, 1424 (9th Cir. 1986) (dismissal

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for lack of prosecution and failure to comply with local rules).

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In determining whether to dismiss an action for lack of prosecution, failure to

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obey a court order, or failure to comply with local rules, the court must consider several

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factors: (1) the public’s interest in expeditious resolution of litigation; (2) the court’s need

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to manage its docket; (3) the risk of prejudice to the defendants; (4) the public policy

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favoring disposition of cases on their merits; and (5) the availability of less drastic

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alternatives. Thompson, 782 F.2d at 831; Henderson, 779 F.2d at 1423-24; Malone,

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833 F.2d at 130; Ferdik, 963 F.2d at 1260-61; Ghazali, 46 F.3d at 53.

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In the instant case, the Court finds that the first two factors, the public’s interest in

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expeditiously resolving this litigation and the Court’s interest in managing the docket,

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weigh in favor of dismissal. The third factor, risk of prejudice to Defendants, also weighs

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in favor of dismissal, since a presumption of injury arises from the occurrence of

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unreasonable delay in filing a pleading ordered by the court or prosecuting an action.

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See Anderson v. Air West, 542 F.2d 522, 524 (9th Cir. 1976). The fourth factor – public

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policy favoring disposition of cases on their merits – is greatly outweighed by the factors

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in favor of dismissal discussed herein. Finally, a court’s warning to a party that his

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failure to obey the court’s order will result in dismissal satisfies the “consideration of

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alternatives” requirement. Ferdik, 963 F.2d at 1262; Malone, 833 F.2d at 132-33;

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Henderson, 779 F.2d at 1424. The Court’s order requiring Plaintiff to file an updated

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address within thirty days expressly stated: “IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, if Plaintiff

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fails to comply with this order, this Court shall dismiss this case without prejudice.” (ECF

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No. 38 at 2). Thus, Plaintiff had adequate warning that dismissal would result from his

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noncompliance with the Court’s order to file an updated address with the Court within

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thirty days.

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It is therefore ordered that this action is dismissed without prejudice based on

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Plaintiff’s failure to file an updated address in compliance with this Court’s September 1,

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2016, order.
It is further ordered that the outstanding motions (ECF No. 28, 34) are denied as

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moot.
It is further ordered that the Clerk of Court enter judgment accordingly.
DATED THIS 12th day of October 2016.

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MIRANDA M. DU
UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

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