ELLIOTT v. POINT BREEZE STATION MAIL DEPARTMENT

Filing 2

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER THAT PLAINTIFF'S MOTION TO PROCEED IN FORMA PAUPERIS IS GRANTED. THE COMPLAINT IS DISMISSED; ETC.. SIGNED BY HONORABLE MICHAEL M. BAYLSON ON 1/23/17. 1/23/17 ENTERED AND COPIES MAILED TO PRO SE.(jl, )

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA JAMIE ELLIOTT CIVIL ACTION v. FILED POINT BREEZE STATION MAIL DEPARTMENT NO. 17-257 MEMORANDUM BAYLSON, J. JA Plaintiff Jamie Elliott brings this civil action against the "Point Breeze Station Mail Department." He also filed a motion to proceed informa pauperis, which the Court will grant. For the following reasons, the Court will dismiss plaintiff's complaint. Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 8(a) requires a complaint to contain "a short and plain statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief." A district court may sua sponte dismiss a complaint that does not comply with Rule 8 if "the complaint is so confused, ambiguous, vague, or otherwise unintelligible that its true substance, if any, is well disguised." Simmons v. Abruzzo, 49 F.3d 83, 86 (2d Cir. 1995) (quotations omitted). Furthermore, as plaintiff is proceeding in forma pauperis, the Court must dismiss his complaint if it is frivolous or fails to state a claim. See 28 U.S.C. ยง 1915(e)(2)(B)(i)-(ii). A complaint is frivolous if it "lacks an arguable basis either in law or in fact." Neitzke v. Williams, 490 U.S. 319, 325 (1989). It is legally baseless if "based on an indisputably meritless legal theory," Deutsch v. United States, 67 F.3d 1080, 1085 (3d Cir. 1995), and factually baseless "when the facts alleged rise to the level of the irrational or the wholly incredible." Denton v. Hernandez, 504 U.S. 25, 33 (1992). To survive dismissal for failure to state a claim, the complaint must contain "sufficient factual matter, accepted as true, to state a claim to relief that is plausible o? its face." Ashcroft v. : I Ji 1 ! ., ) -;-: :J '-' (' _J _,_.__, J ~j :. _) Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678 (2009) (quotations omitted). Conclusory statements and naked assertions will not suffice. Id. The complaint is based on events that occurred in 2011, and provides the following factual basis for plaintiffs claims: "mail errors, has complaints from state representative office the hold block names are on the complaint." (Compl. if 111.C.) It does not appear from that cryptic statement that plaintiff has a timely, plausible basis for a nonfrivolous claim against the defendant. Having reviewed plaintiffs complaint in this action and his filings in other actions filed in this district, the Court concludes that amendment would be futile. See Grayson v. Mayview State Hosp., 293 F.3d 103, 112-13 (3d Cir. 2002). An appropriate order follows, which shall be docketed separately. 2

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