JAMES et al v. BACHMAN et al
Filing
6
ORDER GRANTING #2 LEAVE TO PROCEED IN FORMA PAUPERIS. AARON JAMES, #MV-7594, SHALL PAY THE FULL FILING FEE OF $350 IN INSTALLMENTS, PURSUANT TO 28 U.S.C. 1915(B), REGARDLESS OF THE OUTCOME OF THIS CASE. THE CLERK OF COURT IS DIRECTED TO SEND A COPY OF THIS ORDER TO THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCI-FAYETTE. THE COMPLAINT IS DEEMED FILED. JAMESS COMPLAINT IS DISMISSED IN PART WITH PREJUDICE AND IN PART WITHOUT PREJUDICE, PURSUANT TO 28 U.S.C. 1915(E)(2)(B)(II), ETC. ANY CLAIM PURPORTEDLY BROUGHT IN THE NAME OF SAKINA SANTOS, BENNETTE CHESTNUTT, AND CHILD MINOR IS DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE. JAMES MAY FILE AN AMENDED COMPLAINT WITHIN THIRTY (30) DAYS OF THE DATE OF THIS ORDER LIMITED TO HIS OWN CLAIMS FOR MONEY DAMAGES ARISING FROM THE ALLEGEDLY ILLEGAL SEARCH. THE CLERK OF COURT IS DIRECTED TO SEND JAMES A BLANK COPY OF THE COURTS FORM COMPLAINT FOR A PRISONER FILING A CIVIL RIGHTS ACTION BEARING THE ABOVE CIVIL ACTION NUMBER. IF JAMES DOES NOT WISH TO AMEND HIS COMPLAINT AND INSTEAD INTENDS TO STAND ON HIS COMPLAINT AS ORIGINALLY PLED, HE MAY FILE A NOTICE WITH THE COURT WITHIN THIRTY (30) DAYS OF THE DATE OF THIS ORDER STATING THAT INTENT, AT WHICH TIME THE COURT WILL ISSUE A FINAL ORDER DISMISSING THE CASE. ETC. SIGNED BY HONORABLE GERALD J. PAPPERT ON 5/9/22. 5/10/22 ENTERED. PRO SE PLAINTIFFS NOT MAILED. (va) Modified on 5/10/2022 (va).
Case 2:22-cv-01682-GJP Document 6 Filed 05/09/22 Page 1 of 4
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA
AARON JAMES, et al.,
Plaintiff,
:
:
:
v.
:
:
CHRISTOPHER R. BACHMAN, et al., :
Defendants.
:
CIVIL ACTION NO. 22-CV-1682
ORDER
AND NOW, this 9th day of May, 2022, upon consideration of Aaron James’s
Motion to Proceed In Forma Pauperis (ECF No. 2), Prisoner Trust Fund Account
Statement (ECF No. 3), and pro se Complaint (ECF No. 1), it is ORDERED that:
1.
Leave to proceed in forma pauperis is GRANTED pursuant to 28 U.S.C.
§ 1915.
2.
Aaron James, #MV-7594, shall pay the full filing fee of $350 in
installments, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b), regardless of the outcome of this case.
The Court directs the Superintendent of SCI-Fayette or other appropriate official to
assess an initial filing fee of 20% of the greater of (a) the average monthly deposits to
James’s inmate account; or (b) the average monthly balance in James’s inmate account
for the six-month period immediately preceding the filing of this case. The
Superintendent of SCI-Fayette or other appropriate official shall calculate, collect, and
forward the initial payment assessed pursuant to this Order to the Court with a
reference to the docket number for this case. In each succeeding month when the
amount in James’s inmate trust fund account exceeds $10.00, the Superintendent of
SCI-Fayette or other appropriate official shall forward payments to the Clerk of Court
Case 2:22-cv-01682-GJP Document 6 Filed 05/09/22 Page 2 of 4
equaling 20% of the preceding month’s income credited to James’s inmate account
until the fees are paid. Each payment shall refer to the docket number for this case.
3.
The Clerk of Court is DIRECTED to send a copy of this Order to the
Superintendent of SCI-Fayette.
4.
The Complaint is DEEMED filed.
5.
James’s Complaint is DISMISSED IN PART WITH PREJUDICE
AND IN PART WITHOUT PREJUDICE, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B)(ii),
as follows:
a. All official capacity claims and individual capacity claims seeking
release from custody and constitutional claims for money damages
based on property losses are DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE.
b. All state law claims for money damages based on property losses are
DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE and James may reassert
those claims in an appropriate state court.
c. Any claim purportedly brought in the name of Sakina Santos,
Bennette Chestnutt, and “Child Minor” is DISMISSED WITHOUT
PREJUDICE.
d. Constitutional claims for money damages arising from the allegedly
illegal search are DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE.
6.
James may file an amended complaint within thirty (30) days of the date
of this Order limited to his own claims for money damages arising from the allegedly
illegal search. Any amended complaint must identify all defendants in the caption of
the amended complaint in addition to identifying them in the body of the amended
complaint and shall state the basis for James’s claims against each defendant. The
Case 2:22-cv-01682-GJP Document 6 Filed 05/09/22 Page 3 of 4
amended complaint must also provide as much identifying information for the
defendants as possible. James may refer to a defendant by last name only if that is the
only identifying information possessed. If James wishes to name individuals for whom
he does not have any identifying information, he may refer to those individuals as
John Doe #1, John Doe #2, etc. The amended complaint shall be a complete document
that does not rely on the initial Complaint or other papers filed in this case to state a
claim. When drafting his amended complaint, James should be mindful of the Court’s
reasons for dismissing the claims in his initial Complaint as explained in the Court’s
Memorandum. Upon the filing of an amended complaint, the Clerk shall not make
service until so ORDERED by the Court.
7.
The Clerk of Court is DIRECTED to send James a blank copy of the
Court’s form complaint for a prisoner filing a civil rights action bearing the above civil
action number. James may use this form to file his amended complaint if he chooses to
do so.
8.
If James does not wish to amend his Complaint and instead intends to
stand on his Complaint as originally pled, he may file a notice with the Court within
thirty (30) days of the date of this Order stating that intent, at which time the Court
will issue a final order dismissing the case. Any such notice should be titled “Notice to
Stand on Complaint,” and shall include the civil action number for this case. See
Weber v. McGrogan, 939 F.3d 232 (3d Cir. 2019) (“If the plaintiff does not desire to
amend, he may file an appropriate notice with the district court asserting his intent to
stand on the complaint, at which time an order to dismiss the action would be
appropriate.” (quoting Borelli v. City of Reading, 532 F.2d 950, 951 n.1 (3d Cir. 1976)));
In re Westinghouse Sec. Litig., 90 F.3d 696, 703–04 (3d Cir. 1996) (holding “that the
Case 2:22-cv-01682-GJP Document 6 Filed 05/09/22 Page 4 of 4
district court did not abuse its discretion when it dismissed with prejudice the
otherwise viable claims . . . following plaintiffs’ decision not to replead those claims”
when the district court “expressly warned plaintiffs that failure to replead the
remaining claims . . . would result in the dismissal of those claims”).
9.
If James fails to file any response to this Order, the Court will conclude
that James intends to stand on his Complaint and will issue a final order dismissing
this case. See Weber, 939 F.3d at 239-40 (explaining that a plaintiff’s intent to stand
on his complaint may be inferred from inaction after issuance of an order directing him
to take action to cure a defective complaint).
BY THE COURT:
/s/ Gerald J. Pappert
GERALD J. PAPPERT, J.
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