King v. Kent et al

Filing 3

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER. It is ordered that the civil rights action is transferred to the Houston Division of the USDC S/D Tx. Signed by Magistrate Judge Zack Hawthorn on 1/2/13. (mrp, )

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS
BEAUMONT DIVISION
VERNON KING, JR.

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VS.

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JAMES H. KENT, ET AL.

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CIVIL ACTION NO. 1:12-CV-605

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER
Plaintiff Vernon King, Jr., a prisoner confined at the Estelle Unit of the Texas Department
of Criminal Justice, Correctional Institutions Division, proceeding pro se, filed this civil rights action
pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Plaintiff contends prison officials at the Estelle Unit used excessive
force against him and failed to protect him.
Discussion
The Civil Rights Act, 42 U.S.C. § 1981, et seq., under which this case is brought, does not
contain a specific venue provision. Accordingly, venue in civil rights cases is controlled by 28
U.S.C. § 1391. Jones v. Bailey, 58 F.R.D. 453 (N.D. Ga. 1972); aff’d per curiam, 480 F.2d 805 (5th
Cir. 1973).
When, as in this case, jurisdiction is not founded solely on diversity of citizenship, § 1391
provides that venue is proper only in the judicial district where the defendants reside or in which the
claim arose. However, under 28 U.S.C. § 1404(a), for the convenience of parties and witnesses and
in the interest of justice, a district court may transfer any civil action to any other district where it
could have been brought. Such a transfer may be done sua sponte and is reviewable only for an
abuse of discretion. Mills v. Beech Aircraft Corp., 886 F.2d 758, 761 (5th Cir. 1989).

The Estelle Unit is located in the Houston Division of the United States District Court for
the Southern District of Texas. The court has considered the circumstances and has determined that
the interests of justice would best be served if the complaint were transferred to the district in which
the claims arose. Therefore, the case should be transferred to the Southern District of Texas. An
order so providing will be entered by the undersigned. It is accordingly
ORDERED that this civil rights action is TRANSFERRED to the Houston Division of the
United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas.
SIGNED this 2nd day of January, 2013.

_________________________
Zack Hawthorn
United States Magistrate Judge

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