Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_05-cv-02368/USCOURTS-caed-2_05-cv-02368-2/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 550
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Civil Rights (U.S. defendant)
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Prisoner Civil Rights

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

DONALD TRAHAN, 

Plaintiff, No. CIV S-05-2368 MCE GGH P

vs.

THOMAS L. CAREY, Warden, et al.,

Defendants. ORDER

 /

Plaintiff originally filed this action as an application for a petition for writ of

habeas corpus pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254. On January 31, 2006, the court construed this

action as a civil rights action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 and ordered plaintiff to file a

complaint. Pending before the court is plaintiff’s complaint filed February 27, 2006.

Named as defendants in the caption of the complaint are Warden Carey and

several unidentified appeals coordinators and correctional counselor’s I through III.

In the body of the complaint, plaintiff discusses several correctional counselors

and appeals coordinators. However, because he has not identified these counselors and

coordinators as defendants, it is unclear whether he intended to name them as defendants. On

this ground, the complaint is dismissed with leave to amend. If plaintiff files an amended 

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complaint, he must specifically identify whom he intends to name as defendants. The court

observes that plaintiff discusses Guidance Counselor Hightower. However, it is unclear whether

plaintiff intends to name Guidance Counselor Hightower as one of the “correctional counselor”

defendants.

The Civil Rights Act under which this action was filed provides as follows:

Every person who, under color of [state law] . . . subjects, or causes

to be subjected, any citizen of the United States . . . to the

deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured by the

Constitution . . . shall be liable to the party injured in an action at

law, suit in equity, or other proper proceeding for redress. 

42 U.S.C. § 1983. The statute requires that there be an actual connection or link between the

actions of the defendants and the deprivation alleged to have been suffered by plaintiff. See

Monell v. Department of Social Servs., 436 U.S. 658 (1978); Rizzo v. Goode, 423 U.S. 362

(1976). “A person ‘subjects’ another to the deprivation of a constitutional right, within the

meaning of § 1983, if he does an affirmative act, participates in another's affirmative acts or

omits to perform an act which he is legally required to do that causes the deprivation of which

complaint is made.” Johnson v. Duffy, 588 F.2d 740, 743 (9th Cir. 1978).

Moreover, supervisory personnel are generally not liable under § 1983 for the

actions of their employees under a theory of respondeat superior and, therefore, when a named

defendant holds a supervisorial position, the causal link between him and the claimed

constitutional violation must be specifically alleged. See Fayle v. Stapley, 607 F.2d 858, 862

(9th Cir. 1979); Mosher v. Saalfeld, 589 F.2d 438, 441 (9th Cir. 1978), cert. denied, 442 U.S.

941 (1979). Vague and conclusory allegations concerning the involvement of official personnel

in civil rights violations are not sufficient. See Ivey v. Board of Regents, 673 F.2d 266, 268 (9th

Cir. 1982).

If plaintiff files an amended complaint, he must link each defendant to the alleged

deprivations.

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Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that plaintiff’s complaint is dismissed

with thirty days to file an amended complaint; failure to file an amended complaint within that

time will result in a recommendation of dismissal of this action.

DATED: 6/26/06

/s/ Gregory G. Hollows

 

GREGORY G. HOLLOWS

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

ggh:kj

tra2368.ord

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