Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-4_09-cv-00383/USCOURTS-cand-4_09-cv-00383-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 555
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Prison Condition
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Prisoner Civil Rights

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

OAKLAND DIVISION

FRANCISCO J. FENTANES, 

Plaintiff,

 vs.

CONTRA COSTA SHERIFF DEPT.,

Defendant. /

No. C 09-0383 PJH (PR)

ORDER OF DISMISSAL

This is a civil rights case filed by a former prisoner at the Contra Costa Jail. In the

initial review order, the court noted that plaintiff had listed the Contra Costa Sheriff’s

Department as the only defendant. To state a claim against a California sheriff’s

department a plaintiff must allege that the violations of his rights were pursuant to a custom

or policy of the department. See Shaw v. Cal. Dep't of Alcoholic Beverage Control, 788

F.2d 600, 610-11 (9th Cir. 1986). Plaintiff had not done this, so the complaint was

dismissed with leave to amend.

Plaintiff has filed an amendment. He still names only the sheriff’s department as a

defendant. He does not allege that the purported violations of his rights were pursuant to a

policy or practice of the department, and the nature of the factual allegations is such that it

is unlikely they were done pursuant to such a policy or practice. In fact, in several places

plaintiff alleges that the deputies were acting contrary to policy. 

Plaintiff has failed to state a claim against the only defendant. The Amended

Complaint is DISMISSED with prejudice. The clerk shall close the file.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: April 13, 2010. 

 PHYLLIS J. HAMILTON

United States District Judge

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Case 4:09-cv-00383-PJH Document 17 Filed 04/13/10 Page 1 of 1