Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_23-cv-01151/USCOURTS-caed-1_23-cv-01151-3/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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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

MICHELLE-LAEL B. NORSWORTHY,

Plaintiff,

v.

OFFICER FELIX, et al.,

Defendants.

Case No.: 1:23-cv-01151-NODJ-SKO

ORDER STRIKING ORDER SETTING 

MANDATORY SETTLEMENT 

CONFERENCE

(Doc. 3)

ORDER VACATING INITIAL 

SCHEDULING CONFERENCE SET FOR 

SEPTEMBER 19, 2024

ORDER DENYING MOTION TO DISMISS 

AS PREMATURE AND WITHOUT 

PREJUDICE

(Doc. 7) 

Plaintiff Michelle-Lael B. Norsworthy, a former inmate at the Central California 

Women’s Facility in Chowchilla, is represented by counsel in this civil rights action pursuant to 

42 U.S.C. § 1983.

I. PROCEDURAL HISTORY

Plaintiff filed a complaint on August 2, 2023. (Doc. 1.) Summonses and new civil case 

documents issued the following day. (Docs. 2 & 3.) 

On August 30, 2023, the summonses were returned executed as to all named Defendants. 

(Doc. 4.) 

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On September 18, 2023, the parties filed a Stipulation and Order to Continue Responsive 

Pleading Deadline and Continuing Scheduling Conference. (Doc. 6.) 

Defendants filed a Motion to Dismiss Plaintiff’s Complaint on October 31, 2023. (Doc. 

7.) On November 1, 2023, then assigned District Judge Ana de Alba issued a minute order 

indicating the motion to dismiss would be decided on the papers without a hearing, citing Local 

Rule 230(g). (Doc. 8.) 

The parties filed a Joint Stipulation and Proposed Order to Request Amendment to 

Briefing Schedule on November 13, 2023. (Doc. 9.) 

On November 15, 2023, the Court issued its Order Directing Clerk’s Office to 

Redesignate Action From 440 (Other Civil Rights) to 550 (Civil Rights). (Doc. 11.) That same 

date, the Court granted the parties’ joint stipulation. (Doc. 12.) 

In a minute order of November 27, 2023, the Initial Scheduling Conference set for 

December 21, 2023, was continued to September 19, 2024. (Doc. 14.) 

On November 28, 2023, Plaintiff filed an opposition to the motion to dismiss. (Doc. 15.) 

On December 1, 2023, Chief Judge Kimberly J. Mueller issued the Order of Temporary 

Reassignment to No District Court Judge (NODJ). (Doc. 16.) 

II. DISCUSSION

As an initial matter, in light of the redesignation of this action from a 440 (Other Civil 

Rights) action to a 550 (Prisoner Civil Rights) action, the Court will strike the Order Setting 

Mandatory Scheduling Conference issued August 3, 2023 (Doc. 3) and vacate the Initial 

Scheduling Conference set for September 19, 2024. The Court will issue new case documents for 

this prisoner civil rights action—rather than those issued for a regular civil action—separately. 

Second, this Court finds Defendants’ motion to dismiss to be premature. While 

summonses were executed and a responsive pleading required when this case was filed, the 

complaint in this action is subject to screening pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 1915. Whether Plaintiff is 

represented by counsel is not relevant for this purpose because “[t]he court is required to screen 

complaints brought by prisoners seeking relief against a governmental entity or officer or 

employee of a governmental entity, regardless of whether plaintiff is represented by counsel.” 

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Parks v. Rolfing, No. 2:15-cv-1505-CKD-P, 2018 WL 2128393, at *2 (E.D. Cal. May 9, 2018); 

Rios v. Dragon, No. 2:20-cv-00146-ADA-HBK (PC), 2022 WL 11324595, at *1, 3 (E.D. Cal. 

Oct. 19, 2022) (citing Parks v. Rohlfing and denying motion to dismiss as premature because 

court has not yet screened complaint); Munoz v. California Department of Corrections, No. 1:16-

CV-01103-LJO-MJS, 2016 WL 6298533, at *1 (E.D. Cal. Oct. 27, 2016) (screening former state 

prisoner’s complaint who is represented by counsel in § 1983 action).; see also Medina v. 

Kernan, No. 1:19-cv-00345-DAD-JLT, 2021 WL 5179899, at *2 (E.D. Cal. Nov. 8, 2021); Rojas 

v. Brown, No. 1:17-cv-01514-DAD-JLT, 2021 WL 4811180, at *1 (E.D. Cal. Oct. 15, 2021); 

Johnson v. Hall, No. 2:19-cv-1752-KJN-P, 2019 WL 4392413, at *1 (E.D. Cal. Sept. 13, 2019). 

Although at least one judge of this district has found the screening of complaints to be optional 

when plaintiffs are proceeding with counsel (see Simmonds v. CDCR, 49 F.Supp.3d 700, 701 

(E.D. Cal. 2014)), this Court is unaware of a decision barring the screening of a represented 

prisoner's complaint. 

To the extent service of a complaint is typically ordered following screening in a prisoner 

civil rights action and where the Court has found a cognizable claim or claims have been 

plausibly alleged, service of process is unnecessary because the Defendants have already 

appeared. Once the Court has screened the complaint and if it finds a cognizable claim or claims, 

the Court will issue an order, either separately or concurrently with its screening order, directing 

Defendants to file a responsive pleading. 

In sum, Defendants’ motion to dismiss is premature because the Court has not yet 

screened the complaint in this former prisoner’s civil rights action. The motion to dismiss will be 

denied, without prejudice as premature. The Court will screen Plaintiff’s complaint, in accordance 

with 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(a), in due course. And, as noted above, the Court will separately issue 

new case documents specific to prisoner civil rights cases.

III. CONCLUSION AND ORDER

For the reasons stated above, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:

1. The Order Setting Mandatory Scheduling Conference issued August 3, 2023 (Doc. 3) 

is STRICKEN;

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2. The Initial Scheduling Conference set for September 19, 2024, at 9:30 a.m., is 

VACATED; 

3. The Court will issue new case documents for this prisoner civil rights action 

separately; 

4. Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss filed October 31, 2023 (Doc. 7) is DENIED, without 

prejudice, as premature; and

5. The Court will screen Plaintiff’s complaint (Doc. 1) filed August 2, 2023, in due 

course and pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(a). 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: December 8, 2023 /s/ Sheila K. Oberto .

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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