Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_06-cv-02246/USCOURTS-cand-3_06-cv-02246-0/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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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

JOE BURNELL, 

Plaintiff,

 v.

R. RICE, et. al., 

Defendants. 

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No. C 06-2246 JSW (PR)

ORDER OF DISMISSAL AND

DENYING MOTION FOR LEAVE

TO PROCEED IN FORMA

PAUPERIS

(Docket No. 2)

Plaintiff, a prisoner formerly incarcerated at Pelican Bay State Prison, filed a pro

se civil rights complaint under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Plaintiff alleges that prison officials at

that facility failed to protect him from an assault. Plaintiff states he did not exhaust the

administrative grievance procedures available to him through the third formal level of

review before he filed this complaint. Accordingly, the Court will dismiss the complaint

without prejudice to Plaintiff filing a new complaint after he exhausts the administrative

remedies available to him.

DISCUSSION

The Prison Litigation Reform Act provides that “[n]o action shall be brought with

respect to prison conditions under [42 U.S.C. § 1983], or any other Federal law, by a

prisoner confined in any jail, prison, or other correctional facility until such

administrative remedies as are available are exhausted.” 42 U.S.C. § 1997e(a). 

Exhaustion is mandatory and no longer left to the discretion of the district court. 

Woodford v. Ngo, 126 S. Ct. 2378, 2382 (2006) (citing Booth v. Churner, 532 U.S. 731,

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739 (2001)). "Prisoners must now exhaust all 'available' remedies, not just those that

meet federal standards." Id. Even when the relief sought cannot be granted by the

administrative process, i.e., monetary damages, a prisoner must still exhaust

administrative remedies. Id. at 2382-83 (citing Booth, 532 U.S. at 734). 

Although exhaustion is an affirmative defense, the Court may dismiss a complaint

sua sponte for failure to exhaust if it is clear from the face of the complaint and attached

exhibits that Plaintiff has not satisfied the exhaustion requirement. Wyatt v. Terhune, 315

F.3d 1108, 1119-20 (9th Cir. 2003); cf. Franklin v. Murphy, 745 F.2d 1221, 1228-30 (9th

Cir. 1984) (although running of statute of limitations is affirmative defense, it may be

grounds for sua sponte dismissal where defense is complete and obvious from face of the

pleadings). 

The State of California provides its inmates and parolees the right to appeal

administratively "any departmental decision, action, condition or policy perceived by

those individuals as adversely affecting their welfare." Cal. Code Regs. tit. 15, §

3084.1(a). It also provides its inmates the right to file administrative appeals alleging

misconduct by correctional officers. See id. § 3084.1(e). In order to exhaust available

administrative remedies within this system, a prisoner must proceed through several

levels of appeal: (1) informal resolution, (2) formal written appeal on a CDC 602 inmate

appeal form, (3) second level appeal to the institution head or designee, and (4) third level

appeal to the Director of the California Department of Corrections. Id. § 3084.5; Barry v.

Ratelle, 985 F. Supp. 1235, 1237 (S.D. Cal. 1997). This satisfies the administrative

remedies exhaustion requirement under § 1997e(a). Id. at 1237-38. 

Here, Plaintiff admits that he has not presented his complaint through all levels of

the state prison administrative grievance system. See Complaint at 2. Plaintiff asserts

that he did not do so because “the state cannot award plaintiff money requested(.)” Id. at

2. Therefore, he has failed to exhaust his administrative remedies. Courts do not have

discretion under § 1997e(a) to excuse exhaustion. Booth, 532 U.S. 731, 740-41 n.5. 

Even when the prisoner seeks relief not available in grievance proceedings,

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notably money damages, exhaustion is a prerequisite to suit. Id. A prisoner "seeking

only money damages must complete a prison administrative process that could provide

some sort of relief on the complaint stated, but no money." Id. Where Plaintiff has not

even attempted to appeal his grievance through each level of review, the Court must

dismiss the complaint. 

Therefore, the complaint is DISMISSED without prejudice. Plaintiff may file a

new complaint, alleging the same subject matter of the substantive complaint, if and when

he exhausts the administrative remedies available to him. Based upon this dismissal,

Plaintiff’s pending motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis (docket no. 2) is

DENIED as moot. The Clerk shall close the file and enter judgment.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: August 28, 2006 JEFFREY S. WHITE 

 United States District Judge

Case 3:06-cv-02246-JSW Document 3 Filed 08/28/06 Page 3 of 3