Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_06-cv-04321/USCOURTS-cand-3_06-cv-04321-0/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 NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SHAWN PAUL HEDLIN, 

Plaintiff,

 v.

SAN MATEO COUNTY SHERIFF’S

DEPT.,

Defendants. _________________________________

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No. C 06-4321 JSW (PR)

ORDER OF SERVICE

(Docket Nos. 2, 4)

INTRODUCTION

Plaintiff, currently incarcerated at the San Mateo County Jail in Redwood City,

California, filed this civil rights action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983, complaining of

violations of his civil rights at that facility. Plaintiff has also filed motions seeking leave

to proceed in forma pauperis which are GRANTED in a separate order filed

simultaneously (docket nos. 2, 4). The Court has reviewed the complaint and will order

it served on Defendants as set forth below. 

STATEMENT OF FACTS 

Plaintiff complains that during his incarceration at the San Mateo County Jail, he

has been segregated on the basis of his identification as a “Southern Hispanic” and, as a

result, has been deprived of certain benefits available to other inmates, including

educational, religious, rehabilitative and legal research services available to other

inmates. Plaintiff seeks injunctive relief. 

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STANDARD OF REVIEW

Federal courts must engage in a preliminary screening of cases in which prisoners

seek redress from a governmental entity or officer or employee of a governmental entity. 

28 U.S.C. § 1915A(a). The Court must identify cognizable claims or dismiss the

complaint, or any portion of the complaint, if the complaint “is frivolous, malicious, or

fails to state a claim upon which relief may be granted,” or “seeks monetary relief from a

defendant who is immune from such relief.” Id. § 1915A(b). Pro se pleadings must be

liberally construed. Balistreri v. Pacifica Police Dep't, 901 F.2d 696, 699 (9th Cir.

1990).

To state a claim under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, a plaintiff must allege two elements: 

(1) that a right secured by the Constitution or laws of the United States was violated, and

(2) that the alleged violation was committed by a person acting under the color of state

law. West v. Atkins, 487 U.S. 42, 48 (1988).

ANALYSIS

I. Plaintiff’s Claims

A prisoner alleging denial of equal protection under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 based on

race or other suspect classification must plead intentional unlawful discrimination or

allege facts that are at least susceptible of an inference of discriminatory intent. 

Monteiro v. Tempe Union High School Dist., 158 F.3d 1022, 1026 (9th Cir. 1998). To

state a claim for relief, the plaintiff must allege that the defendant state actor acted at

least in part because of plaintiff's membership in a protected class. Serrano v. Francis,

345 F.3d 1071, 1081-82 (9th Cir. 2003). Proof of a discriminatory intent or purpose is

required to show an equal protection violation. City of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio v. Buckeye

Cmty. Hope Found., 538 U.S. 188, 193-94 (2003) (claim could not survive summary

judgment where there was no proof of discriminatory intent by city which placed citizensponsored and allegedly racially-motivated referendum on the ballot as required by the

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city's facially neutral charter and the referendum was not enacted); Serrano, 345 F.3d at

1082 (plaintiff must produce evidence sufficient to permit a reasonable trier of fact to

find by a preponderance of the evidence that the decision was motivated by the plaintiff's

membership in the protected class to avoid summary judgment). As such, Plaintiff’s

claim is sufficient to warrant a response from Defendants. 

CONCLUSION

For the foregoing reasons, the Court orders as follows:

1. The Clerk of the Court shall issue summons and the United States Marshal shall

serve, without prepayment of fees, a copy of the complaint and all attachments thereto

with all attachments thereto, and a copy of this order upon: the San Mateo County

Sheriff’s Department at the San Mateo County Jail. The Clerk shall also serve a copy

of this order on Plaintiff.

2. In order to expedite the resolution of this case, the Court orders as follows:

a. No later than sixty (60) days from the date of this order, Defendants

shall either file a motion for summary judgment or other dispositive motion, or a notice

to the Court that they are of the opinion that this matter cannot be resolved by dispositive

motion. The motion shall be supported by adequate factual documentation and shall

conform in all respects to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 56. 

Defendants are advised that summary judgment cannot be granted, nor

qualified immunity found, if material facts are in dispute. If Defendants are of the

opinion that this case cannot be resolved by summary judgment, they shall so

inform the Court prior to the date the summary judgment motion is due. 

All papers filed with the Court shall be promptly served on the Plaintiff.

b. Plaintiff’s opposition to the dispositive motion shall be filed with the

Court and served on Defendant no later than thirty (30) days from the date Defendants’

motion is filed. The following notice is for the benefit of all pro se litigants:

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The defendants have made a motion for summary judgment

by which they seek to have your case dismissed. A motion for

summary judgment under Rule 56 of the Federal Rules of Civil

Procedure will, if granted, end your case. 

Rule 56 tells you what you must do in order to oppose

a motion for summary judgment. Generally, summary

judgment must be granted when there is no genuine issue of

material fact--that is, if there is no real dispute about any fact

that would affect the result of your case, the party who asked

for summary judgment is entitled to judgment as a matter of

law, which will end your case. When a party you are suing

makes a motion for summary judgment that is properly

supported by declarations (or other sworn testimony), you

cannot simply rely on what your complaint says. Instead,

you must set out specific facts in declarations, depositions,

answers to interrogatories, or authenticated documents, as

provided in Rule 56(e), that contradict the facts shown in the

defendant's declarations and documents and show that there

is a genuine issue of material fact for trial. If you do not

submit your own evidence in opposition, summary judgment,

if appropriate, may be entered against you. If summary

judgment is granted in favor of defendants, your case will be

dismissed and there will be no trial.

Rand v. Rowland, 154 F.3d 952, 963 (9th Cir. 1998) (en banc).

Plaintiff is advised to read Rule 56 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and

Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317 (1986) (holding party opposing summary

judgment must come forward with evidence showing triable issues of material fact on

every essential element of his claim). 

c. Defendants shall file a reply brief no later than fifteen (15) days after

Plaintiff's opposition is filed. 

d. The motion shall be deemed submitted as of the date the reply brief is

due. No hearing will be held on the motion unless the Court so orders at a later date. 

3. Discovery may be taken in accordance with the Federal Rules of Civil

Procedure. No further Court order under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 30(a)(2) or

Local Rule 16 is required before the parties may conduct discovery.

4. Extensions of time are not favored, though reasonable extensions will be

granted. Any motion for an extension of time must be filed no later than five days prior

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to the deadline sought to be extended.

5. All communications by Plaintiff with the Court must be served on Defendants,

or Defendants’ counsel once counsel has been designated, by mailing a true copy of the

document to Defendants or Defendants’ counsel.

6. It is Plaintiff’s responsibility to prosecute this case. Plaintiff must keep the

Court informed of any change of address and must comply with the Court’s orders in a

timely fashion. Failure to do so may result in the dismissal of this action for failure to

prosecute pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 41(b).

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: January 17, 2007

 

JEFFREY S. WHITE

United States District Judge

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