Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-5_15-cv-00042/USCOURTS-cand-5_15-cv-00042-4/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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Order of Partial Dismissal and of Service

P:\PRO-SE\EJD\CR.15\00042McElroy_svc.wpd 1

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

JARBOR MCELROY a/k/a LATWAHN

MCELROY,

Plaintiff,

 v.

W. L. MUNIZ, et. al., 

Defendants. 

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No. C 15-00042 EJD (PR)

ORDER OF PARTIAL DISMISSAL

AND OF SERVICE; DIRECTING

DEFENDANTS TO FILE DISPOSITIVE

MOTION OR NOTICE REGARDING

SUCH MOTION; INSTRUCTIONS TO

CLERK

Plaintiff, a state prisoner at Pelican Bay State Prison, filed the instant pro se civil

rights action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against prison officials at Salinas Valley State

Prison (“SVSP”) and Folsom State Prison (“FSP”) where he was previously incarcerated. 

The Court reopened this action and granted Plaintiff a second opportunity to file a first

amended complaint to correct the deficiencies in the original complaint. (See Docket No.

15.) Plaintiff filed a first amended complaint. (Docket No. 17, hereafter “FAC”.)

DISCUSSION

A. Standard of Review

A federal court must conduct a preliminary screening in any case in which a

prisoner seeks redress from a governmental entity or officer or employee of a

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Order of Partial Dismissal and of Service

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governmental entity. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(a). In its review, the court must identify

any cognizable claims and dismiss any claims that are frivolous, malicious, fail to state a

claim upon which relief may be granted or seek monetary relief from a defendant who is

immune from such relief. See id. § 1915A(b)(1),(2). Pro se pleadings must, however, be

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

1988). 

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

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

B. Plaintiff’s Claims

Plaintiff alleges that various correctional officers and medical staff at SVSP and

FSP violated his constitutional rights and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973,

et al., by forcibly administering “psychotropics” and “moodstabilizers” to him which has

caused health issues and emotional stress (FAC at 5-9); by placing him in disciplinary

segregation based on false charges and without the appropriate due process which has

exacerbated his health conditions (id. at 10-18); by depriving him of his possessions (id.

at 18–27); by failing to provide proper treatment for polyneuropathy and nerve damage

(id. at 27–29); and by failing to approve him for a “medical release/transfer” to a place

where appropriate accommodations for his medical needs would be available, (id. at

34–36). Liberally construed, Plaintiff states cognizable claims under § 1983. 

With respect to Plaintiff’s claims against FSP officials, those claims must be

dismissed. When jurisdiction is not founded solely on diversity, venue is proper in the

district in which (1) any defendant resides, if all of the defendants reside in the same state,

(2) the district in which a substantial part of the events or omissions giving rise to the

claim occurred, or a substantial part of property that is the subject of the action is situated,

or (3) a judicial district in which any defendant may be found, if there is no district in

which the action may otherwise be brought. 28 U.S.C. § 1391(b). Plaintiff’s claims

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Order of Partial Dismissal and of Service

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arising out of acts committed in Sacramento County, where FSP is located, are properly

raised in the Eastern District of California. 28 U.S.C. § 84(b). Consequently, Defendants

A. Nangalama, V. Duc, A. Hamkar, R. N. Linggi, and A. Deemsi are dismissed without

prejudice to Plaintiff’s re-filing claims against them in a separate complaint in the Eastern

District of California.

CONCLUSION

For the reasons stated above, the Court orders as follows:

1. The Clerk of the Court shall mail a Notice of Lawsuit and Request for 

Waiver of Service of Summons, two copies of the Waiver of Service of Summons, a copy

of the amended complaint, (Docket No. 17), all attachments thereto, and a copy of this

order upon Defendant Jeffery Beard at the California Department of Corrections and

Rehabilitation, P.O. Box 942883, Sacramento CA 94283; and Defendants J. Stone, J.

Kidd, Orta, A. Orenalis, J. Ramirez, R. Pinto, B. Kopitzke, J. Greeson, B. Evans, K.

Rawhoof, A. Oyarzabal, J. Ruiz, J. Mensing, R. Binkele, Sgt. Maturino, F. Israel,

Supervisor Dr. Norum, D. Do-Williams, G. Ellis and D. Rocha, at Salinas Valley

State Prison (P.O. Box 1020, Soledad, CA 93960-1020). The Clerk shall also mail a

copy of this Order to Plaintiff. 

Defendants A. Nangalama, V. Duc, A. Hamkar, R. N. Linggi, and A. Deemsi of

Folsom State Prison are DISMISSED from this action. The Clerk shall terminate them

from the docket. 

2. Defendants are cautioned that Rule 4 of the Federal Rules of Civil 

Procedure requires them to cooperate in saving unnecessary costs of service of the

summons and the complaint. Pursuant to Rule 4, if Defendants, after being notified of

this action and asked by the Court, on behalf of Plaintiff, to waive service of the

summons, fail to do so, they will be required to bear the cost of such service unless good

cause shown for their failure to sign and return the waiver form. If service is waived, this

action will proceed as if Defendants had been served on the date that the waiver is filed,

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Order of Partial Dismissal and of Service

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except that pursuant to Rule 12(a)(1)(B), Defendants will not be required to serve and file

an answer before sixty (60) days from the day on which the request for waiver was sent. 

(This allows a longer time to respond than would be required if formal service of

summons is necessary.) Defendants are asked to read the statement set forth at the foot of

the waiver form that more completely describes the duties of the parties with regard to

waiver of service of the summons. If service is waived after the date provided in the

Notice but before Defendants have been personally served, the Answer shall be due sixty 

(60) days from the date on which the request for waiver was sent or twenty (20) days

from the date the waiver form is filed, whichever is later. 

3. No later than ninety (90) days from the date of this order, Defendants shall

file a motion for summary judgment or other dispositive motion with respect to the claims

in the complaint found to be cognizable above. 

a. If Defendants elect to file a motion to dismiss on the grounds

Plaintiff failed to exhaust his available administrative remedies as required by 42 U.S.C.

§ 1997e(a), Defendants shall do so in an unenumerated Rule 12(b) motion pursuant to

Wyatt v. Terhune, 315 F.3d 1108, 1119–20 (9th Cir. 2003), cert. denied Alameida v.

Terhune, 540 U.S. 810 (2003). The Ninth Circuit has held that Plaintiff must be

provided with the appropriate warning and notice under Wyatt concurrently with

Defendants’ motion to dismiss. See Woods v. Carey, 684 F.3d 934, 940 (9th Cir.

2012). 

b. Any motion for summary judgment shall be supported by adequate

factual documentation and shall conform in all respects to Rule 56 of the Federal Rules of

Civil Procedure. Defendants are advised that summary judgment cannot be granted, nor

qualified immunity found, if material facts are in dispute. If any Defendant is of the

opinion that this case cannot be resolved by summary judgment, he shall so inform the

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

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

and served on Defendants no later than twenty-eight (28) days from the date Defendants’

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Order of Partial Dismissal and of Service

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motion is filed. 

a. In the event Defendants file a motion for summary judgment, the

Ninth Circuit has held that Plaintiff must be concurrently provided the appropriate

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

Woods v. Carey, 684 F.3d 934, 940 (9th Cir. 2012). 

Plaintiff is also 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). Plaintiff is cautioned that failure to file an

opposition to Defendants’ motion for summary judgment may be deemed to be a consent

by Plaintiff to the granting of the motion, and granting of judgment against Plaintiff

without a trial. See Ghazali v. Moran, 46 F.3d 52, 53–54 (9th Cir. 1995) (per curiam);

Brydges v. Lewis, 18 F.3d 651, 653 (9th Cir. 1994). 

5. Defendants shall file a reply brief no later than fourteen (14) days after

Plaintiff’s opposition is filed. 

6. 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. 

7. All communications by the 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.

8. 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 16-1 is required before the parties may conduct discovery.

9. 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).

10. Extensions of time must be filed no later than the deadline sought to be

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Order of Partial Dismissal and of Service

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extended and must be accompanied by a showing of good cause.

DATED: 

EDWARD J. DAVILA

United States District Judge

9/10/2015

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE 

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

JARBOR MCELROY a/k/a LATWAHN

MCELROY,

Plaintiff,

 v.

W. L. MUNIZ, et. al., 

Defendants. /

No. C 15-00042 EJD (PR)

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I, the undersigned, hereby certify that I am an employee in the Office of the Clerk, U.S.

District Court, Northern District of California. 

That on ______________________________, I SERVED a true and correct copy(ies) of

the attached, by placing said copy(ies) in a postage paid envelope addressed to the

person(s)hereinafter listed, by depositing said envelope in the U.S. Mail, or by placing

said copy(ies) inter-office delivery receptacle located in the Clerk's office. 

Jarbor McElroy

P-71922 

Pelican Bay State Prison (PBSP) 

P. O. Box 7500 

Crescent City, Ca 95532

DATED: ________________________

Susan Y. Soong, Clerk of the Court

9/10/2015 9/10/2015 /s/ Elizabeth Garcia, Deputy Clerk

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