Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_09-cv-02868/USCOURTS-casd-3_09-cv-02868-0/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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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

ANTHONY WAYNE JOHNSON. Jr.,

CDCR #F-58411,

Civil No. 09-2868 DMS (AJB)

Plaintiff, ORDER:

(1) DISMISSING CIVIL ACTION

AS DUPLICATIVE PURSUANT TO

28 U.S.C. § 1915A(b)(1); and 

(2) DENYING MOTION TO

PROCEED IN FORMA PAUPERIS

 AS MOOT

 [Doc. No. 2]

vs.

M. GAINS, et al.,

Defendants.

Anthony Wayne Johnson, Jr. (“Plaintiff”), currently incarcerated at Salinas Valley State

Prison located in Soledad, California, and proceeding pro se, has submitted a civil rights

Complaint pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1983. 

Plaintiff has not prepaid the $350 filing fee mandated by 28 U.S.C. § 1914(a); instead,

he has filed a Motion to Proceed In Forma Pauperis (“IFP”) pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)

[Doc. No 2].

/ / /

/ / /

Case 3:09-cv-02868-DMS-AJB Document 3 Filed 01/06/10 Page 1 of 3
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I. Sua Sponte Screening Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(b)

The Prison Litigation Reform Act (“PLRA”), 28 U.S.C. § 1915A, obligates the Court to

review complaints filed by anyone “incarcerated or detained in any facility who is accused of,

sentenced for, or adjudicated delinquent for, violations of criminal law or the terms or conditions

of parole, probation, pretrial release, or diversionary program,” “as soon as practicable after

docketing” and regardless of whether the prisoner prepays filing fees or moves to proceed IFP.

See 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(a), (c). The Court must sua sponte dismiss prisoner complaints, or any

portions thereof, which are frivolous, malicious, or fail to state a claim upon which relief may

be granted. 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(b); Resnick v. Hayes, 213 F.3d 443, 446-47 (9th Cir. 2000).

 Plaintiff’s instant Complaint is subject to sua sponte dismissal pursuant to 28 U.S.C.

§ 1915A(b)(1) because it appears to be duplicative of a case Plaintiff is currently litigating.

Plaintiff’s Complaint contains identical claims and defendants that are found in Johnson v.

Gains, et al., S.D. Cal. Civil Case No. 09cv1312 LAB (POR). A court “may take notice of

proceedings in other courts, both within and without the federal judicial system, if those

proceedings have a direct relation to matters at issue.” United States ex rel. Robinson Rancheria

Citizens Council v. Borneo, Inc., 971 F.2d 244, 248 (9th Cir. 1992). 

A prisoner’s complaint is considered frivolous under 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(b)(1) if it

“merely repeats pending or previously litigated claims.” Cato v. United States, 70 F.3d 1103,

1105 n.2 (9th Cir. 1995) (construing former 28 U.S.C. § 1915(d)) (citations and internal

quotations omitted). Because Plaintiff is already litigating the same claims presented in the

instant action in Johnson v. Gains, et al., S.D. Cal. Civil Case No. 09cv1312 LAB (POR), the

Court hereby DISMISSES Civil Case No. 09cv2868 DMS (AJB) pursuant to 28 U.S.C.

§ 1915A(b)(1). See Cato, 70 F.3d at 1105 n.2; Resnick, 213 F.3d at 446 n.1.

II. Conclusion and Order

 Good cause appearing, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:

Plaintiff’s Complaint in Civil Case No. 09cv2868 DMS (AJB) is DISMISSED as

frivolous pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(b)(1). Plaintiff’s Motion to Proceed IFP is DENIED

as moot.

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The Clerk shall close the file.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: January 6, 2010

HON. DANA M. SABRAW

United States District Judge

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