Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-5_07-cv-05085/USCOURTS-cand-5_07-cv-05085-1/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

For the Northern District of California

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 Indeed, it appears that Cook may have filed several more actions regarding this matter that

were dismissed by other judges. The four actions specifically identified herein all were assigned to

this Court.

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*E-FILED 5/19/08*

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SAN JOSE DIVISION

MICHAEL COOK, 

Plaintiff,

 v.

SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

Defendant. /

NO. C 07-5085 RS

 SCHEDULING ORDER

Plaintiff Michael Cook has filed at least four separate actions regarding his contention that

he is entitled to recover certain Supplemental Social Security Income checks that allegedly were

mailed to him but that he contends he never received or cashed.1

 To minimize any further

Case 5:07-cv-05085-RS Document 21 Filed 05/19/08 Page 1 of 4
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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 On May 9, 2008, the Ninth Circuit issued an order requiring Cook to show cause within 21

days as to why that appeal should not be dismissed as premature, given that the same claims are still

pending in this action.

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 The Court observed that no motion to dismiss had been filed. Defendant’s reply brief in

support of its motion to dismiss the other actions was filed in this action, but no actual motion to

dismiss was ever filed herein. The statement in the January 28, 2008 order that defendant had not

yet been served in this action appears to have been incorrect. Regardless of when service was made,

however, defendant has unquestionably now appeared in this action and has consented to the

jurisdiction of a magistrate judge.

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confusion, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that all future pleadings, letters, motions, or other documents

pertaining to this same basic dispute shall be filed under this case number, C 07-5085 RS, and shall

not bear the case numbers of any of the related cases, nor be cross-filed in those cases. Cook is

further ordered not to file any new complaints regarding this same basic dispute.

On January 28, 2008, the Court issued an order dismissing Case Nos. C 07-06068 RS and 

C 07-06232 RS on grounds that Cook had failed to exhaust his administrative remedies. That order

noted that a third case, C 06-05950 RS, had been dismissed previously, and was on appeal before the

Ninth Circuit.2 In the January 28, 2008 order, however, the Court declined to dismiss this action

sua sponte, but noted that “dismissal without leave to amend on the same grounds as in [the other]

actions may ultimately be appropriate.”3

From materials Cook has submitted in this action or in the related actions or both, it now

appears that the Social Security Administration (“SSA”) has advised Cook that he will be entitled to

schedule a hearing before an administrative law judge (“ALJ”) “once [he] is released from

incarceration.” The record is not clear as to when Cook may expect to be released, but it is the

Court’s understanding that it may be several years from now. 

Thus, it appears that the SSA may be taking the position that Cook cannot exhaust his

administrative remedies until he has had a hearing before an ALJ, but that he cannot have such a

hearing until he is released from incarceration, which may not happen for a substantial period of

time. In any event, this action is presently open and pending. Defendant has appeared, but has not

answered or moved to dismiss. Defendant shall file responsive pleadings within 20 days of the date

of this order. Again, Cook is directed that any future filings in this Court regarding this dispute

Case 5:07-cv-05085-RS Document 21 Filed 05/19/08 Page 2 of 4
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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ORDER

C 07-06068 RS

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should bear this case number and no other case number.

 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: May 19, 2008 

RICHARD SEEBORG

United States Magistrate Judge

Case 5:07-cv-05085-RS Document 21 Filed 05/19/08 Page 3 of 4
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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ORDER

C 07-06068 RS

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THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT NOTICE OF THIS ORDER WAS ELECTRONICALLY

PROVIDED TO:

James A. Scharf james.scharf@usdoj.gov, mimi.lam@usdoj.gov

AND A COPY OF THIS ORDER WAS MAILED TO:

Michael Cook

T-79529

Kern Valley State Prison

Post Office Box 5104

Dalano, CA 93216

Dated: May 19, 2008

 /s/ BAK 

Chambers of Magistrate Judge Richard Seeborg

Case 5:07-cv-05085-RS Document 21 Filed 05/19/08 Page 4 of 4