Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_04-cv-06186/USCOURTS-caed-1_04-cv-06186-2/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 820
Nature of Suit: Copyright
Cause of Action: 28:1331 Fed. Question

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

NORMAN PARSONS, )

)

Plaintiff, )

)

v. )

)

WE THE PEOPLE FOUNDATION FOR )

CONSTITUTIONAL EDUCATION, )

INC., )

)

Defendant. )

____________________________________)

CIV-F-04-6186 AWI DLB

ORDER CLOSING THE CASE

DUE TO PLAINTIFF’S

VOLUNTARY DISMISSAL

(Docs. 17, 46, and 47)

Plaintiff Norman Parsons has filed a notice of voluntary dismissal with prejudice. 

Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 41(a) provides that “an action may be dismissed by the plaintiff

without order of court (i) by filing a notice of dismissal at any time before service by the adverse

party of an answer or of a motion for summary judgment, whichever first occurs.” The Ninth

Circuit has stated

A plaintiff may dismiss his action so long as the plaintiff files a notice of dismissal prior

to the defendant’s service of an answer or motion for summary judgment. The dismissal

is effective on filing and no court order is required. The plaintiff may dismiss some or all

of the defendants, or some or all of his claims, through a Rule 41(a)(1) notice. The filing

of a notice of voluntary dismissal with the court automatically terminates the action as to

the defendants who are the subjects of the notice. Unless otherwise stated, the dismissal is

ordinarily without prejudice to the plaintiff’s right to commence another action for the

same cause against the same defendants. Such a dismissal leaves the parties as though no

action had been brought.

Wilson v. City of San Jose, 111 F.3d 688, 692 (9th Cir. 1997), citations omitted. “A motion to

Case 1:04-cv-06186-AWI-DLB Document 74 Filed 03/21/06 Page 1 of 2
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dismiss is neither an answer nor, unless accompanied by affidavits discussing matters outside the

pleadings that are not excluded by the court, a motion for summary judgment; thus, unless

formally converted into a motion for summary judgment under Rule 56, a motion to dismiss

under Rule 12 does not terminate the right of dismissal by notice.” 9 Charles A. Wright & Arthur

R. Miller, Federal Practice and Procedure § 2363 (2nd ed. 1995).

Defendant We The People Foundation has filed a motion to dismiss under Federal Rules

of Civil Procedure 12, but neither an answer nor a motion for summary judgment has been filed

or served in this case. Therefore, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the Clerk is ordered to close

this case in light of Plaintiff’s Fed. R. Civ. Proc. 41(a)(i) voluntary dismissal. All pending

motions in the case are dismissed as moot. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: March 17, 2006 /s/ Anthony W. Ishii 

0m8i78 UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Case 1:04-cv-06186-AWI-DLB Document 74 Filed 03/21/06 Page 2 of 2