Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_05-cv-03995/USCOURTS-azd-2_05-cv-03995-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 555
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Prison Condition
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Prisoner Civil Rights

---

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

1

Many inmates apparently believe that they will receive an immediate payout from a

fund established in Hart v. Hill, No. CV 77-0479-PHX-EHC (MS) (D. Ariz.). No such fund

exists. The inmates in Hart asked for injunctive relief and not monetary damages. The Court

at this time expresses no opinion whether Plaintiff’s lawsuit may result in an award of

damages.

TERMPSREF

LMH

WO

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Raul Villa, 

Plaintiff, 

vs.

Joseph Arpaio, 

Defendant. 

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

No. CV 05-3995-PHX-DGC (JRI)

ORDER

This is one of more than one thousand civil rights actions filed since September 2004

by Maricopa County Jail inmates.1

 Plaintiff is confined in the Tent City Jail in Phoenix,

Arizona. The Court will require Defendant Arpaio to answer Count III and dismiss the

remaining counts without prejudice. 

A. Application to Proceed In Forma Pauperis & Filing Fee.

Plaintiff’s request to proceed in forma pauperis will be granted. Pursuant to 28 U.S.C.

§ 1915(b)(1), Plaintiff is required to pay the statutory filing fee of $250.00 for this action.

An initial partial filing fee of $2.50 (based on an average monthly deposit of $12.50) will be

assessed by this Order. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1). By separate order, the Court will direct the

Case 2:05-cv-03995-DGC-JRI Document 3 Filed 07/13/06 Page 1 of 7
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

TERMPSREF - 2 -

appropriate agency to collect the initial partial filing fee from Plaintiff’s trust account and

forward it to the Clerk of Court. Plaintiff will be obligated for monthly payments of 20

percent of the preceding month’s income credited to Plaintiff’s trust account. The Court will

direct the appropriate agency to collect these monthly payments, which will be forwarded to

the Clerk of Court each time the amount in Plaintiff’s account exceeds $10.00, until the filing

fee is paid in full. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(2).

Plaintiff should take notice that if he is released before the filing fee is paid in full, he

must pay the remaining unpaid amount of the filing fee within 120 days of the date of his

release. If Plaintiff fails to pay the remainder of the filing fee within 120 days of the date of

his release, the action will be dismissed, unless Plaintiff shows good cause, in writing, why

he is unable to pay the remainder of the filing fee.

B. Statutory Screening of Prisoner Complaints.

The Court is required to screen complaints brought by prisoners seeking relief against

a governmental entity or officer or employee of a governmental entity. 28 U.S.C.

§ 1915A(a). The Court must dismiss a complaint or portion thereof if Plaintiff has raised

claims that are legally “frivolous or malicious,” that fail to state a claim upon which relief

may be granted, or that seek monetary relief from a defendant who is immune from such

relief. 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(b)(1),(2). 

C. Complaint.

Plaintiff presumably was a pretrial detainee during his incarceration. He sues

Maricopa County Sheriff Joseph Arpaio. Plaintiff sets forth three counts for relief regarding

jail conditions, concerning sanitation, recreation, and food service. 

1. Counts I and II: failure to identify a constitutional right

Plaintiff has not identified a constitutional right that was violated by the jail conditions

described in Counts I and II. In the space where he could list the right, he instead asserts in

Count I that “my constitutional civil IE Hart vs. 1995 MCSO Amended Judgment Paragraphs

84-86 and 9 subsectional C, D, E, and 47” have been violated. (Compl. at 4.) Plaintiff

Case 2:05-cv-03995-DGC-JRI Document 3 Filed 07/13/06 Page 2 of 7
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

TERMPSREF - 3 -

makes a similar reference in Count II. (Compl. at 5.) In his prayer for relief, he again refers

to the guidelines established in Hart v. Hill. (Compl. at 7.) 

Plaintiff presumably refers to the Amended Judgment in Hart v. Hill, No. CIV 77-

0479-PHX-EHC (MS) (D. Ariz.). He cannot, however, seek to enforce that Judgment in this

action. Jurisdiction to enforce the judgment is retained by the court which entered it. Jeff

D. v. Kempthorne, 365 F.3d 844, 853 (9th Cir. 2004). A civil rights action is not the proper

means by which to enforce the decree. Cagle v. Sutherland, 334 F.3d 980, 986 (11th Cir.

2003); Klein v. Zavaras, 80 F.3d 432, 435 (10th Cir. 1996); DeGidio v. Pung, 920 F.2d 525,

534 (8th Cir.1990); Green v. McKaskle, 788 F.2d 1116, 1122-23 (5th Cir. 1986). Standing

alone, remedial orders cannot serve as a substantive basis for a § 1983 claim for damages

because such orders do not create “rights, privileges, or immunities secured by the

Constitution and laws.” Green, 788 F.3d at 1123-24. Consequently, there is no basis for

jurisdiction over Counts I and II of the present Complaint. 

Claims for violations of constitutional rights are properly raised in an action pursuant

to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Because Plaintiff has failed to identify the constitutional right that was

allegedly violated, Plaintiff fails to state a claim. These counts will be dismissed without

prejudice.

2. Count III: Food Service

In Count III, Plaintiff alleges that his rights to due process and to be free from cruel

and unusual punishment were violated by the lack of nutritionally adequate food. He asserts

that he is always hungry and that he suffers digestive problems from being served food that

is unfit for consumption. Plaintiff alleges that Defendant Arpaio sets the policies and

operating procedures for the jail, and that he has established sub-standard policies. (Compl.

at 2, 7.) At this early juncture, these allegations adequately state a claim. Defendant Arpaio

will be required to answer Count III. 

D. Address Changes.

In the notice of assignment issued in this action (Doc. #2), Plaintiff was advised he

must file a notice of change of address if his address changes. Plaintiff is again reminded

Case 2:05-cv-03995-DGC-JRI Document 3 Filed 07/13/06 Page 3 of 7
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

TERMPSREF - 4 -

that at all times during the pendency of this action, Plaintiff shall immediately advise the

Court of any change of address and its effective date. Such notice shall be captioned

“NOTICE OF CHANGE OF ADDRESS.” Plaintiff shall serve a copy of the Notice of

Change of Address on all opposing parties. The notice shall contain only information

pertaining to the change of address and its effective date, and shall not include a motion for

other relief. Failure to timely file a notice of change of address may result in the dismissal

of the action for failure to prosecute pursuant to Rule 41(b) of the Federal Rules of Civil

Procedure.

E. Warning of Possible Dismissal Pursuant to Rule 41.

Plaintiff should take note that if he fails to timely comply with every provision of this

Order, this action will be dismissed without further notice. See Ferdik, 963 F.2d at 1260-

61(district court may dismiss action for failure to comply with any order of the Court).

Moreover, because the Complaint has been dismissed for failure to state a claim, if Plaintiff

fails to file an amended complaint correcting the deficiencies identified in this Order, the

dismissal of this action will count as a “strike” under the “three strikes” provision of the

Prison Litigation Reform Act. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(g).

IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED THAT: 

(1) Plaintiff’s Application to Proceed In Forma Pauperis is granted pursuant to 28

U.S.C. § 1915(a)(1).

(2) Plaintiff is obligated to pay the statutory filing fee of $250.00 for this action. An

initial partial filing fee in the amount of $2.50 is assessed. All fees shall be collected and

paid in accordance with this Court=s Order to the appropriate government agency filed

concurrently herewith.

(3) Counts I and II are dismissed without prejudice for failure to state a claim. The

Clerk of Court shall send Plaintiff a service packet including the Complaint, this Order, and

both summons and request for waiver forms for Defendant Arpaio.

Case 2:05-cv-03995-DGC-JRI Document 3 Filed 07/13/06 Page 4 of 7
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

TERMPSREF - 5 -

(4) Plaintiff shall complete and return the service packet to the Clerk of Court within

20 days of the date of filing of this Order. The United States Marshal will not provide

service of process if Plaintiff fails to comply with this Order.

(5) If Plaintiff does not either obtain a waiver of service of the summons or complete

service of the Summons and Complaint on each Defendant within 120 days of the filing of

the complaint or within 60 days of the filing of this Order, whichever is later, the action may

be dismissed as to each Defendant not served pursuant to Rule 4(m) of the Federal Rules of

Civil Procedure and Local Rule of Civil Procedure 16.2(b)(2)(B)(i). 

(6) The United States Marshal shall retain the Summons, a copy of the Complaint,

and a copy of this Order for future use.

(7) The United States Marshal shall notify Defendant of the commencement of this

action and request waiver of service of the summons pursuant to Rule 4(d) of the Federal

Rules of Civil Procedure. The notice to Defendant shall include a copy of this Order. The

Marshal shall file waivers of service of the summons or requests for waivers that were

returned as undeliverable as soon as they are received. If a waiver of service of summons

is not returned by a Defendant within thirty days from the date the request for waiver was

sent by the Marshal, the Marshal shall:

(a) Personally serve copies of the Summons, Complaint, and this Order upon

the Defendant pursuant to Rule 4(e)(2) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure;

(b) Within 10 days after personal service is effected, file the return of service

for the Defendant, along with evidence of the attempt to secure a waiver of service of

the summons and of the costs subsequently incurred in effecting service upon the

Defendant. The costs of service shall be enumerated on the return of service form

(USM-285) and shall include the costs incurred by the Marshal for photocopying

additional copies of the Summons, Complaint, or this Order and for preparing new

process receipt and return forms (USM-285), if required. Costs of service will be

taxed against the personally served defendant pursuant to Rule 4(d)(2) and (5) of the

Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, unless otherwise ordered by the Court.

Case 2:05-cv-03995-DGC-JRI Document 3 Filed 07/13/06 Page 5 of 7
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

TERMPSREF - 6 -

(8) A Defendant who agrees to waive service of the Summons and Complaint

shall return the signed waiver forms to the United States Marshal, not the Plaintiff.

(9) Defendant shall answer Count III of the Complaint or otherwise respond by

appropriate motion within the time provided by the applicable provisions of Rule 12(a) of

the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.

(10) Any answer or responsive pleading shall state the specific Defendant(s) by name

on whose behalf it is filed. The Court may strike any answer, responsive pleading, or other

motion or paper that does not identify the specific Defendant(s) by name on whose behalf

it is filed.

(11) Plaintiff shall serve upon Defendant, or if appearance has been entered by

counsel, upon counsel, a copy of every further pleading or other document submitted for

consideration by the Court. Plaintiff shall include with the original document and copy, to

be filed with the Clerk of the Court, a certificate stating the date a true and correct copy of

the pleading or document was mailed to Defendant or counsel. Any paper received by a

District Court Judge or Magistrate Judge which has not been filed with the Clerk of Court

may be disregarded by the Court.

(12) At all times during the pendency of this action, Plaintiff shall immediately advise

the Court and the United States Marshal of any change of address and its effective date.

Such notice shall be captioned “NOTICE OF CHANGE OF ADDRESS.” The notice shall

contain only information pertaining to the change of address and its effective date. Plaintiff

shall serve a copy of the notice on all opposing parties. The notice shall not include any

motions for any other relief. Failure to file a Notice of Change of Address may result in the

dismissal of the action for failure to prosecute pursuant to Rule 41(b) of the Federal Rules

of Civil Procedure. 

(13) A clear, legible copy of every pleading or other document filed shall accompany

each original pleading or other document filed with the Clerk for use by the District Judge

or Magistrate Judge to whom the case is assigned. Failure to comply with this requirement

may result in the pleading or document being stricken without further notice to Plaintiff. 

Case 2:05-cv-03995-DGC-JRI Document 3 Filed 07/13/06 Page 6 of 7
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

TERMPSREF - 7 -

(14) This matter is referred to Magistrate Judge Jay R. Irwin under Local Rules of

Civil Procedure 72.1 and 72.2 for further proceedings.

DATED this 13th day of July, 2006.

Case 2:05-cv-03995-DGC-JRI Document 3 Filed 07/13/06 Page 7 of 7