Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_14-cv-02767/USCOURTS-cand-3_14-cv-02767-6/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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United States District Court

Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

CHRISTOPHER LIPSEY,

Plaintiff,

v.

NORUM, et al.,

Defendants.

Case No. 14-cv-02767-VC (PR)

ORDER DENYING PLAINTIFF'S 

MOTION TO SUBSTITUTE

DEFENDANT

Re: Dkt. No. 69

On June 8, 2015, the Court issued an order for plaintiff Christopher Lipsey to file a motion 

to substitute the proper party for deceased defendant Dr. Vance Norum, or face dismissal of his 

claim against Norum. On July 9, 2015, Lipsey filed a motion to substitute the Chief Mental 

Health Official at Pelican Bay State Prison or the State of California. This motion is denied.

Lipsey argues that it is proper to substitute the Chief Mental Health Official or the State of 

California because “suits against state officials in their official capacity should be treated as suits 

against the state.” However, Lipsey’s claim against Norum was based on the allegation that 

Norum ordered Lipsey to be injected with a tranquilizer without his consent. This stated an Eighth 

Amendment claim against Norum in his individual, not his official capacity. As explained in the 

Court’s December 1, 2014 Order of Service, “vicarious liability may not be imposed on a 

supervisor for the acts of lower officials in a § 1983 action.” Lemire v. California Dep’t of 

Corrections & Rehabilitation, 726 F.3d 1062, 1074 (9th Cir. 2013).

In the June 8, 2015 order, the Court granted Lipsey forty-five days from the date of the 

order to notify the Court of the proper party to be served, which would be Norum’s non-party 

Case 3:14-cv-02767-VC Document 71 Filed 08/06/15 Page 1 of 3
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United States District Court

Northern District of California

successor or representative. Although the forty-five days have passed, the Court grants Lipsey

another twenty-one days in which to notify the Court of the proper party to be served. If Lipsey 

fails to do so, the claim against Norum will be dismissed. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: August 6, 2015

______________________________________

VINCE CHHABRIA

United States District Judge

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United States District Court

Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

CHRISTOPHER LIPSEY,

Plaintiff,

v.

NORUM, et al.,

Defendants.

Case No. 14-cv-02767-VC 

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 August 6, 2015, 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) into an inter-office delivery 

receptacle located in the Clerk's office.

Christopher Lipsey ID: F-18039

Corcoran State Prison Housing 4AIL/64

P.O. Box 3476

Corcoran, CA 93212 

Dated: August 6, 2015

Richard W. Wieking

Clerk, United States District Court

By:________________________

Kristen Melen, Deputy Clerk to the 

Honorable VINCE CHHABRIA

Case 3:14-cv-02767-VC Document 71 Filed 08/06/15 Page 3 of 3