Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_06-cv-00422/USCOURTS-caed-1_06-cv-00422-2/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 550
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Civil Rights (U.S. defendant)
Cause of Action: 28:1331 Federal Question: Bivens Act

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

JOHN VINCENT MACKOVICH,

Plaintiff,

v.

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT, et al.,

Defendants.

 /

CASE NO. 1:06-cv-00422-OWW-SMS PC

ORDER DISMISSING COMPLAINT, WITH

LEAVE TO FILE AMENDED COMPLAINT

WITHIN THIRTY DAYS

(Doc. 1)

ORDER DIRECTING CLERK’S OFFICE TO

SEND BIVENS COMPLAINT FORM

I. Screening Order

A. Screening Requirement

Plaintiff John Vincent Mackovich (“plaintiff”) is a federal prisoner proceeding pro se and in

forma pauperis in this civil action filed pursuant to the Federal Tort Claims Act. 28 U.S.C. §

1346(b). Plaintiff filed this action on April 12, 2006.

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 the prisoner 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).

“Notwithstanding any filing fee, or any portion thereof, that may have been paid, the court shall 

dismiss the case at any time if the court determines that . . . the action or appeal . . . fails to state a

claim upon which relief may be granted.” 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B)(ii). 

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“Rule 8(a)’s simplified pleading standard applies to all civil actions, with limited

exceptions,” none of which applies to this action. Swierkiewicz v. Sorema N. A., 534 U.S. 506, 512

(2002); Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a). Pursuant to Rule 8(a), a complaint must contain “a short and plain

statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief . . . .” Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a). “Such

a statement must simply give the defendant fair notice of what the plaintiff’s claim is and the

grounds upon which it rests.” Swierkiewicz, 534 U.S. at 512. A court may dismiss a complaint only

if it is clear that no relief could be granted under any set of facts that could be proved consistent with

the allegations. Id. at 514. “‘The issue is not whether a plaintiff will ultimately prevail but whether

the claimant is entitled to offer evidence to support the claims. Indeed it may appear on the face of

the pleadings that a recovery is very remote and unlikely but that is not the test.’” Jackson v. Carey,

353 F.3d 750, 755 (9th Cir. 2003) (quoting Scheuer v. Rhodes, 416 U.S. 232, 236 (1974)); see also

Austin v. Terhune, 367 F.3d 1167, 1171 (9th Cir. 2004) (“‘Pleadings need suffice only to put the

opposing party on notice of the claim . . . .’” (quoting Fontana v. Haskin, 262 F.3d 871, 977 (9th Cir.

2001))). However, “the liberal pleading standard . . . applies only to a plaintiff’s factual allegations.”

Neitze v. Williams, 490 U.S. 319, 330 n.9 (1989). “[A] liberal interpretation of a civil rights

complaint may not supply essential elements of the claim that were not initially pled.” Bruns v. Nat’l

Credit Union Admin., 122 F.3d 1251, 1257 (9th Cir. 1997) (quoting Ivey v. Bd. of Regents, 673 F.2d

266, 268 (9th Cir. 1982)).

B. Plaintiff’s Claims

Plaintiff is an inmate in federal custody currently incarcerated at the Medical Center for

Federal Prisoners in Springfield, Missouri. The events at issue in this action allegedly occurred

while plaintiff was housed at the United States Penitentiary in Atwater, California. Plaintiff is

seeking money damages pursuant to the Federal Tort Claims Act, which provides a remedy for

tortious conduct by federal employees.

In addition to the United States, plaintiff has named various individual Bureau of Prisons

employees. “The United States is the only proper defendant in a [Federal Tort Claims Act] action.”

Lance v. United States, 70 F.3d 1093, 1095 (9th Cir. 1995) (citing Woods v. United States, 720 F.2d

1451, 1452 n.1 (9th Cir. 1983)) (emphasis added). Therefore, it is impermissible for plaintiff to

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pursue claims for relief against any of the defendants other than the United States. Plaintiff will be

given leave to amend to cure this deficiency.

Further, plaintiff must amend to bring his complaint into compliance with Rule 8(a) of the

Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, which calls for a “short and plain statement of the claim showing

that the pleader is entitled to relief.” Rule 8(a) expresses the principle of notice-pleading, whereby

the pleader need only give the opposing party fair notice of a claim. Conley v. Gibson, 355 U.S. 41,

45-46 (1957). Rule 8(a) does not require an elaborate recitation of every fact a plaintiff may

ultimately rely upon at trial, but only a statement sufficient to “give the defendant fair notice of what

the plaintiff’s claim is and the grounds upon which it rests.” Id. at 47. 

Plaintiff’s complaint is thirty-eight typewritten pages long, and is largely filled with

unnecessary argument and immaterial factual details which make it unnecessarily difficult to

manage. It is plaintiff’s duty to submit a complaint that complies with Rule 8(a). It is not the duty

of the court to mine a lengthy pleading for the relevant facts necessary to cobble together plaintiff’s

claims. In drafting his amended complaint, plaintiff is warned that the amended complaint must

comply with Rule 8(a). Plaintiff should clearly and briefly set forth the facts in support of his tort

claim and should supply the facts necessary to link the alleged violation of his rights to acts or

omissions of the relevant employees. However, plaintiff should not argue and should not set forth

a lengthy description of immaterial facts.

 C. Conclusion

Plaintiff’s complaint impermissibly names defendants other than the United States, and is

not in compliance with Rule 8(a). The court will provide plaintiff with the opportunity to file an

amended complaint curing the deficiencies identified by the court in this order.

Plaintiff is advised that Local Rule 15-220 requires that an amended complaint be complete

in itself without reference to any prior pleading. As a general rule, an amended complaint

supersedes the original complaint. See Loux v. Rhay, 375 F.2d 55, 57 (9th Cir. 1967). Once

plaintiff files an amended complaint, the original pleading no longer serves any function in the case.

Therefore, in an amended complaint, as in an original complaint, each claim and the involvement

of each defendant must be sufficiently alleged.

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28 The court does not have form complaints for Federal Tort Claims Act actions. Plaintiff should simply 1

cross out any inapplicable language on the form complaint and add any necessary language.

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Accordingly, based on the foregoing, it is HEREBY ORDERED that:

1. Plaintiff’s complaint is dismissed, with leave to amend;

2. The Clerk’s Office shall send plaintiff a Bivens complaint form;

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3. Within thirty (30) days from the date of service of this order, plaintiff shall file an

amended complaint; and

4. If plaintiff fails to file an amended complaint in compliance with this order, the court

will recommend that this action be dismissed, without prejudice, for failure to obey

a court order.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: February 22, 2007 /s/ Sandra M. Snyder 

icido3 UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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