Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_12-cv-00142/USCOURTS-casd-3_12-cv-00142-1/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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K:\COMMON\EVERYONE\_EFILE-PROSE\LAB\12cv0142-dup-deny-IFP-moot.wpd -1- 12cv0142 LAB (MDD)

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

DONALD GREEN,

CDCR #J-50400,

Civil No. 12cv0142 LAB (MDD)

Plaintiff,

ORDER DISMISSING CIVIL

ACTION AS FRIVOLOUS

PURSUANT TO 28 U.S.C.

§ 1915A(b)(1) AND DENYING

MOTION TO PROCEED

IN FORMA PAUPERIS

AS MOOT

(ECF No. 3)

vs.

D. NIETO, Correctional Counselor I; 

A. GARCIA, Correctional Counselor I (A);

J. TIM OCHOA, Chief Deputy Warden,

Defendants.

Donald Green (“Plaintiff”), currently incarcerated at California State Prison, Los Angeles

in Lancaster, California, and proceeding pro se, has submitted a civil rights Complaint pursuant

to 28 U.S.C. § 1983. Plaintiff has not prepaid the $350 filing fee mandated by 28 U.S.C.

§ 1914(a); instead, he has filed a Motion to Proceed In Forma Pauperis (“IFP”) pursuant to 28

U.S.C. § 1915(a) (ECF No. 3). 

I. Sua Sponte Screening Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(b)

As amended by The Prison Litigation Reform Act, 28 U.S.C. § 1915A obligates the Court

to review complaints filed by anyone “incarcerated or detained in any facility who is accused of,

sentenced for, or adjudicated delinquent for, violations of criminal law or the terms or conditions

Case 3:12-cv-00142-LAB-MDD Document 4 Filed 03/07/12 Page 1 of 2
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of parole, probation, pretrial release, or diversionary program,” “as soon as practicable after

docketing” and regardless of whether the prisoner prepays filing fees or moves to proceed IFP.

See 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(a), (c). The Court must sua sponte dismiss prisoner complaints, or any

portions thereof, which are frivolous, malicious, or fail to state a claim upon which relief may

be granted. 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(b); Rhodes v. Robinson, 621 F.3d 1002, 1004 (9th Cir. 2010).

 Plaintiff’s Complaint is subject to sua sponte dismissal pursuant to 28 U.S.C.

§ 1915A(b)(1) because it is duplicative of a Complaint he has already filed in another civil

action. Indeed, Plaintiff’s Complaint contains identical allegations against the same defendants

already brought before and considered by Judge Benitez in Green v. Nieto, et al., S.D. Cal. Civil

Case No. 11cv2023 BEN (BGS). A court “‘may take notice of proceedings in other courts, both

within and without the federal judicial system, if those proceedings have a direct relation to

matters at issue.’” Bias v. Moynihan, 508 F.3d 1212, 1225 (9th Cir. 2007) (quoting Bennett v.

Medtronic, Inc., 285 F.3d 801, 803 n.2 (9th Cir. 2002)).

A prisoner’s complaint is considered frivolous under 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(b)(1) if it

“merely repeats pending or previously litigated claims.” Cato v. United States, 70 F.3d 1103,

1105 n.2 (9th Cir. 1995) (construing former 28 U.S.C. § 1915(d)) (citations and internal

quotations omitted). Thus, because Plaintiff has already filed the same Complaint he has filed

in this action in Green v. Nieto, et al., S.D. Cal. Civil Case No. 11cv2023 BEN (BGS), the Court

hereby DISMISSES S.D. Cal. Civil Case No. 12cv0142 LAB (MDD) pursuant to 28 U.S.C.

§ 1915A(b)(1). See Cato, 70 F.3d at 1105 n.2; Rhodes, 621 F.3d at 1004.

II. Conclusion and Order

 Good cause appearing, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:

Plaintiff’s Complaint in Civil Case No. 12cv0142 LAB (MDD) is DISMISSED as

frivolous pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(b)(1) and Plaintiff’s Motion to Proceed IFP (ECF No.

3) is DENIED as moot. The Clerk shall close the file.

DATED: March 7, 2012

HONORABLE LARRY ALAN BURNS

United States District Judge

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