Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-5_07-cv-06377/USCOURTS-cand-5_07-cv-06377-2/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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28 Order of Service

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NOT FOR CITATION

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

ANDREW E. ARMSTRONG,

Plaintiff,

 vs.

B. CURRY, Warden, et al.,

Defendants. 

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No. C 07-06377 JF (PR)

ORDER OF SERVICE; DIRECTING

DEFENDANTS TO FILE DISPOSITIVE

MOTION OR NOTICE REGARDING

SUCH MOTION

Plaintiff, a California prisoner proceeding pro se, filed the instant civil rights

action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against prison officials at the Correctional Training

Facility (“CTF”) in Soledad. The instant action was dismissed on June 30, 2008, after

Plaintiff failed to file an amended complaint in the time provided. (See Docket No. 7.) 

On March 11, 2009, the Court granted Plaintiff’s motion to reopen the action for good

cause, and extended the time to file an amended complaint. (See Docket No. 9.) Plaintiff

filed an amended complaint on April 27, 2009. (Docket No. 11.)

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Case 5:07-cv-06377-JF Document 14 Filed 04/16/10 Page 1 of 6
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Order of Service

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DISCUSSION

A. Standard of Review

A federal court must conduct a preliminary screening in any case in which a

prisoner seeks redress from a governmental entity or officer or employee of a

governmental entity. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(a). In its review, the court must identify

any cognizable claims and dismiss any claims that are frivolous, malicious, fail to state a

claim upon which relief may be granted or seek monetary relief from a defendant who is

immune from such relief. See id. § 1915A(b)(1),(2). Pro se pleadings must, however, be

liberally construed. See Balistreri v. Pacifica Police Dep’t, 901 F.2d 696, 699 (9th Cir.

1988). 

To state a claim under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, a plaintiff must allege two essential

elements: (1) that a right secured by the Constitution or laws of the United States was

violated, and (2) that the alleged violation was committed by a person acting under the

color of state law. See West v. Atkins, 487 U.S. 42, 48 (1988).

B. Plaintiff’s Claims

Plaintiff claims that on December 22, 2006, he received a Rules Violation Report

(“RVR”) charging him with “conspiracy to introduce tobacco... by means of visiting.” 

(Am. Compl. at 2.) Plaintiff was found guilty of the charge and assessed 60 days

forfeiture of credit as well as suspension of several privileges. (Id. Ex. A.) Plaintiff

challenges the RVR, claiming that it was based on insufficient evidence, i.e., five letters

which were “improperly and erroneously assumed to be mailed out [of] the institution by

Plaintiff.” (Am. Compl. at 2.) Liberally construed, Plaintiff’s claims are cognizable

under § 1983 as a violation of his right to due process. See Burnsworth v. Gunderson,

179 F.3d 771, 773-74 (9th Cir. 1999); Superintendent v. Hill, 472 U.S. 445, 457 (1985). 

Plaintiff seeks dismissal and expungement of the RVR from his file, restoration of all

suspended rights and privileges, and compensatory damages. 

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Order of Service

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CONCLUSION

For the reasons stated above, the Court orders as follows:

1. The Clerk of the Court shall issue summons and the United States Marshal 

shall serve, without prepayment of fees, a copy of the amended complaint (Docket No.

11) in this matter, all attachments thereto, and a copy of this order upon Correctional

Officer J. R. Hill, Officer J. Biggs, Sergeant I. Soekardi, Appeals Coordinator J. F.

Aboytes, Lieutenant S. M. Caravello, Officer G. A. Ortiz, Facility Captain A.

Tucker, and Warden Ben Curry at Correctional Training Facility in Soledad (P.O.

Box 686, Soledad, CA 93960-0686). The Clerk shall also mail courtesy copies of the

amended complaint and this order to the California Attorney General’s Office. 

2. No later than sixty (60) days from the date of this order, Defendants shall

file a motion for summary judgment or other dispositive motion with respect to the claims

in the amended complaint found to be cognizable above, or, within such time, notify the

Court that Defendants are of the opinion that this case cannot be resolved by such a

motion.

a. If Defendants elect to file a motion to dismiss on the grounds that

Plaintiff failed to exhaust his available administrative remedies as required by 42 U.S.C.

§ 1997e(a), Defendants shall do so in an unenumerated Rule 12(b) motion pursuant to

Wyatt v. Terhune, 315 F.3d 1108, 1119-20 (9th Cir. 2003), cert. denied Alameida v.

Terhune, 540 U.S. 810 (2003). 

b. Any motion for summary judgment shall be supported by adequate

factual documentation and shall conform in all respects to Rule 56 of the Federal Rules of

Civil Procedure. Defendants are advised that summary judgment cannot be granted,

nor qualified immunity found, if material facts are in dispute. If Defendants are of

the opinion that this case cannot be resolved by summary judgment, they shall so

inform the Court prior to the date the summary judgment motion is due. 

3. Plaintiff’s opposition to the dispositive motion shall be filed with the Court

and served on Defendants no later than thirty (30) days from the date Defendants’

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28 1 The following notice is adapted from the summary judgment notice to be given to pro

se prisoners as set forth in Rand v. Rowland, 154 F.3d 952, 963 (9th Cir. 1998) (en banc). 

See Wyatt v. Terhune, 315 F.3d at 1120 n.14.

Order of Service

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motion is filed. 

a. In the event Defendants file an unenumerated motion to dismiss

under Rule 12(b), Plaintiff is hereby cautioned as follows:1

The Defendants have made a motion to dismiss pursuant to Rule

12(b) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, on the ground you have not

exhausted your administrative remedies. The motion will, if granted, result

in the dismissal of your case. When a party you are suing makes a motion

to dismiss for failure to exhaust, and that motion is properly supported by

declarations (or other sworn testimony) and/or documents, you may not

simply rely on what your complaint says. Instead, you must set out specific

facts in declarations, depositions, answers to interrogatories, or documents,

that contradict the facts shown in the Defendant’s declarations and

documents and show that you have in fact exhausted your claims. If you do

not submit your own evidence in opposition, the motion to dismiss, if

appropriate, may be granted and the case dismissed.

b. In the event Defendants file a motion for summary judgment, the 

Ninth Circuit has held that the following notice should be given to Plaintiffs:

The defendants have made a motion for summary judgment by

which they seek to have your case dismissed. A motion for summary

judgment under Rule 56 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure will, if

granted, end your case. 

Rule 56 tells you what you must do in order to oppose a motion for

summary judgment. Generally, summary judgment must be granted when

there is no genuine issue of material fact--that is, if there is no real dispute

about any fact that would affect the result of your case, the party who asked

for summary judgment is entitled to judgment as a matter of law, which will

end your case. When a party you are suing makes a motion for summary

judgment that is properly supported by declarations (or other sworn

testimony), you cannot simply rely on what your complaint says. Instead,

you must set out specific facts in declarations, depositions, answers to

interrogatories, or authenticated documents, as provided in Rule 56(e), that

contradict the facts shown in the defendants’ declarations and documents

and show that there is a genuine issue of material fact for trial. If you do

not submit your own evidence in opposition, summary judgment, if

appropriate, may be entered against you. If summary judgment is granted

in favor of defendants, your case will be dismissed and there will be no

trial.

See Rand v. Rowland, 154 F.3d 952, 963 (9th Cir. 1998) (en banc). Plaintiff is advised to

read Rule 56 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477

U.S. 317 (1986) (holding party opposing summary judgment must come forward with

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Order of Service

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evidence showing triable issues of material fact on every essential element of his claim). 

Plaintiff is cautioned that failure to file an opposition to Defendants’ motion for summary

judgment may be deemed to be a consent by Plaintiff to the granting of the motion, and

granting of judgment against plaintiff without a trial. See Ghazali v. Moran, 46 F.3d 52,

53-54 (9th Cir. 1995) (per curiam); Brydges v. Lewis, 18 F.3d 651, 653 (9th Cir. 1994). 

4. Defendants shall file a reply brief no later than fifteen (15) days after

Plaintiff’s opposition is filed. 

5. The motion shall be deemed submitted as of the date the reply brief is due. 

No hearing will be held on the motion unless the Court so orders at a later date. 

6. All communications by the Plaintiff with the Court must be served on

Defendants, or Defendants’ counsel once counsel has been designated, by mailing a true

copy of the document to Defendants or Defendants’ counsel.

7. Discovery may be taken in accordance with the Federal Rules of Civil

Procedure. No further Court order is required before the parties may conduct discovery.

8. It is Plaintiff’s responsibility to prosecute this case. Plaintiff must keep the

Court informed of any change of address and must comply with the Court’s orders in a

timely fashion. Failure to do so may result in the dismissal of this action for failure to

prosecute pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 41(b).

 IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: JEREMY FOGEL

United States District Judge

4/13/10

Case 5:07-cv-06377-JF Document 14 Filed 04/16/10 Page 5 of 6
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE 

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

ANDREW E. ARMSTRONG,

Plaintiff,

 v.

B. CURRY, et al.,

Defendants. /

Case Number: CV07-06377 JF 

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 , 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.

Andrew Emil Armstrong H-44225

Correctional Training Facility

PO Box 689

E-135

Soledad, CA 93960-0689

Dated: 

Richard W. Wieking, Clerk

4/16/10

4/16/10

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