Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_12-cv-02051/USCOURTS-caed-2_12-cv-02051-3/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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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

MATTHEW T. MacLEAN, No. 2:12-CV-2051-CMK-P

Plaintiff, 

vs. ORDER

SOLANO COUNTY JAIL, et al.,

Defendants.

 /

Plaintiff, a prisoner proceeding pro se, brings this civil rights action pursuant to 

42 U.S.C. § 1983. Plaintiff has consented to Magistrate Judge jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C.

§ 636(c) and no other party has been served or appeared in the action. Pending before the court

is plaintiff’s complaint (Doc. 1).

The court is required to screen complaints brought by prisoners seeking relief

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

§ 1915A(a). The court must dismiss a complaint or portion thereof if it: (1) is frivolous or

malicious; (2) fails to state a claim upon which relief can be granted; or (3) seeks monetary relief

from a defendant who is immune from such relief. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(b)(1), (2). Moreover,

the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure require that complaints contain a “. . . short and plain

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statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a)(2). 

This means that claims must be stated simply, concisely, and directly. See McHenry v. Renne,

84 F.3d 1172, 1177 (9th Cir. 1996) (referring to Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(e)(1)). These rules are satisfied

if the complaint gives the defendant fair notice of the plaintiff’s claim and the grounds upon

which it rests. See Kimes v. Stone, 84 F.3d 1121, 1129 (9th Cir. 1996). Because plaintiff must

allege with at least some degree of particularity overt acts by specific defendants which support

the claims, vague and conclusory allegations fail to satisfy this standard. Additionally, it is

impossible for the court to conduct the screening required by law when the allegations are vague

and conclusory. 

Addressing plaintiff’s complaint, the court summarized plaintiff’s allegations as

follows:

Plaintiff claims:

I am currently an inmate at Solano County Jail, arrived 5-7-

12. During my time at this facility I have sent numerous legal

materials through postal service to outside legal services. The mail

procedure refuses to allow legal confidential material to be viewed

and sealed by correctional staff in my presence. I have to enclose

confidential legal material and place address on legal assistance

form . . . unsealed and put in outgoing mail, unknown to whom is

reviewing my mail prior to approval and sending out material. 

Plaintiff seeks an order imposing revised and appropriate mail handling

procedures. Plaintiff names as defendants the Solano County Jail as well

as Gary Stanton, the Solano County Sheriff. 

The court then stated:

In this case, while plaintiff has outlined potentially

defective mail handling procedures at the Solano County Jail, he has not

identified any actual injury that would give him standing to sue. It thus

appears that plaintiff cannot state a cognizable First Amendment claim. 

Plaintiff was directed to show cause in writing why this action should not be dismissed for failure

to state a claim and was cautioned that failure to respond could result in dismissal of the action. 

To date, more than 30 days have passed and plaintiff has not responded to the court’s order. 

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Both for the substantive reasons outlined above and plaintiff’s failure to respond

to the court’s order to show cause, this action is dismissed without prejudice. The Clerk of the

Court is directed to enter judgement and close this file. 

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

DATED: January 3, 2013

______________________________________

CRAIG M. KELLISON

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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