Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_03-cv-05445/USCOURTS-caed-1_03-cv-05445-25/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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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

ROBERT GIBSON,

Plaintiff,

v.

WARDEN, et al.,

Defendants.

 /

CASE NO. 1:03-CV-05445-OWW-DLB (PC)

ORDER DENYING PLAINTIFF’S MOTIONS

FOR ISSUANCE OF SUBPOENAS DUCES

TECUM, WITHOUT PREJUDICE TO

RENEWAL

(Docs. 183, 186 and 187)

Plaintiff is a state prisoner proceeding pro se and in forma pauperis in this civil rights action

pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. This action is proceeding on plaintiff’s fourth amended complaint,

filed April 21, 2005, against defendants Beer, Gonzales and Hayward (“defendants”) on plaintiff’s

excessive force claims. On August 17, 2007, September 13, 2007 and September 20, 2007, plaintiff

filed motions for service of subpoenas on five non-parties. Plaintiff seeks the issuance of a subpoena

duces tecum directing the third parties to make identified documents available to plaintiff. 

Plaintiff is entitled to seek documentary evidence from third parties via the issuance of a

subpoena duces tecum under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 45, which would be served by the

United States Marshal given that plaintiff is proceeding in forma pauperis. Plaintiff must describe

the documents he is seeking and plaintiff must specify specifically from whom he is seeking the

documents. Directing the Marshal’s Office to expend its resources personally serving a subpoena

is not taken lightly by the court. In this instance, plaintiff has not sufficiently described the

documents he is seeking nor explained the relevance to his claims. A written request for the issuance

of a subpoena duces tecum requires that plaintiff specify exactly which documents he is seeking.

Case 1:03-cv-05445-LJO -DLB Document 189 Filed 09/27/07 Page 1 of 2
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The request must be specific enough to determine what plaintiff seeks. The request cannot be a

broadly stated request that amounts to a fishing expedition. The motions for the issuance of

subpoenas duces tecum are HEREBY DENIED, without prejudice to renewal. 

Plaintiff may submit a written request seeking the issuance of subpoenas duces tecum and

the Court will consider it. 

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

Dated: September 27, 2007 /s/ Dennis L. Beck 

3b142a UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Case 1:03-cv-05445-LJO -DLB Document 189 Filed 09/27/07 Page 2 of 2