Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_19-cv-00163/USCOURTS-caed-2_19-cv-00163-5/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

MIGUEL BELMONTE,

Plaintiff,

v.

S. PALOMARES, et al.,

Defendants.

No. 2:19-cv-00163 TLN-CKD

ORDER

This matter is before the Court on Miguel Belmonte’s (“Plaintiff”) Motion for 

Reconsideration filed January 21, 2020. (ECF No. 30.) Plaintiff asks this Court to reconsider the 

magistrate judge’s order filed January 13, 2020. (ECF No. 29.) The January 13, 2020 order 

determined that Plaintiff’s Second Amended Complaint (“SAC”) (ECF No. 17) could not be 

screened because Plaintiff filed seven additional pleadings captioned as “Supplement[s]” to the 

SAC. (ECF Nos. 20–23, 25–27.) 

The Court ordered Plaintiff to file a Third Amended Complaint (“TAC”) listing all claims 

and defendants he wishes to pursue, and “advised against supplementing any third amended 

complaint with additional ‘notices’ or ‘supplements.’” (ECF No. 29 at 3.) Further, the Court 

required Plaintiff’s TAC “demonstrate how the conditions complained of have resulted in a 

deprivation of plaintiff’s constitutional rights” and “how each named defendant is involved.” 

(Id.) Finally, the Court warned against referring to any prior pleadings in the TAC. (Id.) 

Case 2:19-cv-00163-TLN-CKD Document 34 Filed 04/17/20 Page 1 of 3
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Instead of filing a TAC, Plaintiff filed the instant motion, asserting he is a victim of 

“peculiar circumstances” because his legal paperwork was confiscated by prison officials. (ECF 

No. 30 at 1.) Plaintiff asks the Court to either: (1) screen the second amended complaint without 

the seven additional “supplements”; or (2) return all documents filed with the court and grant 

more time to file a third amended complaint. (Id. at 1–2.) 

“Pursuant to E.D. Local Rule 303(f), a magistrate judge’s orders shall be upheld unless 

‘clearly erroneous or contrary to law.’” Stribling v. Uddin, 218-CV-01085-TLN-KJN, 2019 WL 

331288, at *1 (E.D. Cal. Jan. 25, 2019). Upon review of the entire file it does not appear the 

order of the magistrate judge was clearly erroneous or contrary to law. The Federal Rules of 

Civil Procedure require a plaintiff to file a single complaint listing all claims and defendants 

plaintiff wishes to pursue. Fed. R. Civ. P. 15(a)(2). If a plaintiff wishes to file additional notices 

or “supplements,” the Federal Rules require plaintiff file a formal request, which must be granted 

by the Court. Fed. R. Civ. P. 15(d). Moreover, Local Rule 220 requires that an amended 

complaint be complete in itself without reference to any prior pleading. Plaintiff filed an 

amended complaint and subsequently filed seven “supplements” without leave of court to do so. 

Thus, the order was not clearly erroneous or contrary to law because Plaintiff failed to conform to 

proper pleading procedure and the magistrate judge could not screen the complaint.

Therefore, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:

1. Upon reconsideration, the order of the magistrate judge filed January 13, 2020 (ECF 

no. 29), is affirmed.

2. Plaintiff is sua sponte granted 30 days from the date of this order to file a Third 

Amended Complaint. Failure to file an amended complaint in accordance with this 

order will result in the dismissal of this action.

3. The Clerk of Court is directed to serve Plaintiff with Docket Numbers 1, 6, 10, 17, 20, 

21, 22, 23, 25, 26, and 27.

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IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: April 16, 2020

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