Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_18-cv-01534/USCOURTS-caed-1_18-cv-01534-4/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

GILBERTO CHAVEZ,

Plaintiff,

v.

J. DOE #1, et al.,

Defendants.

1:18-cv-01534-AWI-GSA-PC

ORDER GRANTING LEAVE TO AMEND THE 

COMPLAINT

ORDER DIRECTING CLERK TO FILE 

SECOND AMENDED COMPLAINT LODGED 

ON FEBRUARY 19, 2020

(ECF No. 24.)

I. BACKGROUND

Gilberto Chavez (“Plaintiff”) is a state prisoner proceeding pro se and in forma pauperis

with this civil rights action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. On October 16, 2018, Plaintiff filed 

the Complaint commencing this action. (ECF No. 1.) On January 30, 2020, the court screened 

the Complaint and issued an order requiring Plaintiff to either file an amended complaint or notify 

the court that he is willing to proceed only with the deliberate indifference claim against 

defendant Jane Doe #1, which was found cognizable by the court. (ECF No. 15.) On February 

3, 2020, Plaintiff filed a First Amended Complaint. (ECF No. 16.) On February 5, 2020, Plaintiff 

lodged another amended complaint. (ECF No. 18.) On February 7, 2020, the court issued an 

order striking the lodged amended complaint as improperly filed. (ECF No. 22.)

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On February 19, 2020, Plaintiff lodged another amended complaint. (ECF No. 24.) The 

court construes Plaintiff’s lodged amended complaint as a request for leave to file a Second 

Amended Complaint.

II. LEAVE TO AMEND – RULE 15(a)

Under Rule 15(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, a party may amend the party’s

pleading once as a matter of course at any time before a responsive pleading is served. Otherwise, 

a party may amend only by leave of the court or by written consent of the adverse party, and 

leave shall be freely given when justice so requires. Fed. R. Civ. P. 15(a). Because Plaintiff has 

already amended the complaint and no adverse party has appeared in this action, Plaintiff requires 

leave of court to file another amended complaint. 

“Rule 15(a) is very liberal and leave to amend ‘shall be freely given when justice so 

requires.’” AmerisourceBergen Corp. v. Dialysis West, Inc., 445 F.3d 1132, 1136 (9th Cir. 2006) 

(quoting Fed. R. Civ. P. 15(a)). However, courts “need not grant leave to amend where the 

amendment: (1) prejudices the opposing party; (2) is sought in bad faith; (3) produces an undue 

delay in the litigation; or (4) is futile.” Id. The factor of “‘[u]ndue delay by itself . . . is 

insufficient to justify denying a motion to amend.’” Owens v. Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, 

Inc., 244 F.3d 708, 712, 713 (9th Cir. 2001) (quoting Bowles v. Reade, 198 F.3d 752, 757-58 

(9th Cir. 1999)). 

Discussion

The court finds no bad faith or futility in Plaintiff’s proposed amendment. The proposed 

Second Amended Complaint arises from the same events at issue in both the Complaint and First 

Amended Complaint. In fact, the proposed Second Amended Complaint appears identical to the 

First Amended Complaint except for the addition of more exhibits. Because the First Amended 

Complaint awaits the court’s requisite screening and has not been served, there will be no undue 

delay or prejudice to Defendants in allowing Plaintiff to proceed with the Second Amended 

Complaint. Therefore, Plaintiff shall be granted leave to amend, and the Second Amended 

Complaint shall be filed.

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III. CONCLUSION

Based on the foregoing, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:

1. Plaintiff is granted leave to amend the complaint; 

2. The Clerk is directed to file the proposed Second Amended Complaint, which was 

lodged on February 19, 2020; and

3. The Second Amended Complaint shall be screened in due course.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: February 20, 2020 /s/ Gary S. Austin 

 UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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