Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_19-cv-00445/USCOURTS-caed-2_19-cv-00445-7/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 550
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Civil Rights (U.S. defendant)
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Prisoner Civil Rights

---

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

1

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

ALBERT J. HAMILTON,

Plaintiff,

v.

M. ARMSTRONG, et al.,

Defendants.

No. 2:19-cv-0445-MCE-EFB P

ORDER

On October 15, 2019, the Court dismissed this action due to Plaintiff Albert J. 

Hamilton’s (“Plaintiff”) failure to pay the filing fee. ECF Nos. 26, 27. Presently before the 

Court is Plaintiff’s Motion to Vacate Judgment pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil

Procedure 60(b)(6).

1

 ECF No. 28. For the reasons set forth below, Plaintiff’s Motion is 

DENIED.

Rule 60(b) allows a party to seek reconsideration of a final judgment or any order 

where such a party can demonstrate: “(1) mistake, inadvertence, surprise, or excusable 

neglect; . . . [or] (6) any other reason that justifies relief.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 60(b). “Motions 

for relief from judgment pursuant to Rule 60(b) are addressed to the sound discretion of 

the district court.” Casey v. Albertson’s Inc., 362 F.3d 1254, 1257 (9th Cir. 2004). Rule 

 

1 All further references to “Rule” or “Rules” are to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure unless 

noted otherwise.

Case 2:19-cv-00445-MCE-EFB Document 30 Filed 01/13/20 Page 1 of 2
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

2

60(b)(6) is the “catch-all” clause “intended to encompass errors or actions beyond the 

petitioner’s control.” Cmty. Dental Servs. v. Tani, 282 F.3d 1164, 1168 n.8, 1170 n.11 

(9th Cir. 2002). Courts therefore use Rule 60(b)(6) relief “sparingly as an equitable 

remedy to prevent manifest injustice” and grant relief “only where extraordinary 

circumstances prevent . . . a party from taking timely action to prevent or correct an 

erroneous judgment.” United States v. Alpine Land & Reservoir Co., 984 F.2d 1047, 

1049 (9th Cir. 1993). Accordingly, to obtain relief under Rule 60(b)(6), a party must 

show that he suffered an injury as a result of the judgment from which he seeks relief 

and that circumstances beyond his control prevented him from taking timely action to 

protect his interests. Id.; see also Harvest v. Castro, 531 F.3d 737, 749 (9th Cir. 2008).

Here, Plaintiff fails to show any extraordinary circumstances beyond his control 

that would warrant relief under Rule 60(b)(6). Plaintiff is a three-strikes litigant within the 

meaning of 28 U.S.C. § 1915(g) and his failure to pay the filing fee resulted in dismissal 

of the case. Accordingly, Plaintiff’s Motion to Vacate, ECF No. 28, is DENIED.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: January 10, 2020

Case 2:19-cv-00445-MCE-EFB Document 30 Filed 01/13/20 Page 2 of 2