Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_13-cv-02182/USCOURTS-caed-2_13-cv-02182-2/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

ADRIAN EUGENE MOORE, No. 2:13-cv-2182-CMK-P

Plaintiff, 

vs. ORDER

SACRAMENTO COUNTY SHERIFFS

DEPARTMENT,

Defendant.

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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. 

I. PLAINTIFF’S ALLEGATIONS

In his complaint, plaintiff alleges false information was included in his re-arrest

report, the District Attorney’s office is refusing to provide him a copy of a video recording from

the officer’s dash cam which would exonerate him, and the Sacramento County Sheriff’s

Department custodian of records failed to appear and produce records at his hearing. He also

appears to be claiming some violations of his rights during his trial or pre-trial proceedings, but

those are unclear. 

II. DISCUSSION

When a state prisoner challenges the legality of his custody and the relief he seeks

is a determination that he is entitled to an earlier or immediate release, such a challenge is not

cognizable under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 and the prisoner’s sole federal remedy is a petition for a writ

of habeas corpus. See Preiser v. Rodriguez, 411 U.S. 475, 500 (1973); see also Neal v. Shimoda,

131 F.3d 818, 824 (9th Cir. 1997); Trimble v. City of Santa Rosa, 49 F.3d 583, 586 (9th Cir.

1995) (per curiam). Thus, where a § 1983 action seeking monetary damages or declaratory relief

alleges constitutional violations which would necessarily imply the invalidity of the prisoner’s

underlying conviction or sentence, or the result of a prison disciplinary hearing resulting in

imposition of a sanction affecting the overall length of confinement, such a claim is not

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cognizable under § 1983 unless the conviction or sentence has first been invalidated on appeal,

by habeas petition, or through some similar proceeding. See Heck v. Humphrey, 512 U.S. 477,

483-84 (1994) (concluding that § 1983 claim not cognizable because allegations were akin to

malicious prosecution action which includes as an element a finding that the criminal proceeding

was concluded in plaintiff’s favor); Butterfield v. Bail, 120 F.3d 1023, 1024-25 (9th Cir. 1997)

(concluding that § 1983 claim not cognizable because allegations of procedural defects were an

attempt to challenge substantive result in parole hearing); cf. Neal, 131 F.3d at 824 (concluding

that § 1983 claim was cognizable because challenge was to conditions for parole eligibility and

not to any particular parole determination); cf. Wilkinson v. Dotson, 544 U.S. 74 (2005)

(concluding that § 1983 action seeking changes in procedures for determining when an inmate is

eligible for parole consideration not barred because changed procedures would hasten future

parole consideration and not affect any earlier parole determination under the prior procedures).

In particular, where the claim involves the loss of good-time credits as a result of

an adverse prison disciplinary finding, the claim is not cognizable. See Edwards v. Balisok, 520

U.S. 641, 646 (1987) (holding that § 1983 claim not cognizable because allegations of procedural

defects and a biased hearing officer implied the invalidity of the underlying prison disciplinary

sanction of loss of good-time credits); Blueford v. Prunty, 108 F.3d 251, 255 (9th Cir. 1997); cf.

Ramirez v. Galaza, 334 F.3d 850, 858 (9th. Cir. 2003) (holding that the favorable termination

rule of Heck and Edwards does not apply to challenges to prison disciplinary hearings where the

administrative sanction imposed does not affect the overall length of confinement and, thus, does

not go to the heart of habeas). If a § 1983 complaint states claims which sound in habeas, the

court should not convert the complaint into a habeas petition. See id.; Trimble, 49 F.3d at 586. 

Rather, such claims must be dismissed without prejudice and the complaint should proceed on

any remaining cognizable § 1983 claims. See Balisok, 520 U.S. at 649; Heck, 512 U.S. at 487;

Trimble, 49 F.3d at 585.

/ / / 

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Here, plaintiff alleges falsified statements on a re-arrest report, violations of his

rights during pre-trial proceedings, and potential errors made during his trial. If he was able to

prove his allegations, they would necessarily imply the invalidity of his underlying conviction. 

Indeed, plaintiff even specifically alleges in his complaint that he would be exonerated if the

evidence had been properly turned over to him. Thus, it appears that plaintiff’s claims sound in

habeas, not in a complaint under § 1983. 

III. CONCLUSION

Because it does not appear possible that the deficiencies identified herein can be

cured by amending the complaint, plaintiff is not entitled to leave to amend prior to dismissal of

the entire action. See Lopez v. Smith, 203 F.3d 1122, 1126, 1131 (9th Cir. 2000) (en banc). 

However, before final dismissal of this action, plaintiff will be provided an opportunity to

explain to the court how this case would not impact the validity of his underlying conviction. 

Thus, plaintiff is ordered to show cause in writing, within 30 days of the date of this order, why

this action should not be dismissed for failure to state a claim. Plaintiff is warned that failure to

respond to this order may result in dismissal of the action for the reasons outlined above, as well

as for failure to prosecute and comply with court rules and orders. See Local Rule 110. 

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

DATED: October 30, 2014

______________________________________

CRAIG M. KELLISON

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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