Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_21-cv-01496/USCOURTS-caed-1_21-cv-01496-4/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

RONALD F. MARTINEZ,

Plaintiff,

v.

A. PARKS,

Defendant.

Case No.: 1:21-cv-01496-BAK(SAB) (PC)

ORDER DENYING PLAINTIFF’S MOTION 

FOR LEAVE TO EXCEED THE 25-PAGE 

LIMIT ON HIS FIRST AMENDED 

COMPLAINT AND DENYING 

PLAINTIFF’S MOTION FOR COPY OF 

FIRST AMENDED COMPLAINT

(ECF Nos. 18, 19)

ORDER DIRECTING CLERK OF COURT 

TO PROVIDE PLAINTIFF WITH A CIVIL 

RIGHTS COMPLAINT FORM

THIRTY (30) DAY DEADLINE

Plaintiff Ronald F. Martinez is a state prisoner proceeding pro se and in forma pauperis in 

this civil rights action under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. On January 24, 2022, upon motion by Plaintiff, 

this Court granted Plaintiff leave to file a first amended complaint within thirty days. (ECF No. 

17.) The Court ordered Plaintiff to “limit his amended complaint to twenty-five (25) pages.” 

(Id.at 2 (alteration in original).) Despite this Order, Plaintiff has filed a request for leave to 

exceed the twenty-five-page limit and his declaration in support of the motion. (ECF No. 19.) 

Plaintiff lodged a first amended complaint consisting of one hundred and nine (109) pages, 

inclusive of exhibits. (ECF No. 20.) Plaintiff seeks to add a second First Amendment retaliation 

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claim. Plaintiff also seeks to add as a defendant M. Lirones, another librarian and supervisor to 

Defendant A. Parks.

I. DISCUSSION

Plaintiff’s proposed first amended complaint does not comply with Federal Rule of Civil 

Procedure 8, which requires the complaint to be “a short and plain statement of the claim showing 

that the pleader is entitled to relief.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a)(1). The rule also provides that “[e]ach 

allegation must be simple, concise, and direct.” Id. at 8(d)(1). Instead, the lodged amended 

complaint contains excessive and extraneous detail, which unnecessarily lengthen the pleading.

As is, the Court is unable to discern whether Plaintiff’s claims have merit. The nature of 

Plaintiff’s First Amendment claims, the underlying facts, and exhibits do not warrant an extension 

of the twenty-five-page limit.1

Therefore, Plaintiff’s motion for leave to exceed twenty-five pages is DENIED. (ECF No. 

19.) However, the Court grants Plaintiff leave to file, within thirty (30) days, a first amended 

complaint that complies with Rule 8 and does not exceed a total of twenty-five (25) pages. 

Plaintiff is reminded that an amended complaint supersedes the original complaint. Lacey v. 

Maricopa Cty., 693 F.3d 896, 927 (9th Cir. 2012). Thus, the first amended complaint must be 

“complete in itself without reference to the prior or superseded pleading.” E.D. Cal. R. 220.

Plaintiff also requests a copy of the first amended complaint. (ECF No. 18.) Previously, 

this Court granted a similar motion: 

Plaintiff’s motion for copies of his submitted motions (Doc. 8) is GRANTED. This 

is a one-time allowance, and the Court will not again provide copies without 

the plaintiff prepaying the cost. He is urged to obtain copies of his documents 

before filing if he wishes to have them.

(ECF No. 13 (emphasis added).) Moreover, under the Court’s Standing Order In re: Procedural 

Rules for Electronic Submission of Prisoner Litigation filed by Plaintiffs Incarcerated at 

Participating Penal Institutions, filed on March 1, 2016, “Because the original civil

complaint and [attachments] will be returned to the incarcerated plaintiff as after being

scanned and emailed, the Court and CDCR are not required to provide the incarcerated

1 The limitation applies to the entire document, including both the text and exhibits. 

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plaintiff with any filed stamped copies of the documents filed by the plaintiff.” Id. After the 

initial filing, all other documents are sent and served by mail. Id.

II. CONCLUSION 

For the reasons stated above, Plaintiff’s lodged first amended complaint is inappropriate 

for filing, and he is not entitled to a mailed copy of this document. Accordingly, it is HEREBY 

ORDERED as follows:

1. Plaintiff’s motion for copy of first amended complaint, (ECF No. 18), is DENIED;

2. Plaintiff’s motion to exceed the twenty-five-page limit, (ECF No. 19), is DENIED; 

and

3. Plaintiff shall file, within thirty (30) days, a first amended complaint that 

complies with Rule 8 and does not exceed a total of twenty-five (25) pages. 

Failure to do so may result in a recommendation for dismissal of this case.

4. The Clerk of Court is DIRECTED to provide Plaintiff with a Civil Rights 

Complaint form.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: April 5, 2022 

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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