Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-5_05-cv-02443/USCOURTS-cand-5_05-cv-02443-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 555
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Prison Condition
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Prisoner Civil Rights

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Order Dismissing Plaintiffs Without Prejudice ; Dismissing Complaint with Leave to Amend as to Plaintiff Stearns; Denying

Motion for Service; Denying Motion for Stay; Granting Motion to File Late Claim; Granting Motion to Dismiss Plaintiffs

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NOT FOR CITATION

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SCOTT STEARNS, et. al., 

Plaintiffs,

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J.S. WOODFORD, et. al., 

Defendants.

 

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No. C 05-2443 JF (PR)

ORDER DISMISSING 

PLAINTIFFS WITHOUT

PREJUDICE ; DISMISSING

COMPLAINT WITH

LEAVE TO AMEND AS TO

PLAINTIFF STEARNS;

DENYING MOTION FOR

SERVICE; DENYING

MOTION FOR STAY;

GRANTING MOTION TO

FILE LATE CLAIM;

GRANTING MOTION TO

DISMISS PLAINTIFFS

(Docket Nos. 3, 4, 6, 7)

Plaintiffs, six state prisoners at Pelican Bay State Prison proceeding pro se, filed

this 42 U.S.C. § 1983 civil rights action. Plaintiff Stearns, the first-named Plaintiff, filed

several motions including a motion for service, motion to stay proceedings, motion for

leave to file a late claim, and a motion to dismiss the remaining Plaintiffs. The Court

concludes that this action cannot proceed as a class action and will therefore dismiss all

Plaintiffs without prejudice except for the named Plaintiff, Scott Stearns. 

The Court will DENY Plaintiff’s motion for service (docket no. 3) without prejudice and

Case 5:05-cv-02443-JF Document 11 Filed 03/22/06 Page 1 of 5
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Order Dismissing Plaintiffs Without Prejudice ; Dismissing Complaint with Leave to Amend as to Plaintiff Stearns; Denying

Motion for Service; Denying Motion for Stay; Granting Motion to File Late Claim; Granting Motion to Dismiss Plaintiffs

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DENY Plaintiff’s motion for stay (docket no. 4) without prejudice. The Court will

GRANT Plaintiff’s motion for leave to file a late claim (docket no. 6) and GRANT

Plaintiff’s motion to dismiss the remaining Plaintiffs (docket no. 7). The Court will

dismiss the complaint with leave to amend as to Plaintiff Stearns to file an amended

complaint including all of the claims he wishes to present containing allegations

pertaining to himself only. 

DISCUSSION

A. Class Certification and Joinder

Plaintiffs filed this action as a “class action” against Pelican Bay State Prison

Officials concerning the conditions of confinement at the prison. The prerequisites to

maintenance of a class action are that: (1) the class is so numerous that joinder of all

members is impracticable, (2) there are common questions of law and fact, (3) the

representative party’s claims or defenses are typical of the class claims or defenses, and

(4) the representative party will fairly and adequately protect the class interests. See Fed.

R. Civ. P. 23(a). Pro se prisoner plaintiffs are not adequate class representatives able to

fairly represent and adequately protect the interests of the class. Oxendine v. Williams,

509 F.2d 1405, 1407 (4th Cir. 1975); see also Russell v. United States, 308 F.2d 78, 79

(9th Cir. 1962) (“a litigant appearing in propria persona has no authority to represent

anyone other than himself”), so class certification may be denied on that basis, see Griffin

v. Smith, 493 F. Supp. 129, 131 (W.D.N.Y. 1980) (denying class certification on basis

that pro se prisoner cannot adequately represent class). Therefore, this action cannot

proceed as a class action. Additionally, Plaintiff Stearns filed a motion to dismiss the

remaining Plaintiffs as he is no longer willing to represent them and cannot locate them at

this time. 

Accordingly, Plaintiffs Torrres, Aranda, Adan, Copez, and Higoneda are

DISMISSED as Plaintiffs from this action without prejudice. Plaintiff Stearns’ motion to

dismiss the remaining Plaintiffs (docket no. 7) is GRANTED. Plaintiff Stearns, the

named Plaintiff, may proceed with this action. However, he must first file an amended

Case 5:05-cv-02443-JF Document 11 Filed 03/22/06 Page 2 of 5
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Order Dismissing Plaintiffs Without Prejudice ; Dismissing Complaint with Leave to Amend as to Plaintiff Stearns; Denying

Motion for Service; Denying Motion for Stay; Granting Motion to File Late Claim; Granting Motion to Dismiss Plaintiffs

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complaint containing allegations pertaining to himself only. The current complaint

containing allegations pertaining to all Plaintiffs is DISMISSED without prejudice. The

amended complaint must be simple and concise and must include the civil case number

used in this order (C 05- 2443 JF (PR)) and the words “AMENDED COMPLAINT” on

the first page. Failure to file a proper amended complaint within thirty days of the date

of this order will result in the dismissal of this action without prejudice. 

Based upon the Court’s dismissal of the complaint with leave to amend as to

Plaintiff Stearns, Plaintiff’s motion for service and motion for stay (docket nos. 3, 4) are

DENIED without prejudice. Plaintiff’s motion for leave to file a late claim (docket no. 6)

is GRANTED to the extent that Plaintiff may include all claims he wishes to present

concerning himself only in his amended complaint. The Court will enclose a copy of the

civil rights complaint form with this order. 

CONCLUSION

1. Plaintiffs Torres, Aranda, Adan, Copez, and Higoneda are DISMISSED as 

Plaintiffs from this action without prejudice. Plaintiff Stearns’ motion to dismiss the

remaining Plaintiffs (docket no. 7) is GRANTED. 

2. As to Plaintiff Stearns, the complaint is hereby DISMISSED with leave to

amend, as indicated above, within thirty days from the date this order is filed. The

amended complaint must include the caption and civil case number used in this order 

(C 05-2443 JF (PR)) and the words “AMENDED COMPLAINT” on the first page. 

Because an amended complaint completely replaces the original complaint, Plaintiff must

include in it all the claims he wishes to present. See Ferdik v. Bonzelet, 963 F.2d 1258,

1262 (9th Cir.), cert. denied, 113 S. Ct. 321 (1992). Plaintiff may not incorporate any

material from the original complaint by reference. Plaintiff must include all

documentation and supporting information with the amended complaint. Failure to

amend within the designated time will result in the dismissal of the complaint

without prejudice.

\\\

Case 5:05-cv-02443-JF Document 11 Filed 03/22/06 Page 3 of 5
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Order Dismissing Plaintiffs Without Prejudice ; Dismissing Complaint with Leave to Amend as to Plaintiff Stearns; Denying

Motion for Service; Denying Motion for Stay; Granting Motion to File Late Claim; Granting Motion to Dismiss Plaintiffs

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3. Plaintiff Stearns’ motion for service and motion to stay (docket nos. 3, 4) 

are DENIED without prejudice.

4. Plaintiff’s motion for leave to file a late claim (docket no. 6) is GRANTED 

to the extent that Plaintiff Stearns may include all claims he wishes to present concerning

himself only in his amended complaint. 

 5. As to Plaintiff Stearns, it is his responsibility to prosecute this case. 

Plaintiff must keep the Court informed of any change of address by filing a separate paper

with the Clerk headed “Notice of Change of Address.” He must comply with the Court’s

orders in a timely fashion or ask for an extension of time to do so. Failure to comply may

result in the dismissal of this action pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 41(b)

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: 3/20/06 

 JEREMY FOGEL

 United States District Judge

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Order Dismissing Plaintiffs Without Prejudice ; Dismissing Complaint with Leave to Amend as to Plaintiff Stearns; Denying

Motion for Service; Denying Motion for Stay; Granting Motion to File Late Claim; Granting Motion to Dismiss Plaintiffs

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This is to certify that on 3/22/06, a copy of this ruling was mailed to the following:

Scott Stearns 

J-61801

Pelican Bay State Prison

P.O. Box 7500

Crescent City, CA 95531

Victor Torres

P-20736

Pelican Bay State Prison

P.O. Box 7500

Crescent City, CA 95531

Jorge Aranda

E-68278

Pelican Bay State Prison

P.O. Box 7500

Crescent City, CA 95531

Jesus Adan

J-24371

Pelican Bay State Prison

P.O. Box 7500

Crescent City, CA 95531

Tony Copez

E-06271

Pelican Bay State Prison

P.O. Box 7500

Crescent City, CA 95531

Jorge Higoneda

H-18678

Pelican Bay State Prison

P.O. Box 7500

Crescent City, CA 95531

Case 5:05-cv-02443-JF Document 11 Filed 03/22/06 Page 5 of 5