Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_22-cv-00539/USCOURTS-caed-2_22-cv-00539-10/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 

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

ALNOZO RAYSHAWN PERKINS, 

Plaintiff, 

v. 

C. KENNEDY, et al., 

Defendants. 

No. 2:22-cv-0539 AC P 

ORDER 

 Plaintiff is a state prisoner proceeding pro se with a civil rights action pursuant to 42 

U.S.C. § 1983. Currently before the court is defendants’ motion to compel plaintiff’s deposition 

(ECF No. 33), which plaintiff opposes (ECF No. 35). 

I. Defendants’ Motion to Compel

Defendants allege that plaintiff’s deposition was originally set for March 20, 2024, and 

was properly noticed. ECF No. 33 at 2. However, on the day of plaintiff’s deposition, he refused 

to attend. Id. Plaintiff has opposed the motion and, without any elaboration, states that he 

“should not be compelled to attend and/or answer the questions that the defendants are trying to 

ask in regards to [his] central file.” ECF No. 35. 

Having initiated this lawsuit, plaintiff may not refuse to participate in discovery. Plaintiff 

has not offered any legitimate reason why he should not be required to submit to a deposition as 

provided by the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, and the motion to compel will be granted. 

Case 2:22-cv-00539-AC Document 36 Filed 05/29/24 Page 1 of 2
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Defendants will be given another opportunity to depose plaintiff and plaintiff must participate 

fully in the deposition. Plaintiff is warned that if he fails to participate in the deposition, it will 

result in sanctions that may include defendants’ reasonable expenses and may range from 

exclusion of evidence all the way up to dismissal of the case, depending upon the degree of noncompliance. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 37(d)(3) (outlining potential sanctions for failing to attend 

deposition). 

Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that: 

1. Defendants’ motion to compel plaintiff’s deposition (ECF No. 33) is GRANTED. 

2. Within forty-five days of the service of this order, defendants may take plaintiff’s 

deposition, either in person or by videoconference. Defendants shall serve all parties with the 

notice required by Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 30(b)(1) at least fourteen days before such a 

deposition. 

3. If plaintiff refuses to participate in his deposition, defendants may bring a motion for 

sanctions within fourteen days of being advised of plaintiff’s refusal. 

4. Dispositive motions are due by August 30, 2024. 

DATED: May 28, 2024 

Case 2:22-cv-00539-AC Document 36 Filed 05/29/24 Page 2 of 2