Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca8-09-02114/USCOURTS-ca8-09-02114-0/pdf.json

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

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1

The Honorable Robert W. Pratt, Chief Judge, United States District Court for

the Southern District of Iowa.

United States Court of Appeals

FOR THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT

___________

No. 09-2114

___________

Frank R. Owens, *

*

Appellant, *

* Appeal from the United States

v. * District Court for the

* Southern District of Iowa.

Donald J. Mallinger; Dr. Sanchez; *

Nurse Julie Pihl; Dennis Brumbaugh; * [UNPUBLISHED]

Rich Barlow; Mendez; Jack Bates; *

Donald Aschbrenner; Darrell Moeller; *

Dave DeGrange; Ronald Welder; John *

Ault; Matt Rehm; Mary Fett; Gary *

Deen; Charles Harper, *

*

Appellees. *

___________

Submitted: January 14, 2010

Filed: January 29, 2010

___________

Before BYE, RILEY, and SHEPHERD, Circuit Judges.

___________

PER CURIAM.

Iowa inmate Frank Owens appeals the district court’s1

 preservice dismissal of

his 42 U.S.C. § 1983 action, in part without prejudice. Upon de novo review, see

Appellate Case: 09-2114 Page: 1 Date Filed: 01/29/2010 Entry ID: 3629475
-2-

Moore v. Sims, 200 F.3d 1170, 1171 (8th Cir. 2000) (per curiam) (citing Cooper v.

Schriro, 189 F.3d 781, 783 (8th Cir. 1999) (per curiam)), we conclude dismissal was

proper. See Will v. Mich. Dep’t of State Police, 491 U.S. 58, 70-71 (1989) (holding

that because the Eleventh Amendment immunizes the states from suit, neither a state

nor its officials acting in their official capacities are “persons” under § 1983 when

sued for damages); Baker v. Chisom, 501 F.3d 920, 923 (8th Cir. 2007) (declaring that

if a § 1983 complaint is silent as to the capacity in which a defendant is sued, this

court interprets the complaint as including only official-capacity claims); Martin v.

Sargent, 780 F.2d 1334, 1337 (8th Cir. 1985) (“[A] prisoner’s claim for injunctive

relief to improve prison conditions is moot if he or she is no longer subject to those

conditions”); see also Phipps v. FDIC, 417 F.3d 1006, 1010 (8th Cir. 2005) (noting

this court may affirm a dismissal on any basis supported by the record). We affirm.

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Appellate Case: 09-2114 Page: 2 Date Filed: 01/29/2010 Entry ID: 3629475