Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_10-cv-02168/USCOURTS-azd-2_10-cv-02168-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 440
Nature of Suit: Other Civil Rights
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Civil Rights Act

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1

 For example, in the portion of document 1 that may be the caption, it says, “Tangy

the woman and (CPS) (typical victims) (Negroes except one Italian woman Sarah) (etcs

progenes) (typical victims) (mentallities now on).” (Doc. 1 at 2).

WO

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Gene Edward Scott, II, 

Plaintiff, 

vs.

Melinda L. Caraballo; et al., 

Defendants. 

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No. CV 10-2168-PHX-JAT

ORDER

Plaintiff has filed a document that the Clerk’s office has interpreted as a complaint

(Doc. 1). This document is not signed, but ends with a copy of Mr. Scott’s drivers license,

so the Court has presumed he is the filer. Mr. Scott may also be attempting to bring this case

on behalf of some additional Plaintiffs, but the Court is unclear whether that was his intent.1

This document goes on to state, for example:

...being our man Gene Edward Scott II’s [social security number omitted] now

companying demanding rennovating Ancient Egypt’s Sphinx nose psychol og

- - cosmetic cures for promises who are God’s prophetic Negroes nurturers

with tax exemption but $3 million each...

(Doc. 1 at 4).

Plaintiff has also filed a motion to proceed in forma pauperis. (Doc. 4). The Court has

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concluded that Plaintiff’s complaint should be screened pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)

before it is allowed to be served.

A. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)

Congress provided with respect to in forma pauperis cases that a district

court "shall dismiss the case at any time if the court determines" that the

"allegation of poverty is untrue" or that the "action or appeal" is "frivolous or

malicious," "fails to state a claim on which relief may be granted," or "seeks

monetary relief against a defendant who is immune from such relief." 28

U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2). While much of section 1915 outlines how prisoners can

file proceedings in forma pauperis, section 1915(e) applies to all in forma

pauperis proceedings, not just those filed by prisoners. Lopez v. Smith, 203

F.3d 1122, 1127 (9th Cir. 2000)("section 1915(e) applies to all in forma

pauperis complaints"). "It is also clear that section 1915(e) not only permits

but requires a district court to dismiss an in forma pauperis complaint that fails

to state a claim." Id. Therefore, this court must dismiss an in forma pauperis

complaint if it fails to state a claim or if it is frivolous or malicious. 

"[A] complaint, containing both factual allegations and legal conclusions,

is frivolous where it lacks an arguable basis either in law or in fact." Neitzke

v. Williams, 490 U.S. 319, 325 (1989). Furthermore, "a finding of factual

frivolousness is appropriate when the facts alleged rise to the level of the

irrational or wholly incredible, whether or not there are judicially recognized

facts available to contradict them." Denton v. Hernandez, 504 U.S. 25, 33

(1992). "A case is malicious if it was filed with the intention or desire to harm

another." Andrews v. King, 398 F.3d 1113, 1121 (9th Cir. 2005). 

B. Rule 8, Federal Rules of Civil Procedure

A claim must be stated clearly enough to enable a defendant to frame a

responsive pleading. A complaint must contain "a short and plain statement

of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief." Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a).

"Each averment of a pleading shall be simple, concise, and direct." Fed. R.

Civ. P. 8(e)(1). A complaint having the factual elements of a cause of action

present but scattered throughout the complaint and not organized into a "short

and plain statement of the claim" may be dismissed for failure to satisfy Rule

8(a). Sparling v. Hoffman Constr. Co., 864 F.2d 635, 640 (9th Cir. 1988). 

In order to assist litigants to understand the Rule 8(e) requirements that

averments "be simple, concise, and direct," Rule 84 of the Federal Rules of

Civil Procedure provides samples in an Appendix of Forms, which are

"intended to indicate the simplicity and brevity of statement which the rules

contemplate." McHenry v. Renne, 84 F.3d 1172, 1177 (9th Cir. 1996). An

example is Form 9 (Complaint for Negligence): 

1. Allegation of jurisdiction

2. On June 1, 1936, in a public highway called Boylston Street in Boston,

Massachusetts, defendant negligently drove a motor vehicle against

plaintiff, who was then crossing said highway.

3. As a result plaintiff was thrown down and had his leg broken, and was

otherwise injured, was prevented from transacting his business, suffered great

pain of body and mind, and incurred expenses for medical attention and

hospitalization in the sum of one thousand dollars.

4. Wherefore plaintiff demands judgment against defendant in the sum of

____ dollars and costs. 

Id. "This complaint fully sets forth who is being sued, for what relief, and on

what theory, with enough detail to guide discovery. It can be read in seconds

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and answered in minutes." Id. In addition, to satisfy Rule 8, each claim must

be stated in a separate count. Bautista v. Los Angeles, 216 F.3d 837, 840-41

(9th Cir. 2000). 

Kennedy v. Andrews, 2005 WL 3358205, *2-*3 (D. Ariz. 2005).

In this case, Plaintiff’s complaint fails to satisfy Rule 8’s pleading requirements.

Additionally, Plaintiff’s complaint is so difficult to decipher, it rises to the level of being

frivolous. 

The Court will give Plaintiff one opportunity to amend his complaint to cure the

deficiencies identified above. Plaintiff must:

make clear his allegations in short, plain statements with each claim for relief

identified in separate sections. In the amended complaint, Plaintiff must write

out the rights he believes were violated, the name of the person who violated

the right, exactly what that individual did or failed to do, how the action or

inaction of that person is connected to the violation of Plaintiff's rights, and

what specific injury Plaintiff suffered because of the other person's conduct.

See Rizzo v. Goode, 423 U.S. 362, 371-72, 377 (1976). Each claim of an

alleged violation must be set forth in a separate count. Any amended

complaint filed by Plaintiff must conform to the requirements of Rules 8(a)

and (e)(1) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.

Kennedy, 2005 WL 3358205, *3 (D. Ariz. 2005).

Further, like the Plaintiff in Kennedy,

Plaintiff is warned that if ]he elects to file an amended complaint and

if he fails to comply with the Court's instructions explained in this order,

the action will be dismissed pursuant to section 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e) and/or

Rule 41(b) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. See McHenry, 84 F.3d

at 1177 (affirming dismissal with prejudice of prolix, argumentative, and

redundant amended complaint that did not comply with Rule 8(a)); Nevijel v.

North Coast Life Ins. Co., 651 F.2d 671, 673-74 (9th Cir. 1981)(affirming

dismissal of amended complaint that was "equally as verbose, confusing, and

conclusory as the initial complaint"); Corcoran v. Yorty, 347 F.2d 222, 223

(9th Cir. 1965)(affirming dismissal without leave to amend second complaint

that was "so verbose, confused and redundant that its true substance, if any,

[was] well disguised"). 

Kennedy, 2005 WL 3358205, *3 (D. Ariz. 2005) (emphasis added).

Therefore, 

IT IS ORDERED that Plaintiff’s complaint is dismissed with leave to amend by

November 30, 2010. If Plaintiff fails to file an amended complaint by November 30, 2010,

the Clerk of the Court shall enter judgment of dismissal, without prejudice.

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IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, if Plaintiff elects to file an amended complaint,

the amended complaint may not be served until and unless the Court screens the amended

complaint pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2).

DATED this 28th day of October, 2010.

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