Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_16-cv-02644/USCOURTS-caed-2_16-cv-02644-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 550
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Civil Rights (U.S. defendant)
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Prisoner Civil Rights

---

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

1

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

THOMAS FRANKLIN HAMMITT,

Plaintiff,

v.

BUTTE COUNTY JAIL, et al.,

Defendants.

No. 2: 16-cv-2644 KJN P

ORDER

Plaintiff is a Butte county inmate, proceeding without counsel, with a civil rights action 

pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Plaintiff has filed an application to proceed in forma pauperis 

pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915. 

Title 28 U.S.C.§ 1915(a)(2) provides that applications to proceed in forma pauperis made 

by prisoners shall include a certified copy of the trust fund account statement for the prisoner for 

the 6 month period immediately preceeding the filing of the complaint. In support of his 

application, plaintiff did not include a copy of his jail trust fund account statement for the 6 

month period preceeding the filing of the complaint.

Attached to plaintiff’s in forma pauperis application is a grievance form submitted by 

plaintiff to jail officials on October 31, 2016. (ECF No. 2 at 3.) Plaintiff writes in his grievance 

that he put in multiple requests for a copy of his account history “for the court to establish 

indigents. Have received no response to my request.” (Id.)

Case 2:16-cv-02644-KJM-KJN Document 6 Filed 12/08/16 Page 1 of 3
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

2

In response to this grievance, plaintiff received a memorandum from Sergeant Brownfield 

stating,

You were given your balance when you came into custody and you 

are given a receipt every time there is a deduction off your account. 

You can check your account balance any time on the kiosk in your 

housing unit. We do not offer account histories for inmate accounts 

upon request. Documents can be subpoenaed by the court if they 

are necessary in your proceedings. Grievance denied. 

(Id.)

As discussed above, plaintiff is required to submit a trust fund account statement for the 6 

month period immediately preceeding the filing of the complaint with his application to proceed 

in forma pauperis. It does not appear that the balance and receipt documents referred to in 

Sergeant Brownfield’s memorandum comply with the requirements of 28 U.S.C. § 1915. The 

court also does not subpoena trust account statements on inmates’ behalf.

No defendants have been served in this action. Usually, persons or entities not parties to 

an action are not subject to orders for injunctive relief. Zenith v. Radio Corp. v. Hazeltine 

Research, Inc., 395 U.S. 100 (1969). However, the fact that one is not a party does not 

automatically preclude the court from acting. The All Writs Act, 28 U.S.C. § 1651(a), permits 

the court to issue writs “necessary and appropriate in aid of their jurisdiction and agreeable to the 

usages and principles of law.” See generally S.E.C. v. G.C. George Securities, Inc., 637 F.2d 685 

(9th Cir. 1981); United States v. New York Telephone Co., 434 U.S. 159 (1977). This section 

does not grant the court plenary power to act in any way it wishes; rather, the All Writs Act is 

meant to aid the court in the exercise and preservation of its jurisdiction. Plum Creek Lumber 

Company v. Hutton, 608 F.2d 1283, 1289 (9th Cir. 1979).

The undersigned is concerned that plaintiff will not be able to proceed with this action, 

and the court may lose jurisdiction, if Butte County Jail officials do not provide him with the trust 

account statement required by 28 U.S.C. § 1915. The undersigned also observes that the portion 

of plaintiff’s in forma pauperis application requiring certification by jail officials is not filled out. 

(ECF No. 2 at 2.) It is unclear why the certification is not completed. Accordingly, pursuant to 

the All Writs Act, the Butte County Sheriff is ordered to file a status report addressing plaintiff’s 

Case 2:16-cv-02644-KJM-KJN Document 6 Filed 12/08/16 Page 2 of 3
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

3

ability to obtain the trust account statement required by 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(2). The Sheriff shall 

also address plaintiff’s ability to obtain a completed certification form, as discussed above.

Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:

1. Within fourteen days of the date of this order, the Butte County Sheriff shall file the 

status report discussed above;

2. The Clerk of the Court is directed to serve a copy of this order and plaintiff’s 

application to proceed in forma pauperis (ECF No. 2) on the Butte County Sheriff, 33 County 

Center Drive. Oroville, CA, 95965;

3. The Clerk of the Court is directed to serve a copy of this order and plaintiff’s 

application to proceed in forma pauperis (ECF No. 2) on the Butte County Counsel, 25 County 

Center Drive, Suite 210, Oroville, CA, 95965.

Dated: December 8, 2016

Hamm2644.alw

Case 2:16-cv-02644-KJM-KJN Document 6 Filed 12/08/16 Page 3 of 3