Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_13-cv-01588/USCOURTS-caed-1_13-cv-01588-3/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 895
Nature of Suit: Freedom of Information Act of 1974
Cause of Action: 05:552 Freedom of Information Act

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

THUAN HUY HA,

Plaintiff,

v.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE/ 

EXECUTIVE OFFICE FOR U.S. 

ATTORNEYS,

Defendant.

Case No. 1:13-cv-01588-LJO-MJS

ORDER FINDING PLAINTIFF STATES A 

COGNIZABLE CLAIM AND FORWARDING 

SERVICE DOCUMENTS TO PLAINTIFF 

FOR COMPLETION AND RETURN WITHIN 

THIRTY DAYS

THIRTY DAY DEADLINE

On June 18, 2014, Thuan Huy Ha (“Plaintiff”), a prisoner proceeding pro se and in 

forma pauperis, filed an action under the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. § 552. 

(Compl., ECF 1.) 

Plaintiff’s First Amended Complaint is now before the Court for screening. 

I. SCREENING REQUIREMENT 

Title 28 of the United States Code, Section 1915A provides that “[t]he court shall 

review, before docketing, if feasible or, in any event, as soon as practicable after 

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docketing, a complaint in a civil action in which a prisoner seeks redress from a 

governmental entity or officer or employee of a governmental entity.” 28 U.S.C. § 

1915A(a). “On review, the court shall identify cognizable claims or dismiss the complaint, 

or any portion of the complaint, if the complaint—(1) is frivolous, malicious, or fails to 

state a claim upon which relief may be granted; or (2) seeks monetary relief from a 

defendant who is immune from such relief.” Id. at § 1915A(b)(1)-(2). 

In determining whether a complaint fails to state a claim, the Court uses the same 

pleading standard used under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 8(a). Under Rule 8(a), 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)(2). “[T]he pleading standard Rule 8 

announces does not require ‘detailed factual allegations,’ but it demands more than an 

unadorned, the-defendant-unlawfully-harmed-me accusation.” Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 

662, 678, 129 S.Ct. 1937, 173 L.Ed.2d 868 (2009) (quoting Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 

550 U.S. 544, 555, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007)). “[A] complaint must 

contain sufficient factual matter, accepted as true, to ‘state a claim to relief that is 

plausible on its face.’” Id. (quoting Twombly, 550 U.S. at 557). “[A] complaint [that] 

pleads facts that are ‘merely consistent with’ a defendant’s liability . . . ‘stops short of the 

line between possibility and plausibility of entitlement to relief.’” Id. (quoting Twombly, 

550 U.S. at 557). Further, although a court must accept as true all factual allegations 

contained in a complaint, a court need not accept a plaintiff's legal conclusions as true. 

Id. “Threadbare recitals of the elements of a cause of action, supported by mere 

conclusory statements, do not suffice.” Id. (quoting Twombly, 550 U.S. at 555).

II. PLAINTIFF’S CLAIMS

Plaintiff filed this complaint while in the custody of Taft Correctional Institution. He

currently is housed at the United States Residential Reentry Center in Garden Grove, 

California. Plaintiff names the Executive Office for United States Attorneys (“EOUSA”) as 

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the defendant in this action. Plaintiff brings a sole claim under 5 U.S.C. § 552, the 

Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”). 

Plaintiff’s allegations are summarized as follows: 

Plaintiff submitted a FOIA request on April 9, 2013, asking the government to

provide him with copies of 27 records: the nine original billing records of the pharmacy 

benefit managements companies; the nine original banks statements of Ha Pharmacy 

and Care Pharmacy; and, Exhibits 1-9 which were based on the 18 previously 

mentioned records and used in the matter United States v. Ha et al., No. 03-CR-29,

(C.D. Cal., Feb. 25, 2004). (See ECF No. 7 at 50-53.) Defendant EOUSA did not 

respond to Plaintiff’s request, and on April 22, 2014 sent Plaintiff a letter confirming that 

they had yet to respond to the request. Petitioner therefore asserts that over twenty 

business days have passed since he submitted his request and that based on the delay

he has the right to seek recourse by way of filing an action in this Court. Plaintiff asks for 

an injunctive order compelling Defendant EOUSA to produce the requested records.

III. ANALYSIS 

Under 5 U.S.C. § 552(a)(4)(B): 

On complaint, the district court of the United States in the district in which 

the complainant resides . . . has jurisdiction to enjoin the agency from 

withholding agency records and to order the production of any agency 

records improperly withheld from the complainant. . . . 

“Under this provision, ‘federal jurisdiction is dependent on a showing that an 

agency has (1) “improperly” (2) “withheld” (3) “agency records.”’” U.S. Dept. of Justice v. 

Tax Analysts, 492 U.S. 136, 142, 109 S.Ct. 2841, 106 L.Ed.2d 112 (1989) (quoting 

Kissinger v. Reporters Committee for Freedom of Press, 445 U.S. 136, 150, 100 S.Ct. 

960, 63 L.Ed.2d 267 (1980)). “Unless each of these criteria is met, a district court lacks 

jurisdiction to devise remedies to force an agency to comply with the FOIA's disclosure 

requirements.” Id.). 

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Plaintiff’s complaint sets forth when his FOIA request was submitted, where he 

sent it, what information he sought, the government’s failure to respond to it, and why 

the lack of a response was improper. Plaintiff has stated with specificity the records he 

requests – trial exhibits from his criminal trial - that presumably remain in Defendant's 

possession. Plaintiff has provided sufficient basis to seek injunctive relief in this Court. 

Accordingly, Plaintiff will be allowed to proceed on his FOIA claim. 

IV. CONCLUSION AND ORDER

The Court finds that Plaintiff’s complaint has stated a cognizable claim under the 

Freedom of Information Act against Defendant EOUSA. 

Based on the foregoing, it is HEREBY ORDERED that: 

1. Plaintiff shall proceed on his Freedom of Information Act claim against 

Defendant EOUSA; 

2. Service shall be initiated on the following defendant: 

The Executive Office for United States Attorneys. 

3. The Clerk of the Court shall send Plaintiff one (1) USM-285 form, one (1) 

summons, a Notice of Submission of Documents form, an instruction sheet and a copy 

of the Complaint filed June 18, 2014; 

4. Within thirty (30) days from the date of this order, Plaintiff shall complete 

the attached Notice of Submission of Documents and submit the completed Notice to the 

Court with the following documents: 

a. Completed summons; 

b. One completed USM-285 form for the Defendant listed above; and 

c. Two (2) copies of the endorsed Complaint filed June 18, 2014; 

5. Plaintiff need not attempt service on the Defendant and need not request 

waiver of service. Upon receipt of the above-described documents, the Court will direct 

the United States Marshal to serve the above-named Defendant pursuant to Federal 

Rule of Civil Procedure 4 without payment of costs. 

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6. The failure to comply with this order will result in dismissal of this action. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: September 11, 2015 /s/Michael J. Seng 

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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