Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_05-cv-03901/USCOURTS-azd-2_05-cv-03901-0/pdf.json

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

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 Many inmates apparently believe that they will receive an immediate payout from a fund

established in Hart v. Hill, No. CV 77-0479-PHX-EHC (MS) (D. Ariz.). No such fund exists. The

inmates in Hart asked for injunctive relief and not monetary damages. The Court at this time

expresses no opinion on whether Plaintiff’s lawsuit may result in an award of damages. 

TERMPSREF

BL

WO

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Daniel Reyna Perez, 

Plaintiff, 

vs.

Joseph M. Arpaio, 

Defendant. 

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No. CV 05-3901-PHX-DGC (ECV)

ORDER

Plaintiff Daniel Reyna Perez , currently confined in the Maricopa County Durango

Jail in Phoenix, Arizona, filed a pro se Complaint pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983.1

 This action

is one of more than one thousand lawsuit s filed in this district since September 2004

alleging that the overcrowded conditions in t he Maricopa County jail system have resulted

in a variety of constitutional violations. The Court will order Defendant Arpaio to answer

the Complaint.

A. Application to Proceed In Forma Pauperis & Filing Fee

Plaintiff’s request to proceed in forma pauperis will be grant ed. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a).

Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1), Plaintiff is required t o pay the statutory filing fee of

$250.00 for this action. No init ial partial filing fee will be assessed by this Order. 28 U.S.C.

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TERMPSREF - 2 -

§ 1915(b)(1). By separate order, the Court will direct the appropriate agency to collect

monthly payments of 20 percent of the preceding month’s income credited to Plaintiff’s

trust account. These payments will be forwarded by the appropriat e agency to the Clerk

of Court each time the amount in Plaintiff’s account exceeds $10.00, until the filing fee is

paid in full. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(2).

Plaintiff should take notice that if he is released before the filing fee is paid in full,

he must pay the remaining unpaid amount of the filing fee within 120 day s of the date of

his release. If Plaintiff fails to pay the remainder of the filing fee within 120 days of the date

of his release, the action will be dismissed, unless Plaintiff shows good cause, in writing,

why he is unable to pay the remainder of the filing fee.

B. Statutory Screening of Prisoner Complaints

The Court is required to screen complaints brought by prisoners seeking relief

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

§ 1915A(a). The Court must dismiss a complaint or portion thereof if the Plaintiff has raised

claims that are legally “frivolous or malicious,” that fail t o st ate a claim upon which relief

may be granted, or that seek monetary relief from a defendant who is immune from such

relief. 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(b)(1),(2). T he Court also must dismiss a complaint or portion

thereof if Plaintiff fails to exhaust any administrative remedy available to him. 42 U.S.C.

§ 1997e(a). 

C. Complaint

Plaintiff names as a Defendant Joseph M. Arpaio, Sheriff of M aricopa County,

alleging that he is responsible for maintaining jail standards and correcting any

constitutional violations. Plaintiff argues t hat his constitutional rights were violated by (1)

an inadequate, non-nut rit ious, and tainted diet due to improper food storage and

preparation, the serving of exp ired and moldy food, and lack of cleaning supplies, resulting

in respiratory and digestive infections, (2) overcrowding, resulting in lack of sufficient

facilities, toilets overflowing, resp irat ory and digest ive viruses, toothaches,

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claustrophobia, and agoraphobia, and (3) unsanitary conditions due to lack of day room

access, resulting in him being forced t o eat on his bunk which causes food spillage and

attracts mice, rats, and insects. Plaintiff seeks monetary and other relief.

Hart v. Hill

Throughout his Complaint, Plaintiff refers to Hart v. Hill, No. CIV 77-0479-PHX-EHC

(D. Ariz.), claiming that the conditions of his confinement violated an Amended Judgment

in that action. Jurisdiction to enforce the judgment is ret ained by the court which entered

it. Jeff D. v. Kempthorne, 365 F.3d 844, 853 (9th Cir. 2004). A civil rights action is not the

proper means by which t o enforce the decree. Cagle v. Sutherland, 334 F.3d 980, 986 (11th

Cir. 2003); Klein v. Zavaras, 80 F.3d 432, 435 (10th Cir. 1996); DeGidio v. Pung, 920 F.2d 525,

534 (8th Cir.1990); Green v. McKaskle, 788 F.2d 1116, 1122-23 (5th Cir. 1986). Standing

alone, remedial orders cannot serve as a substantive basis for a § 1983 claim for damages

because such orders do not create “rights, privileges, or immunities secured by the

Constitution and laws.” Green, 788 F.3d at 1123-24. Remedial decrees are the means by

which unconstitutional conditions are corrected but they do not create or enlarge

constitutional rights. Id. at 1123. To the extent Plaintiff seeks t o enforce Hart v. Hill, his

claim is not properly brought in this action. 

D. Claims to be Served

At this early st age, Plaintiff sufficiently alleges that his constitutional rights were

violated by (1) an inadequate, non-nutrit ious, and tainted diet, (2) overcrowding, and

(3) unsanitary conditions. Defendant Arpaio will be ordered to answer the Complaint.

E. Rule 41 Cautionary Notice

Plaintiff should take notice that if he fails to timely comply with every provision of

this Order, or any order entered in this matter, this action will be dismissed pursuant to

Rule 41(b) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. See Ferdik v. Bonzelet, 963 F.2d 1258,

1260-61 (9th Cir. 1992) (district court may dismiss action for failure to comply with any order

of the Court).

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IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that: 

(1) Plaintiff’s Application to Proceed In Forma Pauperis (Doc. #1) is granted. 

(2) Plaint iff is obligated to pay the statutory filing fee of $250.00 for this action.

Plaint iff is assessed no initial partial filing fee. All fees shall be collected and paid in

accordance with this Court’s Order to the appropriate government agency filed

concurrently herewith.

(3) The Clerk of Court shall send Plaintiff a service packet including the Complaint,

this Order, and both summons and request for waiver forms for Defendant Arpaio.

(4) Plaintiff shall complete and return the service p acket to the Clerk of Court within

20 days of the date of filing of this Order. The United States Marshal will not provide

service of process if Plaintiff fails to comply with this Order.

(5) If Plaintiff does not either obtain a waiver of service of the summons or complete

service of the Summons and Complaint on each Defendant within 120 day s of the filing of

the complaint or within 60 days of the filing of t his Order, whichever is later, the action may

be dismissed as to each Defendant not served pursuant to Rule 4(m) of the Federal Rules

of Civil Procedure and Local Rule of Civil Procedure 16.2(b)(2)(B)(i).

(6) The United States Marshal shall ret ain the Summons, a copy of the Complaint,

and a copy of this Order for future use.

(7) The United States Marshal shall notify Defendant of the commencement of t his

action and request waiver of service of the summons p ursuant to Rule 4(d) of the Federal

Rules of Civil Procedure. The notice to Defendant shall include a copy of this Order. The

Marshal shall file waivers of service of the summons or requests for waivers that were

returned as undeliverable as soon as they are received. If a waiver of service of summons

is not returned by a Defendant within thirt y days from the date the request for waiver was

sent by the Marshal, the Marshal shall:

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(a) Personally serve copies of the Summons, Comp laint, and this Order upon

the Defendant pursuant to Rule 4(e)(2) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure;

(b) Within 10 days after personal service is effected, file the return of service

for the Defendant, along with evidence of the at t emp t t o secure a waiver of service

of the summons and of the costs subsequently incurred in effecting service upon

the Defendant. The cost s of service shall be enumerated on the return of service

form (USM-285) and shall include the costs incurred by the Marshal for

p hotocopying additional copies of the Summons, Complaint, or this Order and for

preparing new process receipt and return forms (USM-285), if required. Costs of

service will be taxed against the personally served defendant pursuant to Rule

4(d)(2) and (5) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, unless otherwise ordered by

the Court.

(8) A Defendant who agrees to waive service of the Summons and Complaint shall

return the signed waiver forms to the United States Marshal, not the Plaintiff.

(9) Defendant shall answer the Complaint or otherwise respond by appropriate

motion within t he t ime provided by the applicable provisions of Rule 12(a) of the Federal

Rules of Civil Procedure.

(10) Any answer or responsive pleading shall state the Defendant by name on

whose behalf it is filed. The Court may strike any answer, responsive pleading, or ot her

motion or paper that does not identify the Defendant by name on whose behalf it is filed.

(11) Plaintiff shall serve upon Defendant, or if appearance has been entered by

counsel, upon counsel, a copy of every further pleading or other document submitted for

consideration by the Court. Plaintiff shall include with the original document and copy, to

be filed with the Clerk of the Court, a certificate stating the date a true and correct copy of

the pleading or document was mailed to Defendant or counsel. Any paper received by a

District Court Judge or Magistrate Judge which has not been filed with the Clerk of Court

may be disregarded by the Court.

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(12) At all times during t he p endency of this action, Plaintiff shall immediately

advise the Court and the United Stat es M arshal of any change of address and its effective

dat e. Such notice shall be captioned “NOTICE OF CHANGE OF ADDRESS.” The not ice

shall contain only information pertaining to the change of address and its effect ive dat e.

Plaintiff shall serve a copy of the notice on all opposing parties. The notice shall not

include any motions for any other relief. Failure to file a Notice of Change of Address may

result in the dismissal of the action for failure to prosecut e p ursuant to Rule 41(b) of the

Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. 

(13) A clear, legible copy of every pleading or other document filed shall

accompany each original pleading or other document filed wit h t he Clerk for use by the

District Judge or Magistrate Judge to whom the case is assigned. Failure to comp ly wit h

this requirement may result in the pleading or document being stricken without further

notice to Plaintiff.

(14) This matter is referred to Magistrate Judge Edward C. Voss pursuant to Local

Rules of Civil Procedure 72.1 and 72.2 for further proceedings.

DATED this 27th day of December, 2005.

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