Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-5_15-cv-03264/USCOURTS-cand-5_15-cv-03264-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 555
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Prison Condition
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Prisoner Civil Rights

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Order of Dismissal with Leave to Amend

P:\PRO-SE\EJD\CR.15\03264Smith_dwlta.wpd 1

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

JERRY SMITH,

Plaintiff,

 v.

BRANDY EBERT, 

Defendant. 

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No. C 15-03264 EJD (PR)

ORDER OF DISMISSAL WITH

LEAVE TO AMEND

Plaintiff, a state prisoner at San Quentin State Prison (“SQSP”), filed the instant

civil rights action in pro se pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983, challenging conditions of

confinement. Plaintiff’s motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis will be granted in

a separate order.

DISCUSSION

A. Standard of Review

A federal court must conduct a preliminary screening in any case in which a

prisoner seeks redress from a governmental entity or officer or employee of a

governmental entity. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(a). In its review, the court must identify

any cognizable claims and dismiss any claims that are frivolous, malicious, fail to state a

Case 5:15-cv-03264-EJD Document 4 Filed 10/05/15 Page 1 of 4
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Order of Dismissal with Leave to Amend

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claim upon which relief may be granted or seek monetary relief from a defendant who is

immune from such relief. See id. § 1915A(b)(1),(2). Pro se pleadings must, however, be

liberally construed. See Balistreri v. Pacifica Police Dep’t, 901 F.2d 696, 699 (9th Cir.

1988). 

To state a claim under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, a plaintiff must allege two essential

elements: (1) that a right secured by the Constitution or laws of the United States was

violated, and (2) that the alleged violation was committed by a person acting under the

color of state law. See West v. Atkins, 487 U.S. 42, 48 (1988).

B. Plaintiff’s Claims

Plaintiff claims that on June 9, 2015, Defendant Brandy Ebert, the litigation

coordinator at SQSP, failed to forward the “tentative ruling” from Case No. CV1401048

out of Marin County Superior Court, which resulted in Plaintiff being unable to argue on

his behalf and judgment being entered against him the next day. (Compl. at 3.) Plaintiff

claims that Defendant Ebert had informed him on January 28, 2015, that Plaintiff would

be provided time and opportunity for the “tentative ruling” to be issued to him so that he

could prepare his argument. (Id.) Based on the attached papers, which includes his

inmate appeal on the matter, it appears that Plaintiff is claiming denial of his right of

access to the courts. (Compl. Attach. at 1.) 

Prisoners have a constitutional right of access to the courts. See Lewis v. Casey,

518 U.S. 343, 350 (1996); Bounds v. Smith, 430 U.S. 817, 821 (1977). To establish a

claim for any violation of the right of access to the courts, the prisoner must prove that

there was an inadequacy in the prison’s legal access program that caused him an actual

injury. See Lewis, 518 U.S. at 350-55. To prove an actual injury, the prisoner must show

that the inadequacy in the prison’s program hindered his efforts to pursue a non-frivolous

claim concerning his conviction or conditions of confinement. See id. at 354-55. 

Plaintiff’s allegations are insufficient to state a claim of a denial of access to courts

because he has failed to allege an actual injury, i.e., that he was pursuing a “non-frivolous

claim” concerning his conviction or conditions of confinement. The complaint is

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Order of Dismissal with Leave to Amend

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dismissed with leave to amend for Plaintiff to include a description of the claim which is

the subject of Case No. CV1401048, and show that it was a non-frivolous one. 

CONCLUSION

For the foregoing reasons, the complaint is DISMISSED with leave to amend. 

Within twenty-eight (28) days of the date this order is filed, Plaintiff shall file an

amended complaint. The amended complaint must include the caption and civil case

number used in this order, Case No. C 15-03264 EJD (PR), and the words “AMENDED

COMPLAINT” on the first page. If using the court form complaint, Plaintiff must answer

all the questions on the form in order for the action to proceed. 

Failure to respond in accordance with this order in the time provided will

result in the dismissal of this action without prejudice and without further notice to

Plaintiff.

The Clerk shall include two copies of the court’s complaint with a copy of this

order to Plaintiff. 

DATED: 

EDWARD J. DAVILA

United States District Judge 

10/2/2015

Case 5:15-cv-03264-EJD Document 4 Filed 10/05/15 Page 3 of 4
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE 

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

JERRY SMITH,

Plaintiff,

 v.

BRANDY EBERT,

Defendant. /

Case Number: CV15-03264 EJD 

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I, the undersigned, hereby certify that I am an employee in the Office of the Clerk, U.S. District

Court, Northern District of California.

That on , I SERVED a true and correct copy(ies) of the

attached, by placing said copy(ies) in a postage paid envelope addressed to the person(s)

hereinafter listed, by depositing said envelope in the U.S. Mail, or by placing said copy(ies) into

an inter-office delivery receptacle located in the Clerk's office.

Jerry Eugene Smith H-44485

San Quentin State Prison

San Quentin, CA 94964

Dated: 

Susan Y. Soong, Clerk

By: Elizabeth Garcia, Deputy Clerk

10/2/2015 10/2/2015 /s/

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