Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_13-cv-01457/USCOURTS-caed-1_13-cv-01457-0/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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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

BENANCIO RODRIGUEZ,

 Plaintiff,

 vs.

E. AGUIRRE, et al.,

 Defendants.

1:13-cv-01457-GSA-PC

 

ORDER DENYING PLAINTIFF’S REQUEST

TO ADD DOCUMENTS TO COMPLAINT

(Doc. 9.)

ORDER INFORMING PLAINTIFF HE HAS 

LEAVE TO AMEND THE COMPLAINT 

ONCE AS A MATTER OF COURSE

THIRTY DAY DEADLINE FOR PLAINTIFF 

TO FILE FIRST AMENDED COMPLAINT, IF 

HE SO WISHES

ORDER FOR CLERK TO SEND PLAINTIFF 

A SECTION 1983 COMPLAINT FORM

I. BACKGROUND

Benancio Rodriguez (APlaintiff@) is a state prisoner proceeding pro se and in forma 

pauperis with this civil rights action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. ' 1983. Plaintiff filed the Complaint 

commencing this action on September 11, 2013. (Doc. 1.) On April 30, 2014, Plaintiff 

submitted documents which he seeks to add to the Complaint. (Doc. 9.)

II. LOCAL RULE 220 – CHANGED PLEADINGS

Local Rule 220 provides in part:

Unless prior approval to the contrary is obtained from the Court, every 

pleading to which an amendment or supplement is permitted as a matter of right 

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or has been allowed by court order shall be retyped and filed so that it is 

complete in itself without reference to the prior or superseded pleading. No 

pleading shall be deemed amended or supplemented until this Rule has been 

complied with. All changed pleadings shall contain copies of all exhibits 

referred to in the changed pleading. 

Plaintiff seeks to add documents as exhibits to the Complaint. However, under Rule 

220, Plaintiff may not amend the Complaint by adding an exhibit after the Complaint has been 

filed. To add information or an exhibit to the Complaint, Plaintiff must file a new amended 

opposition which is complete within itself.

II. LEAVE TO AMEND – RULE 15(a)

Under Rule 15(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, a party may amend the 

party=s pleading once as a matter of course at any time before a responsive pleading is served. 

Otherwise, a party may amend only by leave of the court or by written consent of the adverse 

party, and leave shall be freely given when justice so requires. Fed. R. Civ. P. 15(a). Because 

Plaintiff has not amended the complaint, and no responsive pleading has been served in this 

action, Plaintiff has leave to file an amended complaint as a matter of course. 

If Plaintiff chooses to amend the Complaint, he must demonstrate in his amended 

complaint how the conditions complained of have resulted in a deprivation of Plaintiff=s 

constitutional rights. See Ellis v. Cassidy, 625 F.2d 227 (9th Cir. 1980). The amended 

complaint must allege in specific terms how each named defendant is involved. There can be 

no liability under 42 U.S.C. ' 1983 unless there is some affirmative link or connection between 

a defendant=s actions and the claimed deprivation. Rizzo v. Goode, 423 U.S. 362 (1976); May 

v. Enomoto, 633 F.2d 164, 167 (9th Cir. 1980); Johnson v. Duffy, 588 F.2d 740, 743 (9th Cir. 

1978). 

Plaintiff should note that although he has the opportunity to amend, it is not for the 

purpose of adding allegations of unrelated events. Plaintiff may not change the nature of this 

suit by adding new, unrelated claims in his amended complaint. George v. Smith, 507 F.3d 

605, 607 (7th Cir. 2007) (no Abuckshot@ complaints). In addition, Plaintiff should take care to 

include only those claims that have been exhausted prior to the initiation of this suit on 

September 11, 2013. 

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Finally, Plaintiff is advised that an amended complaint supercedes the original 

complaint, Lacey v. Maricopa County, 693 F 3d. 896, 907 n.1 (9th Cir. 2012) (en banc), and it 

must be complete in itself without reference to the prior or superceded pleading. Local Rule 

220. Therefore, in an amended complaint, as in an original complaint, each claim and the 

involvement of each defendant must be sufficiently alleged. The First Amended Complaint 

should be clearly and boldly titled AFirst Amended Complaint,@ refer to the appropriate case 

number, and be an original signed under penalty of perjury. 

III. CONCLUSION

Accordingly, it is HEREBY ORDERED that:

1. Plaintiff’s request to add documents to the Complaint, filed on April 30, 2014, is 

DENIED;

2. Plaintiff is informed that he has leave to amend the Complaint once as a matter 

of course;

3. Within thirty (30) days from the date of service of this order, Plaintiff may file a 

First Amended Complaint using the court=s form, if he so wishes;

4. The First Amended Complaint should be clearly and boldly titled AFirst 

Amended Complaint,@ refer to case number 1:13-cv-01457-GSA-PC, and be an 

original signed under penalty of perjury;

5. The Clerk of the Court shall send one § 1983 civil rights complaint form to 

Plaintiff.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: May 8, 2014 /s/ Gary S. Austin 

 UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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