Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_20-cv-00853/USCOURTS-caed-2_20-cv-00853-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 710
Nature of Suit: Fair Labor Standards Act
Cause of Action: 15:2(a) Fair Labor Standards Act

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

BRODERICK WARFIELD, 

Plaintiff, 

v. 

UNITED STATES AIR FORCE, et al., 

Defendants. 

No. 2:20-cv-00853 KJM AC PS 

ORDER 

 Plaintiff is proceeding in this action pro se. Plaintiff has requested authority pursuant to 

28 U.S.C. § 1915 to proceed in forma pauperis. This proceeding was referred to the undersigned 

by Local Rule 302(c)(21). Plaintiff has submitted the affidavit required by § 1915(a) showing 

that plaintiff is unable to prepay fees and costs or give security for them. Accordingly, the 

request to proceed in forma pauperis will be granted. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a). 

I. Screening Standard 

 The federal IFP statute requires federal courts to dismiss a case if the action is legally 

“frivolous or malicious,” fails to state a claim upon which relief may be granted, or seeks 

monetary relief from a defendant who is immune from such relief. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2). 

Plaintiff must assist the court in determining whether or not the complaint is frivolous, by drafting 

the complaint so that it complies with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (“Fed. R. Civ. P.”). 

The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure are available online at www.uscourts.gov/rulesCase 2:20-cv-00853-KJM-AC Document 3 Filed 06/17/20 Page 1 of 8
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policies/current-rules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-civil-procedure. 

Under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, the complaint must contain (1) a “short and 

plain statement” of the basis for federal jurisdiction (that is, the reason the case is filed in this 

court, rather than in a state court), (2) a short and plain statement showing that plaintiff is entitled 

to relief (that is, who harmed the plaintiff, and in what way), and (3) a demand for the relief 

sought. Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a). Plaintiff’s claims must be set forth simply, concisely and directly. 

Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(d)(1). Forms are available to help pro se plaintiffs organize their complaint in 

the proper way. They are available at the Clerk’s Office, 501 I Street, 4th Floor (Rm. 4-200), 

Sacramento, CA 95814, or online at www.uscourts.gov/forms/pro-se-forms. 

 A claim is legally frivolous when it lacks an arguable basis either in law or in fact. 

Neitzke v. Williams, 490 U.S. 319, 325 (1989). In reviewing a complaint under this standard, the 

court will (1) accept as true all of the factual allegations contained in the complaint, unless they 

are clearly baseless or fanciful, (2) construe those allegations in the light most favorable to the 

plaintiff, and (3) resolve all doubts in the plaintiff’s favor. See Neitzke, 490 U.S. at 327; Von 

Saher v. Norton Simon Museum of Art at Pasadena, 592 F.3d 954, 960 (9th Cir. 2010). 

The court applies the same rules of construction in determining whether the complaint 

states a claim on which relief can be granted. Erickson v. Pardus, 551 U.S. 89, 94 (2007) (court 

must accept the allegations as true); Scheuer v. Rhodes, 416 U.S. 232, 236 (1974) (court must 

construe the complaint in the light most favorable to the plaintiff). Pro se pleadings are held to a 

less stringent standard than those drafted by lawyers. Haines v. Kerner, 404 U.S. 519, 520 

(1972). However, the court need not accept as true conclusory allegations, unreasonable 

inferences, or unwarranted deductions of fact. W. Min. Council v. Watt, 643 F.2d 618, 624 (9th 

Cir. 1981). A formulaic recitation of the elements of a cause of action does not suffice to state a 

claim. Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 555–57 (2007); Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 

662, 678 (2009). 

 To state a claim on which relief may be granted, the plaintiff must allege enough facts “to 

state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face.” Bell Atlantic Corp., 550 U.S. at 570. “A claim 

has facial plausibility when the plaintiff pleads factual content that allows the court to draw the 

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reasonable inference that the defendant is liable for the misconduct alleged.” Ashcroft, 556 U.S. 

at 678. A pro se litigant is entitled to notice of the deficiencies in the complaint and an 

opportunity to amend, unless the complaint’s deficiencies could not be cured by amendment. See 

Noll v. Carlson, 809 F.2d 1446, 1448 (9th Cir. 1987), superseded on other grounds by statute as 

stated in Lopez v. Smith, 203 F.3d 1122 (9th Cir. 2000)). 

II. The Complaint 

Plaintiff brings this action in federal court, alleging federal question jurisdiction pursuant 

to 28 U.S.C. § 1331. ECF No. 1 at 7. Plaintiff’s 62-page complaint is difficult to decipher. It is 

interspersed with various documents, such as a portion of a complaint brought before the 

California Department of Fair Employment and Housing. Id. at 12. He states he is bringing 

claims under the First, Fourth, Fifth, Eighth, Ninth, and Fourteenth Amendments; the Information 

Privacy Act; Breach of Contact; 5 U.S.C. Chapter 75 Unfair Practices; 5 U.S.C. § 7116 Unfair 

Labor Practices; 10 U.S.C. Role of Armed Forces; 10 U.S.C. § 1034 Prohibition of Retaliatory 

Personnel Actions; 10 U.S.C. § 275 Defense Instruction; 10 U.S.C. § 271-255 Chapter 15; 18 

U.S.C. Sexual Harassment and Misconduct; 18 U.S.C. § 798 Disclosure of Classified 

Information; 18 U.S.C. § 1385 Posse Comitatus Act; 29 U.S.C. § 102 Public Policy in Labor 

Matters; 29 U.S.C. § 178; 29 U.S.C. § 158; 19 U.S.C. §§201-209 Fair Labor Act; 29 U.S.C. § 663 

Labor Management Relations. Id. at 21-25. Defendant seeks 6.6 million dollars in punitive 

damages and $16,560.80 in lost wages. Id. at 27-28. 

Plaintiff’s complaint references several apparently disconnected events. For example, 

plaintiff alleges he was discriminated against on the basis of sexual orientation and gender and 

was sexually harassed while visiting the Travis Air Force Base visitors center, in violation of the 

Posse Comitatus Act. Id. at 31. Plaintiff also alleges that several defendants violated laws 

against him as a result of a contract dispute. Id. at 32. Plaintiff also alleges violations of law 

committed against him when he worked on the Air Force base for defendant contractor People 

Ready. Id. at 34-36. Plaintiff alleges that Patrick Beharelle, acting as President of Defendant 

True Blue Inc., breached his fiduciary duty to plaintiff and violated Title VII of the Civil Rights 

Act by choosing not to remedy plaintiff’s suspension for one year. Id. at 42. The complaint does 

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not contain clear factual statements regarding any discrete event, nor does it explain how the 

various referenced events are connected. 

III. Analysis 

1. Plaintiff’s Claims Fail Under Fed. R. Civ. P. 8 

The substance of plaintiff’s complaint is obscured by the sheer volume of claims and 

defendants. The court finds the allegations in plaintiff’s complaint so vague and conclusory that 

it is unable to determine whether the current action is frivolous or fails to state a claim for relief. 

The undersigned has determined that the complaint does not contain a short and plain statement 

as required by Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a)(2). Although the Federal Rules adopt a flexible pleading 

policy, a complaint must give fair notice and state facts supporting the elements of the claim 

plainly and succinctly. Jones v. Cmty. Redevelopment Agency of City of Los Angeles, 733 F.2d 

646, 649 (9th Cir. 1984). Plaintiff must allege with at least some degree of particularity acts 

which defendants engaged in that support plaintiff’s claim. Id. 

2. Plaintiff Cannot Bring Criminal Causes of Action 

 Plaintiff is informed that he cannot seek relief under criminal statutes; his claims under 

Title 18, the criminal code, cannot proceed. “Criminal proceedings, unlike private civil 

proceedings, are public acts initiated and controlled by the Executive Branch.” Clinton v. Jones, 

520 U.S. 681, 718 (1997). Accordingly, Title 18 of the United States Code does not establish any 

private right of action and cannot support a civil lawsuit. See Aldabe v. Aldabe, 616 F.2d 1089, 

1092 (9th Cir. 1980) (criminal provisions provide no basis for civil liability). Plaintiff therefore 

cannot pursue several of the claims presented in the complaint, which are predicated on alleged 

violations of the criminal code. 

3. Plaintiff Improperly Joins Claims and Defendants 

Plaintiff’s complaint contains numerous, apparently disconnected defendants and events. 

Plaintiff may join multiple claims in a single lawsuit if they are all against a single defendant. 

Fed. R. Civ. P. 18(a). He may also join multiple defendants if the claims against them arise from 

the same transaction, occurrence, or series of transactions or occurrences and there is a question 

of law or fact common to all defendants. Fed. R. Civ. P. 20(a)(2). In other words, plaintiff can 

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make as many claims against a single defendant as he wants, but if he wants to bring claims 

against more than one defendant, the claims against the defendants must be related to each other. 

4. Plaintiff Can Not State a Claim under the Posse Comitatus Act 

Posse comitatus (literally ‘power of the country’) [“PCA”] was 

defined at common law as all those over the age of 15 upon whom a 

sheriff could call for assistance in preventing any type of civil 

disorder. See H.R.Rep. No. 97–71, pt. 2, at 4 (1981) (citing 1 

William Blackstone, Commentaries 343–44). In 1878, Congress 

codified a prohibition on the use of the military in civilian law 

enforcement activities by enacting the PCA. See Act of June 18, 

1878, ch. 263, 20 Stat. 152 (1878) (current version at 18 U.S.C. § 

1385). 

United States v. Dreyer, 804 F.3d 1266, 1272 (9th Cir. 2015). “The PCA is a criminal statute. It 

does not authorize a civil cause of action.” Panagacos v. Towery, 782 F. Supp. 2d 1183, 1190 

(W.D. Wash. 2011), aff'd, 501 F. App'x 620 (9th Cir. 2012). Because there is no civil cause of 

action available under the PCA, plaintiff’s PCA claim cannot move forward. 

5. Plaintiff Does Not a Title VII Claim 

The complaint does not allege sufficient facts to support a Title VII claim of sex 

discrimination or harassment. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e, et 

seq. prohibits employers from discriminating against employees on the basis of “race, color, 

religion, sex, or national origin.” See 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-2(a). To establish a prima facie case of 

disparate treatment discrimination under Title VII, a plaintiff must show that he (1) is a member 

of a protected class; (2) was qualified for and was performing his job satisfactorily; (3) 

experienced an adverse employment action; and that (4) similarly situated persons outside his 

protected class were treated more favorably, or other circumstances surrounding the adverse 

employment action give rise to an inference of discrimination. Hawn v. Exec. Jet Mgmt., Inc., 

615 F.3d 1151, 1156 (9th Cir. 2010). 

As relevant to plaintiff’s potential sexual harassment claim, the creation of a “hostile work 

environment” through harassment is another form of prohibited discrimination under Title VII. 

Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Servs., Inc., 523 U.S. 75, 78 (1998); Meritor Sav. Bank, FSB v. 

Vinson, 477 U.S. 57, 64–65 (1986). “A hostile work environment claim involves a workplace 

atmosphere so discriminatory and abusive that it unreasonably interferes with the job 

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performance of those harassed.” Brooks v. City of San Mateo, 229 F.3d 917, 923 (9th Cir. 2000). 

“To prevail on a hostile workplace claim premised on...sex, a plaintiff must show: (1) that he was 

subjected to verbal or physical conduct of a...sexual nature; (2) that the conduct was unwelcome; 

and (3) that the conduct was sufficiently severe or pervasive to alter the conditions of the 

plaintiff’s employment and create an abusive work environment.” Vasquez v. Cty. of Los 

Angeles, 349 F.3d 634, 642 (9th Cir. 2003), as amended (Jan. 2, 2004), as amended (Jan. 2, 

2004), as amended (Jan. 2, 2004). “The working environment must both subjectively and 

objectively be perceived as abusive.” Brooks, 229 F.3d at 923–24 (noting frequency, severity, 

and level of interference with work performance as factors “particularly relevant to the inquiry”). 

Plaintiff’s vague, conclusory, and extremely limited allegations do not state a claim for 

relief under Title VII. In order to state a Title VII claim that is suitable to proceed, plaintiff must 

state facts supporting the above elements of a claim. 

6. Plaintiff Does Not State a Claim for Breach of Fiduciary Duty 

 To state a claim for breach of fiduciary duty, a plaintiff must allege facts showing: (1) the 

existence of a fiduciary relationship; (2) the breach of that relationship; and (3) damage 

proximately caused by the breach. Roberts v. Lomanto, 112 Cal. App. 4th 1553, 1562 (2003). In 

California, some employees may owe a fiduciary duty to their employer: “[a]s long as the officer 

has some discretion in managing the corporation, he or she is a fiduciary of the organization. But 

a nominal officer with no management control is not a fiduciary of the organization.” Nat’l 

Union Fire Ins. Co. of Pittsburgh PA, v. Shores, No. 1:19-cv-01113-NONE-SAB, 2020 WL 

2937801, at *6 (E.D. Cal. June 3, 2020) (internal citations omitted). The court is unaware of any 

law that holds the reverse: that an employer has any kind of general fiduciary duty to an 

employee. Plaintiff’s alleges that his former employer breached a fiduciary duty owed to him, but 

he does not provide any facts explaining why a fiduciary duty was owed, or exactly how the duty 

was breached. Thus, the complaint provides insufficient facts to state a fiduciary duty claim. 

7. Amendment 

 For the reasons explained above, the complaint is subject to summary dismissal under 28 

U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2) for failure to state a claim upon which relief may be granted. Rather than 

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recommend dismissal of the action, however, the undersigned will grant plaintiff leave to amend 

his complaint. 

 If plaintiff chooses to amend, he must set forth the jurisdictional grounds upon which the 

court’s jurisdiction depends, and set forth his facts and causes of action plainly and clearly in 

numbered paragraphs. Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a). Plaintiff must separately state each legal claim, and 

provide factual support for each claim, including who did what, and how that action violated the 

law. Plaintiff should only bring causes of action that are related to one another, as described 

above. 

In addition, plaintiff is informed that the court cannot refer to a prior pleading in order to 

make plaintiff’s amended complaint complete. Local Rule 220 requires that an amended 

complaint be complete in itself without reference to any prior pleading. Once plaintiff files an 

amended complaint, the original pleading no longer serves any function in the case. Therefore, in 

an amended complaint, as in an original complaint, each claim and the involvement of each 

defendant must be sufficiently alleged. 

Plaintiff is informed that if an amended complaint contains claims based on criminal 

statutes or on the Posse Comitatus Act, the undersigned will recommend that those claims be 

dismissed with prejudice. These claims cannot be cured by amendment. Claims under Title VII 

or any state law theory of relief, including breach of fiduciary duty, must include factual 

allegations that demonstrate each element of each defendant’s liability. Only claims that are 

properly joined will be allowed to proceed. 

IV. Pro Se Plaintiff’s Summary 

 Your complaint cannot be served because it does not give facts supporting any legal 

claims, and it makes some claims that cannot be brought. You cannot bring any criminal causes 

of action or a cause of action under the Posse Comitatus Act. In order to move forward with your 

other claims, you need to provide an amended complaint with clear facts to support each claim, 

including who did what, and how that action violated the law. Your amended complaint should 

only bring claims that are related to one another. You are being given a 30 days to amend your 

complaint. If you do not do so within 30 days, this case will be dismissed. 

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V. Conclusion 

 In accordance with the above, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that: 

 1. Plaintiff’s request to proceed in forma pauperis (ECF No. 2) is granted; 

 2. Plaintiff’s complaint (ECF No. 1) is found on screening not to state any claim on which 

relief may be granted; and 

 3. Plaintiff is granted thirty days from the date of service of this order to file an amended 

complaint that complies with the requirements of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, and the 

Local Rules of Practice; the amended complaint must bear the docket number assigned this case 

and must be labeled “Amended Complaint”; plaintiff must file an original and two copies of the 

amended complaint; failure to file an amended complaint in accordance with this order will result 

in a recommendation that this action be dismissed. 

DATED: June 16, 2020 

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