Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_24-cv-02330/USCOURTS-azd-2_24-cv-02330-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 530
Nature of Suit: Prisoner Petitions - Habeas Corpus
Cause of Action: 28:2241 Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus (Federal)

---

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

JL

WO

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Michael Justin Winders,

Petitioner, 

v. 

Jason Gunther,

Respondent.

No. CV-24-02330-PHX-JAT (ESW)

ORDER

On September 5, 2024, Petitioner Michael Justin Winders, who was then confined 

in the Federal Correctional Institution-Phoenix, filed a pro se Petition for Writ of Habeas 

Corpus pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2241 (Doc. 1). Petitioner did not pay the $5.00 filing fee 

or file an Application to Proceed In Forma Pauperis. In an October 31, 2024 Order, the 

Court gave Petitioner 30 days to pay the filing fee or file an Application to Proceed In 

Forma Pauperis. That same day, the Clerk of Court mailed the Order to Petitioner at his 

address of record. On November 14, 2024, the mail sent to Petitioner was returned as 

undeliverable. Petitioner has not filed a Notice of Change of Address or otherwise 

informed the Court of his whereabouts, and he has not complied with the October 31, 2024 

Order. 

Rule 41(b) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure allows the Court to dismiss an 

action for failure to prosecute, failure to comply with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, 

failure to comply with the Court’s local rules, or failure to comply with the Court’s orders. 

See Fed. R. Civ. P. 41(b); Link v. Wabash R.R. Co., 370 U.S. 626, 629-30 (1962) (a court’s 

Case 2:24-cv-02330-JAT--ESW Document 6 Filed 12/17/24 Page 1 of 2
- 2 -

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

authority to dismiss for lack of prosecution is necessary to prevent undue delays in the 

disposition of pending cases and to avoid congestion in the calendars of the district courts); 

Hells Canyon Pres. Council v. United States Forest Serv., 403 F.3d 683, 689 (9th Cir. 

2005) (court may dismiss under Rule 41(b) for failure to prosecute or comply with rules of 

civil procedure or the court’s orders); Ferdik v. Bonzelet, 963 F.2d 1258, 1260 (9th Cir. 

1992) (a district court may dismiss an action for failure to comply with any order of the 

court).

Here, Petitioner’s failure to inform the Court of his whereabouts constitutes a failure 

to prosecute, see Carey v. King, 856 F.2d 1439, 1441 (9th Cir. 1988), and he has failed to 

comply with the Court’s Orders. The Court will therefore dismiss the Petition and this 

action without prejudice pursuant to Rule 41(b).

IT IS ORDERED that the Petition (Doc. 1) and this action are dismissed without 

prejudice pursuant to Rule 41(b) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. The Clerk of 

Court must enter Judgment accordingly and close this case.

Dated this 17th day of December, 2024.

Case 2:24-cv-02330-JAT--ESW Document 6 Filed 12/17/24 Page 2 of 2