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

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Case No. 19-cv-03756 NC (PR) 

ORDER OF SERVICE 

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United States District Court 

Northern District of Californi

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

DONALD D. JEFFERY, 

Plaintiff, 

v. 

J. BENEFIELD, et al., 

 Defendants. 

Case No. 19-cv-03756 NC (PR) 

ORDER OF SERVICE

 Plaintiff, a prisoner proceeding pro se, filed a civil rights complaint, pursuant to 42 

U.S.C. § 1983. The Court granted Plaintiff’s motion to proceed in forma pauperis, see

Dkt. No. 5, and dismissed his complaint with leave to amend, see Dkt. No. 6. Plaintiff 

timely filed an amended complaint, see Dkt. No. 7, which the Court now reviews. For the 

reasons that follow, the Court orders service of the amended complaint upon Defendants. 

BACKGROUND

I. Legal Standard 

 A federal court must engage in a preliminary screening of any case in which a 

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

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

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

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

immune from such relief. 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(b)(1),(2). Pro se pleadings must be liberally 

construed. See Balistreri v. Pacifica Police Dep’t, 901 F.2d 696, 699 (9th Cir. 1990). 

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

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

(2) that the violation was committed by a person acting under the color of state law. See 

West v. Atkins, 487 U.S. 42, 48 (1988). 

II. Plaintiff’s Claims 

 Liberally construing Plaintiff’s complaint, Plaintiff has stated cognizable claims that 

(1) he was retaliated against by Defendant Benefield in violation of the First Amendment, 

with the assistance of Defendants Quintero and Garcia, and that (2) Defendant Benefield 

publicized Plaintiff’s sex offense in violation of the Eighth Amendment. 

CONCLUSION 

 1. The Clerk of the Court shall mail a Notice of Lawsuit and Request for 

Waiver of Service of Summons, two copies of the Waiver of Service of Summons, a copy 

of the amended complaint and all attachments thereto, a magistrate judge jurisdiction 

consent form, and a copy of this order to Defendants J. Benefield, R. Quintero, and P. 

Garcia, correctional officers at Salinas Valley State Prison. The Clerk of the Court shall 

also mail a courtesy copy of the amended complaint and a copy of this order to the 

California Attorney General’s Office. Additionally, the Clerk shall mail a copy of this 

order to Plaintiff. 

 2. Defendants are cautioned that Rule 4 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 

requires them to cooperate in saving unnecessary costs of service of the summons and 

amended complaint. Pursuant to Rule 4, if Defendants, after being notified of this action 

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and asked by the Court, on behalf of Plaintiff, to waive service of the summons, fail to do 

so, they will be required to bear the cost of such service unless good cause be shown for 

their failure to sign and return the waiver form. If service is waived, Defendants will be 

required to serve and file an answer within sixty (60) days from the date on which the 

request for waiver was sent to them. Defendants are asked to read the statement set forth 

at the bottom of the waiver form that more completely describes the duties of the parties 

with regard to waiver of service of the summons. If service is waived after the date 

provided in the Notice but before Defendants have been personally served, the Answer 

shall be due sixty (60) days from the date on which the request for waiver was sent or 

twenty (20) days from the date the waiver form is filed, whichever is later. 

 3. No later than sixty (60) days from the date the waivers are sent from the 

Court, Defendants shall file a dispositive motion, such as a motion to dismiss or a motion 

for summary judgment, with respect to the cognizable claims in the amended complaint, 

raising any merits challenges or affirmative defenses they may have to those claims. At 

that time, Defendants shall also submit the magistrate judge jurisdiction consent form. 

Any motion for summary judgment shall be supported by adequate factual documentation 

and shall conform in all respects to Rule 56 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. A 

motion for summary judgment also must be accompanied by a Rand notice so that Plaintiff 

will have fair, timely and adequate notice of what is required of him in order to oppose the 

motion. Woods v. Carey, 684 F.3d 934, 939 (9th Cir. 2012) (notice requirement set out in 

Rand v. Rowland, 154 F.3d 952 (9th Cir. 1998), must be served concurrently with motion 

for summary judgment). Defendants are advised that summary judgment cannot be 

granted, nor qualified immunity found, if material facts are in dispute. If Defendants are of 

the opinion that this case cannot be resolved by summary judgment, they shall so inform 

the Court prior to the date the summary judgment motion is due. 

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 4. Plaintiff’s opposition to the dispositive motion shall be filed with the Court 

and served on Defendants no later than twenty-eight (28) days from the date Defendants’ 

motion is filed. Plaintiff is advised to read Rule 56 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 

and Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317 (1986) (holding party opposing summary 

judgment must come forward with evidence showing triable issues of material fact on 

every essential element of his claim). 

 5. Defendants shall file a reply brief no later than fourteen (14) days after 

Plaintiff’s opposition is filed. 

 6. All communications by Plaintiff with the Court must be served on 

Defendants or Defendants’ counsel once counsel has been designated, by mailing a true 

copy of the document to Defendant or Defendants’ counsel. 

 7. Discovery may be taken in accordance with the Federal Rules of Civil 

Procedure. No further court order under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 30(a)(2) is 

required before the parties may conduct discovery. 

 8. It is Plaintiff’s responsibility to prosecute this case. Plaintiff must keep the 

Court informed of any change of address by filing a separate paper with the Clerk headed 

“Notice of Change of Address.” He also must comply with the Court’s orders in a timely 

fashion. Failure to do so may result in the dismissal of this action for failure to prosecute 

pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 41(b). 

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

DATED: August 29, 2019 

 NATHANAEL M. COUSINS 

 United States Magistrate Judge 

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