Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-almd-3_15-cv-00165/USCOURTS-almd-3_15-cv-00165-4/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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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

FOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF ALABAMA

EASTERN DIVISION

HERMAN R. CORLEY, JR., #201 605, )

)

Plaintiff, )

)

v. ) CIVIL ACTION NO. 3:15-CV-165-CSC

) [WO]

SHERIFF HEATH TAYLOR, et al., )

)

Defendants. )

MEMORANDUM OPINION1

This pro se 42 U.S.C. § 1983 action was removed to his court on March 16, 2015. Plaintiff’s 

complaint challenged conditions of his confinement during his incarceration at the Russell County 

Jail. On March 23, 2015, the court entered an order of procedure directing Defendants to file an 

answer and written report to Plaintiff’s complaint. Doc. 2. That order also instructed Plaintiff to 

immediately inform the court and Defendants of any new address and cautioned him that failure 

to comply with this requirement would result in the dismissal of this case. Id. at 5, ¶8(h). 

It recently came to the court’s attention Plaintiff is no longer at the last address he provided 

for service. The court entered an order on January 31, 2017, requiring Plaintiff to show cause why 

his complaint should not be dismissed for his failure to keep the court apprised of his current

address as directed in the court’s March 23, 2015, order of procedure. Doc. 49. This order 

specifically advised Plaintiff this case could not proceed if his whereabouts remained unknown 

and cautioned him that his failure to comply with its directives would result in the dismissal of this 

complaint. Id. at 2. The postal service returned Plaintiff’s copy of this order on February 8, 2017, 

 1 Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(c), the parties have consented to entry of final judgment by the United States 

Magistrate Judge.

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marked as undeliverable. As of the present date, Plaintiff has not responded to the court’s show 

cause order nor provided the court with his current address. The undersigned, therefore, concludes 

this case is due to be dismissed.2

The court has reviewed the file to determine whether a measure less drastic than dismissal 

is appropriate. See Abreu-Velez v. Board of Regents of Univ. System of Georgia, 248 F. App’x 

116, 117-118 (11th Cir. 2007). After such review, the court finds dismissal is the proper course 

of action. In making this determination, the court notes Plaintiff has failed to provide the court 

with his current address as required by the orders entered in this case and has also failed to show 

cause why this case should not be dismissed for such failure. The foregoing suggests that any 

further effort by the court to secure Plaintiff’s compliance with its previous orders would be 

unavailing and reflects Plaintiff’s lack of interest in the continued prosecution of this case. This 

case cannot properly proceed in Plaintiff’s absence. 

In light of the foregoing, which evidences willful delay and/or contempt by Plaintiff, the 

court concludes his failure to comply with the orders of this court and his apparent abandonment 

of this case warrant dismissal. See Moon v. Newsome, 863 F.2d 835, 837 (11th Cir. 1989) (As a 

general rule, where a litigant has been forewarned, dismissal for failure to obey a court order is not 

an abuse of discretion.); see also Tanner v. Neal, 232 F. App’x 924 (11th Cir. 2007) (affirming

sua sponte dismissal without prejudice of inmate’s § 1983 action for his failure to comply with 

court’s prior order directing amendment and warning of consequences for failure to comply). 

 2 Although under no obligation to do so, the court undertook a search of the inmate database maintained by the 

Alabama Department of Corrections. Available at http://doc.state.al.us/InmateSearch. This search indicated 

Plaintiff is no longer incarcerated within the state prison system. 

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 A separate order follows.

Done this 13th day of February, 2017.

/s/Charles S. Coody

CHARLES S. COODY

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Case 3:15-cv-00165-CSC Document 50 Filed 02/13/17 Page 3 of 3