Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_05-cv-02260/USCOURTS-azd-2_05-cv-02260-0/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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When Plaintiff filed the Complaint, he was confined in the Maricopa County Durango Jail

in Phoenix, Arizona.

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Many former inmates apparently believe that they will receive an immediate payout from

a fund established in Hart v. Hill, No. CV 77-0479-PHX-EHC (MS) (D. Ariz.). No such fund exists.

The inmates in Hart asked for injunctive relief and not monetary damages. The Court at this time

expresses no opinion on whether Plaintiff’s lawsuit may result in an award of damages. 

TERMPSREF - 1 -

WO RP

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Ernesto Ortiz-Mesa,

Plaintiff, 

vs.

Joseph M. Arpaio, 

Defendant. 

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No. CV-05-2260-PHX-SMM (DKD)

ORDER

 On July 27, 2005, Plaintiff Ernesto Ortiz-Mesa, confined under Arizona Department of

Corrections custody in the Diamondback Correctional Facility in Watonga, Oklahoma, filed

an unsigned pro se civil rights Complaint pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 (Doc. #1) and an

Application To Proceed In Forma Pauperis.

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 This action is one of more than 1,000 lawsuits

filed in this district since September 2004 alleging that the overcrowded conditions in the

Maricopa County jail system have resulted in a variety of constitutional violations.2

 The

Court will require an answer to the Complaint.

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I. Unsigned Complaint

Because Plaintiff's Complaint was unsigned, the Court, by Order filed August 23, 2005

(Doc. #4), gave Plaintiff 30 days to either: (1) file a completed and signed Certificate, using

the form included with the Order, certifying that Plaintiff’s signature on the Certificate shall

serve as an original signature on his Complaint for the purposes of Rules 7.1(b)(1) and 3.4(a)

of the Local Rules of Civil Procedure (LRCiv) and Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil

Procedure or (2) file an amended complaint that contained Plaintiff’s original signature. 

On September 15, 2005, Plaintiff filed a signed Certificate (Doc. #5). Accordingly, the

Court will proceed to review the Complaint.

II. Application to Proceed In Forma Pauperis and Filing Fee

Plaintiff’s Application to Proceed In Forma Pauperis will be granted. 28 U.S.C.

§ 1915(a). Plaintiff must pay the statutory filing fee of $250.00. Plaintiff is assessed an

initial partial filing fee of $22.69. The remainder of the fee will be collected monthly in

payments of 20% of the previous month’s income each time the amount in the account

exceeds $10.00. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(2). The Court will enter a separate Order requiring the

appropriate government agency to collect the fees according to the statutory formula. 

III. Statutory Screening of Prisoner Complaints

The Court is required to screen complaints brought by prisoners seeking relief against a

governmental entity or officer or employee of a governmental entity. 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(a).

The Court must dismiss a complaint or portion thereof if a plaintiff has raised claims that are

legally frivolous or malicious, that fail to state a claim upon which relief may be granted, or

that seek monetary relief from a defendant who is immune from such relief. 28 U.S.C. §

1915A(b)(1), (2). 

IV. Complaint

Plaintiff alleges three counts in his Complaint. 

Named as Defendant in the Complaint is Joseph M. Arpaio, Maricopa County Sheriff. 

Plaintiff seeks correction of unlawful conditions, contempt sanctions, general and

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equitable relief, and compensatory and punitive monetary damages.

 In Count I of the Complaint, Plaintiff claims that his Eighth Amendment rights are being

violated by overcrowded living conditions. 

In Count II of the Complaint, Plaintiff claims that his Eighth Amendment rights are being

violated by a lack of recreation.

In Count III of the Complaint, Plaintiff claims that his Eighth Amendment rights are being

violated by the overcooked and inadequate food that he is fed. 

These allegations adequately state a claim, and the Court will require Defendant Joseph

M. Arpaio to answer the Complaint.

V. Warnings

A. Release

Plaintiff must pay the unpaid balance of the filing fee within 120 days of his release. Also,

within 30 days of his release, he must either (1) notify the Court that he intends to pay the

balance or (2) show good cause, in writing, why he cannot. Failure to comply may result in

dismissal.

B. Address Changes

Plaintiff must file and serve a notice of a change of address 10 days before the move is

effective, if practicable. See LRCiv 83.3(d). Plaintiff may not include a motion for other

relief with a notice of change of address. Failure to comply may result in dismissal.

C. Copies

Plaintiff must serve Defendants, or counsel if an appearance has been entered, a copy of

every document that he files. Fed. R. Civ. P. 5(a). Each filing must be accompanied by a

certificate stating that a copy of the filing was served. Fed. R. Civ. P. 5(d). Also, Plaintiff

must submit an additional copy of every filing for use by the Court. LRCiv 5.4. The Court

may strike any filing that fails to comply with these requirements.

D. Possible Dismissal

If Plaintiff fails to timely comply with every provision of this Order, including these

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warnings, the Court may dismiss this action without further notice. See Ferdik v. Bonzelet,

963 F.2d 1258, 1260-61 (9th Cir. 1992) (a district court may dismiss an action for failure to

comply with any order of the Court).

IT IS ORDERED: 

(1) Plaintiff’s Application to Proceed In Forma Pauperis, filed with the Complaint, is

granted pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(1).

(2) As required by the accompanying Order to the appropriate government agency,

Plaintiff must pay the $250.00 filing fee. Plaintiff is assessed an initial partial filing fee of

$22.69.

(3) The Clerk of Court must send Plaintiff a service packet including the Complaint

(Doc. #1), this Order, and both summons and request for waiver forms for Defendant Joseph

M. Arpaio.

(4) Plaintiff must complete and return the service packet to the Clerk of Court within 20

days of the date of filing of this Order. The United States Marshal will not provide service

of process if Plaintiff fails to comply with this Order.

(5) If Plaintiff does not either obtain a waiver of service of the summons or complete

service of the Summons and Complaint on Defendant within 120 days of the filing of the

Complaint or within 60 days of the filing of this Order, whichever is later, the action may be

dismissed as to Defendant not served pursuant to Rule 4(m) of the Federal Rules of Civil

Procedure and Local Rule of Civil Procedure 16.2(b)(2)(B)(i). 

(6) The United States Marshal shall retain the Summons, a copy of the Complaint, and

a copy of this Order for future use.

(7) The United States Marshal shall notify Defendant Joseph M. Arpaio of the

commencement of this action and request waiver of service of the summons pursuant to Rule

4(d) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. The notice to Defendant shall include a copy

of this Order. The Marshal must immediately file with the Court requests for waivers

returned as undeliverable or waivers of service of the summons. If a waiver of service of

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summons is not returned by Defendant within 30 days from the date the request for waiver

was sent by the Marshal, the Marshal must:

(a) Personally serve copies of the Summons, Complaint, and this Order upon

Defendant pursuant to Rule 4(e)(2) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure;

(b) Within 10 days after personal service is effected, file the return of service for

Defendant, along with evidence of the attempt to secure a waiver of service of the

summons and of the costs subsequently incurred in effecting service upon Defendant. The

costs of service must be enumerated on the return of service form (USM-285) and must

include the costs incurred by the Marshal for photocopying additional copies of the

Summons, Complaint, or this Order and for preparing new process receipt and return

forms (USM-285), if required. Costs of service will be taxed against the personally served

Defendant pursuant to Rule 4(d)(2) and (5) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, unless

otherwise ordered by the Court.

(8) If Defendant agrees to waive service of the Summons and Complaint, he must

return the signed waiver forms to the United States Marshal, not the Plaintiff.

(9) Defendant must answer the Complaint or otherwise respond by appropriate motion

within the time provided by the applicable provisions of Rule 12(a) of the Federal Rules of

Civil Procedure.

(10) This matter is referred to Magistrate Judge David K. Duncan pursuant to Rules 72.1

and 72.2 of the Local Rules of Civil Procedure for further proceedings.

DATED this 21st day of August, 2006.

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