Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_12-cv-01773/USCOURTS-casd-3_12-cv-01773-1/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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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

RUBEN MIJEL CHAVIRA,

CDCR #F-33253,

Civil No. 12cv1773 JLS (WVG)

Plaintiff,

ORDER DISMISSING CIVIL

ACTION AS FRIVOLOUS

PURSUANT TO 28 U.S.C.

§ 1915A(b)(1) AND DENYING

MOTION TO PROCEED 

IN FORMA PAUPERIS

AS MOOT

(ECF No. 6)

vs.

D.W. BELL,

Defendant.

Ruben Mijel Chavira (“Plaintiff”), currently incarcerated at Kern Valley State Prison

located in Delano, California, and proceeding pro se, initially submitted a civil rights

Complaint pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1983 in the Northern District of California. (Compl.,

ECF No. 1) U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilkin determined that venue was proper in the

Southern District of California and transferred the matter on July 17, 2012. (See Transfer

Order, ECF No. 3) Plaintiff has not prepaid the $350 filing fee mandated by 28 U.S.C.

§ 1914(a); instead, he has filed a Motion to Proceed In Forma Pauperis (“IFP”) pursuant to

28 U.S.C. § 1915(a). (IFP Mot., ECF No. 6) 

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I. Sua Sponte Screening Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(b)

As amended by The Prison Litigation Reform Act, 28 U.S.C. § 1915A obligates the

Court to review complaints filed by anyone “incarcerated or detained in any facility who is

accused of, sentenced for, or adjudicated delinquent for, violations of criminal law or the

terms or conditions of parole, probation, pretrial release, or diversionary program,” “as soon

as practicable after docketing” and regardless of whether the prisoner prepays filing fees or

moves to proceed IFP. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(a), (c). The Court must sua sponte dismiss

prisoner complaints, or any portions thereof, which are frivolous, malicious, or fail to state a

claim upon which relief may be granted. 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(b); Rhodes v. Robinson, 621

F.3d 1002, 1004 (9th Cir. 2010).

 Plaintiff’s Complaint is subject to sua sponte dismissal pursuant to 28 U.S.C.

§ 1915A(b)(1) because it is duplicative of a Complaint he has already filed in another civil

action. Indeed, Plaintiff’s Complaint contains identical allegations against the same

defendants already brought before U.S. District Judge Dana M. Sabraw in Chavira v. Bell,

S.D. Cal. Civil Case No. 11cv2858 DMS (RBB). A court “‘may take notice of proceedings

in other courts, both within and without the federal judicial system, if those proceedings have

a direct relation to matters at issue.’” Bias v. Moynihan, 508 F.3d 1212, 1225 (9th Cir. 2007)

(quoting Bennett v. Medtronic, Inc., 285 F.3d 801, 803 n.2 (9th Cir. 2002)).

A prisoner’s complaint is considered frivolous under 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(b)(1) if it

“merely repeats pending or previously litigated claims.” Cato v. United States, 70 F.3d

1103, 1105 n.2 (9th Cir. 1995) (construing former 28 U.S.C. § 1915(d)) (internal quotations

omitted) (citations omitted). Thus, because Plaintiff has already filed the same Complaint he

has filed in this action in Chavira v. Bell, S.D. Cal. Civil Case No. 11cv2858 DMS (RBB),

the Court hereby DISMISSES S.D. Cal. Civil Case No. 12cv1773 JLS (WVG) pursuant to

28 U.S.C. § 1915A(b)(1). See Cato, 70 F.3d at 1105 n.2; Rhodes, 621 F.3d at 1004.

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II. Conclusion and Order

 Good cause appearing, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:

Plaintiff’s Complaint in Civil Case No. 12cv1773 JLS (WVG) is DISMISSED as

frivolous pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(b)(1) and Plaintiff’s Motion to Proceed IFP (ECF

No. 6) is DENIED as moot. The Clerk shall close the file.

DATED: August 20, 2012

Honorable Janis L. Sammartino

United States District Judge

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