Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_18-cv-01227/USCOURTS-caed-2_18-cv-01227-6/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 550
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Civil Rights (U.S. defendant)
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Prisoner Civil Rights

---

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

1

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

DONNY STEWARD,

Plaintiff,

v.

LYNCH, et al.,

Defendants.

No. 2: 18-cv-1227 KJM KJN P

ORDER

Plaintiff is a state prisoner, proceeding without counsel, with a civil rights action pursuant 

to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Pending before the court plaintiff’s motions for a preliminary injunction. 

(ECF Nos. 33 & 34.) For the reasons stated herein, the undersigned orders briefing on plaintiff’s 

motions. 

Background

On March 23, 2020, plaintiff’s amended complaint was dismissed, and plaintiff was 

granted sixty days in which to file a second amended complaint. Thus, no operative pleading is 

on file, and no defendant has yet been served with process. 

Plaintiff states he did not receive the order until April 2, 2020. (ECF No. 33 at 1.) 

Plaintiff’s Motions

Plaintiff avers that on March 9, 2020, he was transferred from Kern Valley State Prison

(“KVSP”) to the California Health Care Facility (“CHCF”) initially on a “treat and return” basis. 

Case 2:18-cv-01227-KJM-KJN Document 35 Filed 04/22/20 Page 1 of 3
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

2

However, plaintiff’s primary care physician Dr. Singh at CHCF has advised plaintiff that his 

return to KVSP depends on plaintiff’s health, and may be permanent. (ECF Nos. 33 at 2; 34 at 2.) 

Plaintiff has been housed at CHCF since March 9, 2020, and neither his hypertension nor his 

heart problems have been normalized. (ECF No. 33 at 2.) Plaintiff contends his legal property 

should have been transferred with him, but that it was retained at KVSP receiving and release. In 

addition to the deadline set in this case, plaintiff states that he has orders from the Ninth Circuit 

Court of Appeal and two other civil complaints with fourteen and thirty day deadlines to reply. 

(ECF No. 33 at 2.) Plaintiff cannot comply with such deadlines without access to his legal 

property. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, plaintiff has no access to the prison law library.

In addition, plaintiff filed an emergency appeal concerning his legal property on March 

10, 2020, but the due date for the administrative appeal response is April 24, 2020. 

The All Writs Act

Under the All Writs Act, federal courts “may issue all writs necessary or appropriate in 

aid of their respective jurisdictions and agreeable to the usages and principles of law.” 28 U.S.C. 

§ 1651(a). “The power conferred by the Act extends, under appropriate circumstances, to persons 

who, though not parties to the original action or engaged in wrongdoing, are in a position to 

frustrate the implementation of a court order or the proper administration of justice, and 

encompasses even those who have not taken any affirmative action to hinder justice.” United 

States v. New York Tel. Co., 434 U.S. 159, 174 (1977) (footnote and citations omitted). 

Discussion

In light of plaintiff’s alleged inability to meet court deadlines absent receipt of his legal 

property, particularly when faced with no access to the prison law library due to the current 

COVID-19 pandemic, the court directs Supervising Deputy Attorney General Monica Anderson 

to address plaintiff’s motions for injunctive relief.

Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:

1. Within fourteen days from the date of this order, Supervising Deputy Attorney General 

Monica Anderson shall address plaintiff’s motions for injunctive relief (ECF Nos. 33 & 34)

concerning return of his legal materials; and

Case 2:18-cv-01227-KJM-KJN Document 35 Filed 04/22/20 Page 2 of 3
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

3

2. The Clerk of the Court is directed to serve this order and a copy of plaintiff’s motions 

(ECF Nos. 33 & 34) on Supervising Deputy Attorney General Monica Anderson.

Dated: April 22, 2020

/stew1227.fb

Case 2:18-cv-01227-KJM-KJN Document 35 Filed 04/22/20 Page 3 of 3