Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-4_14-cv-02216/USCOURTS-cand-4_14-cv-02216-7/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

Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

TIMOTHY J. HANNA,

Plaintiff,

v.

MICHAEL A. LITTLE,

Defendant.

Case No. 14-cv-02216-HSG (PR) 

SECOND ORDER OF SERVICE ON

DEFENDANT MICHAEL A. LITTLE

Plaintiff, an inmate at the Correctional Training Facility, filed this pro se civil rights action 

under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against staff and officials at San Quentin State Prison (“SQSP”), where he 

was previously incarcerated. On May 13, 2015, the Court screened plaintiff’s third amended 

complaint (“TAC”), found that it stated a cognizable Eighth Amendment claim of deliberate 

indifference to safety as against SQSP Correctional Officer Little, and ordered him served. 

Docket No. 27.

On June 1, 2015, the summons for defendant Little was returned unexecuted with the 

following remark: “Dismissed from state service. No forwarding address.” Docket No. 31. 

Accordingly, the Court ordered plaintiff to either effectuate service on defendant Little or provide 

the Court with Little’s current location so that the Marshal could effectuate service. Docket No. 

32.

On July 21, 2015, plaintiff notified the Court that he was unable to obtain a current address 

for defendant Little and requested the Court’s assistance. Docket No. 35. The Court thereafter 

issued an order requesting the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (“CDCR”)

to provide under seal any forwarding address information available with respect to defendant 

Little. Docket No. 36. On September 4, 2015, the Court received a letter from defendant, 

Case 4:14-cv-02216-HSG Document 41 Filed 10/13/15 Page 1 of 3
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United States District Court

Northern District of California

identifying his full name as Michael A. Little. Docket No. 40. The letter is dated August 24, 2015 

and states in full, “I Michael A. Little do not consent to the release of any and all personal 

information to convicted felons from the state of California or their representatives.” Id. The 

letter bears no return address, but the heading reads:

San Quentin State Prison

California Department of Corrections

The Court also notes that, on August 28, 2015, a representative of the United States 

Marshal’s Service communicated to court staff that he was informed by the CDCR that the CDCR 

will no longer provide forwarding addresses for peace officers that have left CDCR. According to 

the Marshal’s representative, he was informed that the new policy is meant to comply with the 

Public Safety Officers Bill of Rights. 

Regarding Mr. Little’s August 24, 2015 letter, the Court never ordered release of Mr. 

Little’s personal information to plaintiff. Rather, the Court specifically directed the CDCR to 

provide Mr. Little’s forwarding address to the Court, under seal. See Dkt. No. 36. Regarding 

the CDCR’s representation that it cannot provide forwarding addresses, the Court has reviewed 

the Public Safety Officers Bill of Rights, Cal. Gov’t. Code §§ 3300-3313, and notes that there is 

no provision preventing the CDCR from providing the Court with forwarding addresses for former 

employees.

In the typical case, where a defendant is still employed at a prison, the United States

Marshal mails service papers to the prison to be distributed to the defendant by the prison’s 

litigation coordination office. It is apparent from Mr. Little’s letter that the CDCR has location 

information for Mr. Little and indeed has contacted him regarding this litigation. In order to 

balance Mr. Little’s privacy interests with plaintiff’s right to pursue his claims, the Court will 

order the United States Marshal to re-serve Mr. Little at the CDCR’s Office of Legal Affairs and 

will order the CDCR to deliver the complaint and summons to Mr. Little. This comports with the 

service protocol for the typical pro se prisoner case, particularly here where defendant Little is still 

identifying with the CDCR and with SQSP via his letterhead. 

Accordingly, the Clerk shall reissue summons, and the United States Marshal shall serve,

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United States District Court

Northern District of California

without prepayment of fees, a copy of the TAC (Dkt. No. 28), a copy of the Court’s May 13, 2015 

order of service (Dkt. No. 27), and a copy of this order upon Michael A. Little at the CDCR’s 

Office of Legal Affairs, P.O. Box 942883, Sacramento, California, 94283-0001. Upon receipt of 

these documents, the CDCR is directed to deliver the documents to Mr. Little either in person or at 

his current forwarding address.

In addition, the Clerk shall send a courtesy copy of this order to the California Attorney 

General’s Office as well as to the SQSP Litigation Coordinator. Within thirty-five (35) days of 

this order, the California Attorney General’s Office shall inform the Court whether defendant has 

been served and whether they will represent defendant in this action. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated:

______________________________________

HAYWOOD S. GILLIAM, JR.

United States District Judge

10/13/2015

Case 4:14-cv-02216-HSG Document 41 Filed 10/13/15 Page 3 of 3