Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_23-cv-00618/USCOURTS-caed-2_23-cv-00618-7/pdf.json

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

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

JAMES KERN, 

Plaintiff, 

v. 

JIM COOPER, et al., 

Defendants. 

No. 2:23-cv-0618 AC P 

ORDER 

 Plaintiff is a county prisoner proceeding pro se with a civil rights action pursuant to 42 

U.S.C. § 1983. 

 By order filed November 8, 2023, the court screened the complaint and found that 

plaintiff had stated claims for relief against Does 1-3. ECF No. 12. The undersigned later 

granted plaintiff’s request for a subpoena form and service by the United States Marshal after 

plaintiff submitted evidence that the jail was refusing to provide him with the information 

regarding defendants’ identities without a subpoena. ECF No. 16. Plaintiff has now returned a 

completed subpoena form. ECF No. 18. However, the form is not properly completed, and 

plaintiff will be required to submit a properly completed form before the court will order service. 

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Case 2:23-cv-00618-WBS-AC Document 22 Filed 01/23/24 Page 1 of 4
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Plaintiff is advised that the subpoena must identify the person from whom he is seeking to 

compel documents and the address at which they can be served.1 Furthermore, in the “Place” and 

“Date and Time” sections of the subpoena, plaintiff should identify where the documents 

responsive to the request should be sent and the date by which a response is due.2 Plaintiff is 

advised that any deadline for responding to the subpoena must be reasonable (e.g., thirty days 

from service of the subpoena). The subpoena should also specify that plaintiff is seeking 

documentation identifying the defendants, along with any information he has regarding the 

defendants’ identities. This information can be provided as an attachment to the subpoena. 

 Plaintiff has also filed a request for instructions on how to move to substitute named 

defendants for the Doe defendants and any forms for doing so and a motion requesting assistance 

in obtaining a copy of his medical records, including the possible issuance of a subpoena. ECF 

nos. 17, 20. The court does not have forms for substituting a defendant and the request for such 

forms will be denied. Plaintiff is advised that once he identifies the Doe defendants, he should 

file a motion to substitute providing the defendants’ names and stating which Doe defendant he 

would like to substitute for each named defendant. With respect to plaintiff’s request for 

assistance obtaining his medical records, the request will be denied. The defendants have yet to 

be identified, and any discovery beyond that necessary to identify the defendants for service is 

premature at this stage. 

 Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that: 

1. The Clerk of the Court is directed to provide plaintiff with a signed but otherwise 

blank Subpoena to Produce Documents, Information, or Objects or to Permit Inspection of 

Premises in a Civil Action; 

2. Within twenty-one days from the service of this order, plaintiff shall complete the 

attached Notice of Submission of Documents and submit it to the court with the completed 

subpoena; 

1

 The subpoena returned by plaintiff identifies “The Clerk of the Court” as the person to whom 

the subpoena is directed. 

2

 The subpoena submitted by plaintiff appears to provide information related to identifying 

defendants in these sections. 

Case 2:23-cv-00618-WBS-AC Document 22 Filed 01/23/24 Page 2 of 4
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3. Plaintiff’s request for instructions on how to substitute named defendants and the 

applicable forms (ECF No. 17) is GRANTED to the extent clarification has been provided above 

and is otherwise DENIED; and 

4. Plaintiff’s motion for assistance with discovery or service of a subpoena for medical 

records (ECF No. 20) is DENIED without prejudice as premature. 

DATED: January 22, 2024 

Case 2:23-cv-00618-WBS-AC Document 22 Filed 01/23/24 Page 3 of 4
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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

JAMES KERN, 

Plaintiff, 

v. 

JIM COOPER, et al., 

Defendants. 

No. 2:23-cv-0618 AC P 

 

NOTICE OF SUBMISSION OF 

DOCUMENTS 

 Plaintiff submits the following document in compliance with the court’s order filed 

_____________________: 

 1 completed Subpoena to Produce Documents, Information, or Objects or to 

Permit Inspection of Premises in a Civil Action 

DATED: 

 ________________________________ 

 Plaintiff 

 

Case 2:23-cv-00618-WBS-AC Document 22 Filed 01/23/24 Page 4 of 4