Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_07-cv-00498/USCOURTS-caed-2_07-cv-00498-5/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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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

JOHNIE M. WOODWARD,

Plaintiff, No. CIV S-07-498 JAM KJM P

vs.

RICK SUBIA, et al., ORDER AND

Defendants. FINDINGS & RECOMMENDATIONS

 /

Plaintiff is a state prison inmate proceeding pro se with a civil rights action under

42 U.S.C. § 1983. Defendants Caro, Lockhart and Campbell have filed motions to dismiss for

failure to state a claim and to strike plaintiff’s prayer for punitive damages. Plaintiff has opposed

the motions.

Plaintiff has also filed a request that the court direct service on defendants Reyes,

Farmer and Sullivan. 

In his first amended complaint, plaintiff alleges that on March 30, 2005, defendant

Caro took plaintiff’s property for inventory before plaintiff was put in administrative segregation

and told plaintiff that he had confiscated some alleged pornography and string. When plaintiff

was released from segregation, he realized that some of his property was missing and had not

been included on the inventory form. Amended Complaint (Am. Compl.) ¶¶ 20-21. The missing

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property included some crime scene photographs; although some of the photographs were

returned to plaintiff, twenty-nine have not been recovered. Id. ¶ 23. There are no duplicates of

the missing photographs. Id. ¶ 24. Plaintiff had hired a forensic laboratory to review materials

relating to his criminal conviction, including the missing photographs. Id. Defendant Campbell,

the Warden, knew or should have known that his property was not properly inventoried. Id. ¶ 9. 

In July 2005, someone attached a threatening note to a grievance plaintiff had

filed and a counseling chrono was issued against plaintiff. Id. ¶¶ 25-26. Plaintiff asked that all

references to the note, which he says he did not write, be expunged from his central file. 

Defendant Campbell assigned defendant Lockhart to investigate the matter; defendant Lockhart

concluded that plaintiff could have been the author. Id. ¶ 28. Plaintiff was denied parole in

February 2006 and his next hearing is set in five years. Id. ¶ 29.

Plaintiff alleges a violation of his First Amendment right of access to the courts,

the California tort of conversion, and violation of his right to due process.

I. Standards For Motion To Dismiss Under Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6)

In considering a motion to dismiss, the court must accept as true the allegations of

the complaint in question, Erickson v. Pardus, U.S. , 127 S.Ct. 2197 (2007), and construe the

pleading in the light most favorable to the plaintiff. Scheuer v. Rhodes, 416 U.S. 232, 236

(1974). In order to survive dismissal for failure to state a claim a complaint must contain more

than “a formulaic recitation of the elements of a cause of action;” it must contain factual

allegations sufficient “to raise a right to relief above the speculative level.” Bell Atlantic Corp. v.

Twombly, U.S. , 127 S.Ct. 1955, 1965 (2007). However, “[s]pecific facts are not necessary;

the statement [of facts] need only give the defendant fair notice of what the . . . claim is and the

grounds upon which it rests.’” Erickson, 127 S.Ct. at 2200 (internal quotations omitted). A

motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim should not be granted unless it appears beyond

doubt that plaintiff can prove no set of facts in support of the claim that would entitle him to

relief. See Hishon v. King & Spalding, 467 U.S. 69, 73 (1984).

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 Ortloff is disagreed with on other grounds in Bramwell v. U.S. Bureau of Prisons, 348 1

F.3d 804 (9th Cir. 2003).

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II. Denial Of Access To The Courts

Defendants argue plaintiff has not alleged that he suffered any actual injury as the

result of the confiscation of his crime scene photographs and so has not adequately pled a claim

of denial of access to the courts. Mot. to Dismiss (MTD) (Docket No. 20) at 5-6. 

Plaintiff says he is seeking an injunction “to improve said access or to require said

access” and so need not plead actual injury. Opposition to Motion to Dismiss (Opp’n) (Docket

No. 25) at 2. He also argues that a delay in the ability to pursue his claims is a sufficient

allegation of injury.

A. Actual Injury

An inmate has a constitutionally protected right of meaningful access to the

courts. Bounds v. Smith, 430 U.S. 817, 820-21 (1977). However, “[v]arious resources,

documents, and supplies merely provide the instruments for reasonable access, and are not

protected in and of themselves.” Ortloff v. United States, 335 F.3d 652, 656 (7th Cir. 2003).1

A prisoner cannot make conclusory declarations of injury, but instead must

demonstrate that a non-frivolous legal claim has been frustrated or impeded. To establish actual

injury an inmate “might show, for example, that a complaint he prepared was dismissed for

failure to satisfy some technical requirement . . . [o]r that he suffered arguably actionable harm

that he wished to bring before the courts, but was so stymied . . . that he was unable even to file a

complaint.” Lewis v. Casey, 518 U.S. 343, 351 (1996). If the underlying action is frivolous, a

plaintiff cannot make the necessary showing of actual injury. See Christopher v. Harbury, 536

U.S. 403, 415 (2002). 

Plaintiff relies on three cases to argue that he need not demonstrate actual injury

because he is seeking injunctive relief. He glosses over the fact that he is also seeking damages

for the confiscation of his crime scene photographs, including a request to be reimbursed for the

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26 This holding may have been undermined by Kane v. Garcia Espitia, 546 U.S. 9 (2005). 2

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costs of counsel and the forensic expert he hired to evaluate the evidence, and the possibility of

pursuing a habeas petition, as well as punitive damages. Am. Compl. at 15. In addition, the

authority upon which he relies predates Lewis and in any event is distinguishable. 

In Diamontiney v. Borg, 918 F.2d 793, 795-96 (9th Cir. 1990), plaintiff secured a

preliminary injunction directing prison officials to accept legal mail in plaintiff’s preferred

surname, which caused legal mail relating to pending litigation to be returned to the senders. In

Taylor v. List, 880 F.2d 1040, 1047 (9th Cir. 1989), the challenged restrictions interfered with

plaintiff’s ability to defend himself in a pending criminal case. Finally, in Canell v. Bradshaw,

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840 F.Supp. 1382, 1391 (D. Or. 1993), aff’d, 97 F.3d 1458 (9th Cir. 1996), the court suggested

that plaintiff need not allege actual injury because he was challenging the adequacy of the law

library, but then recognized he had in fact shown injury by claiming he missed a deadline for

responding to a motion for summary judgment. Compare Marshall v. Knight, 445 F.3d 965, 969

(7th Cir. 2006) (prejudice adequately pleaded when inmate said inadequacies of law library

hampered his research and caused him to lose custody credits). Here, in contrast, petitioner has

alleged only the frustration of a mere potential of litigation. 

Specifically, plaintiff suggests a delay in the ability to pursue a claim of factual

innocence or a habeas petition is sufficient injury. Opp’n (docket no. 25) at 2-3. However, in

Cody v. Weber, 256 F.3d 764 (8th Cir. 2001), the plaintiff claimed he was denied access to the

court when his personal computer and the material stored on disks were taken away. Although

he was given two weeks to print the material relating to current litigation, plaintiff alleged he was

being deprived of “‘the only copies of documents he believes can set him free from the life

sentence he is presently serving,’” but failed to allege that he had a basis for post-conviction

relief. Id. at 769-70. The Eighth Circuit found his vague allegation that the material would “set

him free” did not create a genuine issue of fact to defeat summary judgment. Id. at 770. In this

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case as well, plaintiff’s vague claim that the confiscation of the pictures somehow hampered a

forensic analysis that might or might not show his innocence does not state a claim.

B. Defendant Campbell’s Role

Defendants argue the complaint should be dismissed as to defendant Campbell

because her alleged role is limited to “the documentation of the theft.” Def’t Campbell’s Mem.

P. & A. In Supp. Mot. To Dismiss (Docket No. 23-2) (Campbell MTD) at 9. 

A plaintiff must connect named defendants clearly with the claimed denial of his

rights. Farmer v. Brennan, 511 U.S. 825, 837, 843 (1994) (official’s liability for deliberate

indifference to assault requires that official know of and disregard an “excessive risk”); Taylor v.

List, 880 F.2d at 1045 (“liability under section 1983 arises only upon a showing of personal

participation by the defendant (citation omitted) . . . [t]here is no respondeat superior liability

under section 1983.”); Johnson v. Duffy, 588 F.2d 740, 743-44 (9th Cir. 1978) (discussing

“requisite causal connection” in section 1983 cases between named defendant and claimed

injury). Plaintiff’s allegation that defendant Campbell knew or should have known the theft of

the photos was not adequately documented does not show a sufficient connection between

Campbell and the claimed injury, denial of access to the courts. Plaintiff has not alleged how this

knowledge contributed to his alleged inability to pursue his habeas action. See Am. Compl.

¶¶ 9, 28.

Plaintiff will be given an opportunity to amend his denial of access to courts claim

as to defendant Caro only. The court cannot say that plaintiff will not be able to plead actual

injury from the confiscation of the photos.

II. Conversion

Defendants argue that plaintiff has not pleaded his compliance with California’s

Tort Claims Act and so cannot maintain his pendent state claim for conversion. Campbell MTD

at 6-7; Def’ts’ Caro’s & Lockhart’s Mem. P. & A. in Supp. Mot. to Dismiss (Docket No. 20)

(Def’ts’ MTD) at 6-7. 

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 The California Supreme Court urges that this label be used for the Act, “to avoid the 3

confusion engendered by the informal short title ‘Tort Claims Act.’” Stockton, 42 Cal.4th at

734. 

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Under California’s Tort Claims Act, Cal. Gov’t Code §§ 900 et seq., a suit for

money or damages may not be brought against a public employee unless a claim has been

presented to and rejected by the public entity. Cal. Gov’t Code § 945.4. Accordingly, a

condition precedent to the state-law claims against the Department of Corrections and

Rehabilitation and its employees is a timely claim to the Board of Control. State of California v.

Superior Court (Bodde), 32 Cal. 4th 1234, 1240 (2004); Karim-Panahi v. Los Angeles Police

Department, 839 F.2d 621, 627 (9th Cir. 1988). 

Plaintiff argues that the requirement is excused because he is seeking the return of

his property. Opp’n (Docket No. 25) at 4-5; Opp’n to Campbell MTD (Docket No. 27) at 3. 

California cases have held that 

a claim for the recovery of specific property is not one for ‘money

or damages’ under the Government Claims Act. Even if cash 3

taken from the arrestee was no longer traceable, the initial

exemption of the action from the claims statute is not lost simply

because the city takes the further wrongful step of disposing of the

bailed property. 

City of Stockton v. Superior Court, 42 Cal.4th 730, 742 (2007) (internal citation & quotation

omitted); see also Escamilla v. California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, 141

Cal.App.4th 498 (2006) (inmate’s habeas petition treated as mandamus for return of property

seized by guard or for the value of the property); Long v. City of Los Angeles, 68 Cal.App.4th

782, 787 (1998) (no need to file claim before filing action for injunctive relief seeking return of

birds seized by city or their value). 

Through his request for injunctive relief, plaintiff is seeking return of the twentynine photographs or their replacement value. Am. Compl. ¶¶ 55(d), 57(a). He also alleges,

however, that “as a proximate result of defendants’ actions, plaintiff has suffered and continues

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to suffer general damages in the resulting inability to investigate plaintiff’s criminal case and that

he will continue to suffer such damages in the future.” Id. ¶ 41. If the photos cannot be returned,

he seeks reimbursement for “the costs of the forensic expert and counsel for their inability to

prosecute the habeas corpus petition” and punitive damages of $15,000 from each defendant. Id.

¶¶ 57(b) & (d). 

To make the determination whether a government claim is required, California

and federal courts analyze the various claims for relief in the complaint. Gatto v. County of

Sonoma, 98 Cal.App.4th 744, 761 (2002); Independent Housing Services of San Francisco v.

Fillmore Center Associates, 840 F.Supp. 1328, 1358 (N.D. Cal. 1993). As the Gatto court

explained:

[W]here a claimant seeks both damages and nonmonetary relief

from a public entity in the same action, the applicability of the

claim filing requirement turns on whether the damages are

ancillary to the equitable relief sought, in which case the claim

filing requirement is inapplicable, or the reverse is true, in which

case the filing requirement applies.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

The claims filing requirement remains applicable to actions in

which money damages are not incidental or ancillary to any

specific relief that is also sought but the primary purpose of the

action.

Gatto, 98 Cal.App.4th at 761, 762. In Gatto, the court found the Act applied when Gatto

challenged a county fair dress code on his own behalf, without seeking to vindicate the rights of

anyone but himself; when he did file a claim, he informed the county he intended to file a civil

action seeking not just injunctive relief but also attorney’s fees and punitive damages; and when

damages were the first thing mentioned in the title of his complaint and his prayer for relief. In

contrast, in Independent Housing Services, 840 F.Supp. at 1358, the court found that compliance

with the claim requirement was not necessary when the suit sought declaratory and injunctive

relief on the question of handicap access to various buildings, damages and attorney’s fees

because the “request for an injunction . . . is of great weight and not just ancillary to the request

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for damages . . . [and] the potential damages are small and inconsequential compared to the effect

of the declarations it seeks.” 

Although plaintiff seeks injunctive and declaratory relief, he seeks to vindicate

only his own rights. While his initial prayers are for injunctive and declaratory relief, he seeks

monetary sanctions beyond the replacement cost of the photographs if they cannot be returned or

replaced. Moreover, he seeks punitive damages of $15,000 per defendant even if he recovers the

property he alleges was taken; these damages cannot be deemed inconsequential to “the effect of

the declarations [he] seeks.” Compliance with the Claims Act was required.

Plaintiff has submitted copies of documents that show, he asserts, that he did file a

claim with the Claims Board. Opp’n (Docket No. 25), Ex. A. Although plaintiff has not

provided a copy of his initial claim, in his objection to the rejection of the claim, he describes the

progress of administrative exhaustion of the incident underlying his claim. Id., Ex. A1. It began

with a staff misconduct complaint on July 25, 2005; this is the beginning of the investigation of

the authorship of the threatening note. Am. Compl. ¶¶ 25-28. Moreover, in support of his

challenge, plaintiff mentions the invoice for services he received from his questioned documents

examiner. Opp’n (Docket No. 25), Ex. A1 at 1. Plaintiff’s attempt to argue that this objection

satisfies the requirement that he file a claim for the confiscation of his photographs is specious.

III. Investigation Of The Threatening Note

Defendants Caro and Lockhart argue plaintiff has not stated a claim against

defendant Lockhart because there is no constitutional right to be exonerated through the

grievance process and there is no connection between defendants Lockhart and Campbell and any

injury. Def’ts’ MTD at 7-8. Defendant Campbell argues plaintiff has not stated a claim against

her because the allegations against her flow from her position as warden rather than as participant

in any constitutional violation. Campbell MTD at 8-9. Finally, all defendants argue that the

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gravamen of plaintiff’s complaint is the false allegation that he threatened the parole board and

that defendants Lockhart and Campbell acted or failed to act after that violation. Def’ts’ MTD at

8-9; Campbell MTD at 9-10. 

Plaintiff counters that defendant Campbell did not afford him due process in

accepting defendant Lockhart’s conclusion about the authorship of the note and that defendant

Lockhart was obligated competently to investigate the authorship of the note. Opp’n (Docket

No. 25) at 5-6; Opp’n (Docket No. 27) at 4. 

An inmate has neither a First nor a Fourteenth Amendment right “in having . . .

[a] grievance resolved to his satisfaction.” Geiger v. Jowers, 404 F.3d 371, 373 (5th Cir. 2005)

(no due process right); Shell v. Brzezniak, 365 F.Supp. 2d 362, 369-70, 379 (W.D.N.Y. 2005)

(no First nor Fourteenth Amendment right to have grievance processed or investigated in any

particular manner); Torres v. Mazzuca, 246 F.Supp.2d 334, 342 (S.D.N.Y. 2003) (no due process

right to “thorough investigation to [inmate’s] satisfaction). Accordingly, because plaintiff alleges

that defendant Campbell ratified defendant Lockhart’s inadequate investigation, this portion of

the complaint fails to state a claim. 

IV. Qualified Immunity

Defendants allege they are entitled to qualified immunity for the alleged

constitutional violations, basing their claim largely on their argument that the complaint does not

show a violation of plaintiff’s constitutional rights. Because the court has determined there is

only one potentially viable claim, but that the claim must be amended if it is to proceed, it

declines to address the question of qualified immunity.

V. Punitive Damages

Defendants argue that because punitive damages are available only when an

official’s conduct is shown to be motivated by evil intent or reckless motive, plaintiff’s claim for

punitive damages should be stricken because his allegations do not show that the defendants

acted in so culpable a fashion. Def’ts’ MTD at 10; Campbell MTD at 11. Although they cite

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cases that discuss the standard necessary to prove entitlement for punitive damages, they have

provided the court with no authority suggesting there is any heightened pleading standard for

such a claim. See Clark v. Allstate Ins. Co., 106 F.Supp.2d 1016, 1018 (S.D. Cal. 2000). 

However, if the complaint is dismissed as recommended here, the request to strike the punitive

damages prayer is moot.

VI. Plaintiff’s Motion For Service Of Process (Docket No. 30)

Plaintiff has filed a motion for reconsideration of this court’s original

determination not to direct service on the additional defendants. In light of the pendency of the

motion for reconsideration (Docket No. 17), the motion for service of process will be denied as

duplicative. 

IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that plaintiff’s motion for service on the other

defendants (docket no. 30) is denied in light of the pending motion for reconsideration.

IT IS HEREBY RECOMMENDED that defendants’ motions to dismiss (docket

nos. 20 & 23) be granted; that plaintiff be permitted to file a second amended complaint as to his

claim of denial of access to the courts but only as to defendant Caro; and that defendant Caro not

be required to respond to the seconded amended complaint until it has been screened by the

court. 

These findings and recommendations are submitted to the United States District

Judge assigned to the case, pursuant to the provisions of 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(l). Within twenty

days after being served with these findings and recommendations, any party may file written

objections with the court and serve a copy on all parties. Such a document should be captioned 

“Objections to Magistrate Judge’s Findings and Recommendations.” Any reply to the objections

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shall be served and filed within ten days after service of the objections. The parties are advised

that failure to file objections within the specified time may waive the right to appeal the District

Court’s order. Martinez v. Ylst, 951 F.2d 1153 (9th Cir. 1991). 

DATED: September 10, 2008. 

2/wood0498.57

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