Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-5_09-cv-05221/USCOURTS-cand-5_09-cv-05221-3/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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Order Directing Plaintiff to Locate Unserved Defendants

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

RAUL UVALLES, 

Plaintiff,

 v.

FRANCISCO JACQUEZ, Warden, et al.,

Defendants. 

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No. C 09-5221 RMW (PR)

ORDER DIRECTING

PLAINTIFF TO LOCATE

UNSERVED DEFENDANTS

On November 4, 2009, plaintiff filed a pro se civil rights action pursuant to 42 U.S.C.

§ 1983. On April 23, 2010, plaintiff filed an amended complaint. On May 5, 2010, the court

ordered service of the stated cognizable claims in plaintiff’s amended complaint upon named

defendants. On January 4, 2010, the court received ten summons which were returned

unexecuted. Specifically, defendants RN C. Duncan and RN P. Crinklaw were not served

because the facility needed more information. Also, Correctional Officer D. DeWitt,

Correctional Officer F. Palaccio, Correctional Officer Stout (ISU), Sergeant Henderson,

Correctional Officer J. Gonzalez, Correctional Officer J. Shaw, Correctional Officer B. Carter,

and Correctional Officer J. Johnson were not served because more than one employee had

similar names. Accordingly, these ten defendants have not been served. 

Here, plaintiff’s complaint has been pending for over 120 days, and thus, absent a

showing of “good cause,” is subject to dismissal without prejudice as to the unserved defendants. 

*E-FILED - 8/2/10*

Case 5:09-cv-05221-RMW Document 73 Filed 08/02/10 Page 1 of 3
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Order Directing Plaintiff to Locate Unserved Defendants

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See Fed. R. Civ. P. 4(m). In cases wherein the plaintiff proceeds in forma pauperis, the “officers

of the court shall issue and serve all process.” 28 U.S.C. 1915(d). The court must appoint the

Marshal to effect service, see Fed. R. Civ. P. 4(c)(2), and the Marshal, upon order of the court,

must serve the summons and the complaint, see Walker v. Sumner, 14 F.3d 1415, 1422 (9th Cir.

1994), overruled on other grounds by Sandin v. Connor, 515 U.S. 472 (1995). Although a

plaintiff who is incarcerated and proceeding in forma pauperis may rely on service by the

Marshal, such plaintiff “may not remain silent and do nothing to effectuate such service;” rather,

“[a]t a minimum, a plaintiff should request service upon the appropriate defendant and attempt to

remedy any apparent defects of which [he] has knowledge.” Rochon v. Dawson, 828 F.2d 1107,

1110 (5th Cir. 1987). If the marshal is unable to effectuate service through no fault of his own,

for example, because plaintiff failed to provide sufficient information or because the defendant is

not where plaintiff claims, and plaintiff is informed, plaintiff must seek to remedy the situation

or face dismissal. See Walker, 14 F.3d at 1421-22. 

Because plaintiff has not provided sufficient information to allow the Marshal to locate

and serve the above named defendants, plaintiff must remedy the situation or face dismissal of

his claims against said defendants without prejudice. See Walker, 14 F.3d at 1421-22. Such

additional information may include a first name or first initial, the defendant’s current assigned

unit or assigned unit at the time of the allegations, or other more identifying information so that

the Marshal can locate and determine the particular defendant to be served.

Accordingly, plaintiff must provide the court with accurate and current information for

defendants RN C. Duncan, RN P. Crinklaw, Correctional Officer D. DeWitt, Correctional

Officer F. Palaccio, Correctional Officer Stout (ISU), Sergeant Henderson, Correctional Officer

J. Gonzalez, Correctional Officer J. Shaw, Correctional Officer B. Carter, and Correctional

Officer J. Johnson such that the Marshal is able to effect service upon them. If plaintiff fails to

provide the court with the accurate and current information so that the Marshal can effect

service, within thirty (30) days of the date this order is filed, plaintiff’s claim against the above

named defendants will be dismissed pursuant to Rule 4(m) of the Federal Rules of Civil

Procedure; the dismissal will be without prejudice to plaintiff refiling his complaint with such

Case 5:09-cv-05221-RMW Document 73 Filed 08/02/10 Page 2 of 3
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Order Directing Plaintiff to Locate Unserved Defendants

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information.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: RONALD M. WHYTE

 United States District Judge

7/30/10

Case 5:09-cv-05221-RMW Document 73 Filed 08/02/10 Page 3 of 3