Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_07-cv-03819/USCOURTS-cand-3_07-cv-03819-0/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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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

WILLIAM KIRKPATRICK, JR, 

Plaintiff(s),

 vs.

ROBERT L AYERS, et al,

Defendant(s). 

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No C 07-3819 VRW (PR)

ORDER OF DISMISSAL

(Doc # 3)

Plaintiff, a State of California prisoner incarcerated at San Quentin State

Prison, has filed a pro se complaint under 42 USC § 1983 challenging the

conditions of his confinement. He seeks injunctive relief and leave to proceed in

forma pauperis under 28 USC § 1915. Plaintiff has not exhausted California's

prison administrative process, however.

 The Prison Litigation Reform Act of 1995 amended 42 USC § 1997e to

provide that "[n]o action shall be brought with respect to prison conditions under

[42 USC § 1983], or any other Federal law, by a prisoner confined in any jail,

prison, or other correctional facility until such administrative remedies as are

available are exhausted." 42 USC § 1997e(a). Although once within the

discretion of the district court, exhaustion in prisoner cases covered by §

1997e(a) is now mandatory. Porter v Nussle, 534 US 516, 524 (2002). All

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available remedies must now be exhausted; those remedies "need not meet

federal standards, nor must they be 'plain, speedy, and effective.'" Id (citation

omitted). Even when the prisoner seeks relief not available in grievance

proceedings, notably money damages, exhaustion is a prerequisite to suit. Id;

Booth v Churner, 532 US 731, 741 (2001). Similarly, exhaustion is a

prerequisite to all prisoner suits about prison life, whether they involve general

circumstances or particular episodes, and whether they allege excessive force or

some other wrong. Porter, 534 US at 532. PLRA's exhaustion requirement

requires "proper exhaustion" of available administrative remedies. Woodford v

Ngo, 126 S Ct 2378, 2382 (2006).

The State of California provides its prisoners the right to appeal

administratively "any departmental decision, action, condition or policy

perceived by those individuals as adversely affecting their welfare." Cal Code

Regs tit 15, § 3084.1(a). It also provides them the right to file appeals alleging

misconduct by correctional officers/officials. Id § 3084.1(e). In order to exhaust

available administrative remedies within this system, a prisoner must proceed

through several levels of appeal: (1) informal resolution, (2) formal written

appeal on a CDC 602 inmate appeal form, (3) second level appeal to the

institution head or designee, and (4) third level appeal to the Director of the

California Department of Corrections. Barry v Ratelle, 985 F Supp 1235, 1237

(SD Cal 1997) (citing Cal Code Regs tit 15, § 3084.5). A final decision from the

Director’s level of review satisfies the exhaustion requirement under § 1997e(a). 

Id at 1237-38. 

 Nonexhaustion under § 1997e(a) is an affirmative defense which should

be brought by defendant(s) in an unenumerated motion to dismiss under Federal

Rule of Civil Procedure 12 (b). Wyatt v Terhune, 315 F3d 1108, 1119 (9th Cir

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2003). However, a complaint may be dismissed by the court for failure to

exhaust if a prisoner “conce[des] to nonexhaustion” and “no exception to

exhaustion applies.” Id at 1120. Here, plaintiff concedes he did not exhaust

available administrative remedies through the Director’s level of review before

filing suit, but suggests that the exhaustion requirement be excused because the

appeal he submitted on June 19, 2007 had not been answered as of the date he

signed his complaint, July 12, 2007. The modest delay alleged does not

constitute an extraordinary circumstance which might compel that petitioner be

excused from exhausting available administrative remedies. Cf Booth, 532 US at

741 n6 (courts should not read "futility or other exceptions" into § 1997e(a)). 

Accordingly, plaintiff's request to proceed in forma pauperis (doc # 3) is

DENIED and the complaint is DISMISSED without prejudice to refiling after

exhausting California's prison administrative process. See McKinney v Carey,

311 F3d 1198, 1199-1201 (9th Cir 2002) (action must be dismissed without

prejudice unless prisoner exhausted available administrative remedies before he

filed suit, even if prisoner fully exhausts while the suit is pending).

The clerk shall enter judgment in accordance with this order and close the

file. No fee is due.

SO ORDERED.

 

VAUGHN R WALKER

United States District Chief Judge

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