Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_05-cv-00695/USCOURTS-caed-1_05-cv-00695-2/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

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

ANTHONY R. TURNER,

Plaintiff,

v.

WOODFORD, et. al.,

Defendants.

 /

CV F 05-695 AWI LJO P 

ORDER DIRECTING CLERK OF COURT TO

RETURN LODGED “SUPPLEMENTAL CIVIL

RIGHTS COMPLAINT” SUBMITTED JUNE

27, 2005, TO PLAINTIFF 

ORDER DIRECTING CLERK OF COURT TO

SEND PLAINTIFF BLANK CIVIL RIGHTS

FORM

 Anthony R. Turner (“Plaintiff”) is a state prisoner proceeding pro se and in forma

pauperis in this civil rights action filed pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. 

The instant action was filed on June 1, 2005. on June 27, 2005, Plaintiff submitted to the

Court a pleading titled “Supplemental Civil Rights Complaint” which was lodged. The Court has

reviewed the document and finds that it does not comply with the Federal Rules of Civil

Procedure and will be returned to Plaintiff. 

A plaintiff may amend his complaint once “as a matter of course,” and without leave of

Court, before a response has been filed under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 15(a). 

Fed.R.Civ.P. 15(a); Bonn v. Calderon, 59 F.3d 815, 845 (9th Cir. 1995). However, because an

Case 1:05-cv-00695-AWI-LJO Document 11 Filed 07/28/05 Page 1 of 3
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Amended Complaint supersedes the original Complaint, see Loux v. Rhay, 375 F.2d 55, 57 (9th

Cir. 1967), and no longer serves any function in the case, it must be complete in itself without

reference to any prior pleading. See, Local Rule 15-220. Therefore, in an Amended Complaint,

as in an original Complaint, each claim and the involvement of each Defendant must be

sufficiently alleged. 

In this case, Plaintiff has submitted what appears to be a Supplement to the original

complaint as it merely adds numerous defendants and “incorporates by reference” each claim or

cause of action stated in the initial Complaint. The submission of a document such as this makes

the Court’s screening of the Complaint to determine if it states a claim for relief extremely

difficult. For this reason, Supplements to the Complaints are prohibited by the Local Rules. 

Accordingly, the Court will DIRECT the Clerk of Court to return the lodged Supplement to

Plaintiff. Should Plaintiff desire to submit an Amended Complaint, it must be complete in itself,

stating each claim for relief against each Defendant. The Court will also forward Plaintiff a

blank civil rights form so that he can provide all the needed information. 

Plaintiff is also informed that the Amended Complaint should be clearly and boldly titled

“AMENDED COMPLAINT,” reference the appropriate case number, and be an original signed

under penalty of perjury. 

The Court notes that Plaintiff’s original complaint is approximately two hundred pages

long. Thus, the Court informs Plaintiff at this juncture of the requirements of Rule 8 requiring a

“short and plain” statement. the federal system is one of notice pleading. Galbraith v. County of

Santa Clara, 307 F.3d 1119, 1126 (2002). “Rule 8(a)’s simplified pleading standard applies to all

civil actions, with limited exceptions,” none of which applies to section 1983 actions. 

Swierkiewicz v. Sorema N. A., 534 U.S. 506, 512 (2002); Fed. R. Civ. Pro. 8(a). Pursuant to

Rule 8(a), a complaint must contain “a short and plain statement of the claim showing that the

pleader is entitled to relief . . . .” Fed. R. Civ. Pro. 8(a). “Such a statement must simply give the

defendant fair notice of what the plaintiff’s claim is and the grounds upon which it rests.” 

Swierkiewicz, 534 U.S. at 512. A Complaint that does not comply with Rule 8's short and plain

statement requirement will be dismissed. 

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The Court HEREBY ORDERS: 

1. The Clerk of Court is DIRECTED to RETURN the lodged “Supplemental

Complaint” dated June 27, 2005, to Plaintiff; and 

2. SEND Plaintiff a blank form for prisoners seeking relief under Section 1983. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: July 27, 2005 /s/ Lawrence J. O'Neill 

b9ed48 UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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