Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_10-cv-02352/USCOURTS-caed-1_10-cv-02352-4/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

FLORENCIO VALLEJO,

Plaintiff,

v.

KATHLEEN ALLISON, et al.,

Defendants.

_____________________________________/

Case No. 1:10-cv-02352-AWI-SKO (PC)

ORDER ADDRESSING NOTICE

(Doc. 35)

Plaintiff Florencio Vallejo, a state prisoner proceeding pro se and in forma pauperis, filed 

this civil rights action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 on December 17, 2010. This action is 

proceeding on Plaintiff’s amended complaint, filed on January 3, 2012, against Defendant Gray 

for acting with deliberate indifference to Plaintiff’s medical needs, in violation of the Eighth 

Amendment of the United States Constitution.

On April 17, 2014, Plaintiff filed a notice stating that he speaks very little English, he has

been relying on the assistance of a jailhouse lawyer, and he requires all future proceedings to be in 

Spanish. (Doc. 35.)

It is unclear why Plaintiff cannot continue to be assisted by a jailhouse lawyer, as he does 

not say, but the use of jailhouse lawyers is one recognized avenue available to ensure that nonEnglish speaking and/or illiterate inmates have meaningful access to the courts. Lewis v. Casey, 

518 U.S. 343, 356-57, 116 S.Ct. 2174 (1996). In any event, Plaintiff’s recourse lies with seeking 

assistance at the prison. Id.

Case 1:10-cv-02352-AWI-SKO Document 36 Filed 05/01/14 Page 1 of 2
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Plaintiff is informed that all federal court filings must be in English and the Court cannot 

provide Plaintiff with translated documents.1 Defendant Gray likewise is not obligated to provide 

translation services for Plaintiff via the Attorney General’s Office.

Accordingly, by this order, Plaintiff’s notice has been ADDRESSED. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: May 1, 2014 /s/ Sheila K. Oberto 

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

 

1 By separate order, this matter was set for a settlement conference. The Court is exploring possible options for 

accommodating Plaintiff’s language barrier during the settlement conference, as the services of a federal court 

interpreter may not be used for cases such as this. 28 U.S.C. §§ 1827, 1828; Vera v. Gipson, No. 1:13-cv-00814-

AWI-SKO-HC, 2013 WL 6000576, at *1-2 (E.D. Cal. 2013).

Case 1:10-cv-02352-AWI-SKO Document 36 Filed 05/01/14 Page 2 of 2