Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_20-cv-00132/USCOURTS-caed-2_20-cv-00132-1/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

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

ROMONTE J. THOMSON,

Plaintiff,

v.

DAVID BAUGHMAN, et al.,

Defendants.

No. 2:20-cv-0132 KJM CKD P

ORDER

Plaintiff is appearing pro se and in this civil rights action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. 

This matter was referred to a United States Magistrate Judge pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 

636(b)(1)(B) and Local Rule 302.

Plaintiff requests leave to proceed in forma pauperis. As plaintiff has submitted a 

declaration that makes the showing required by 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a), his request will be granted. 

Plaintiff is required to pay the statutory filing fee of $350.00 for this action. 28 U.S.C. §§ 

1914(a), 1915(b)(1). By separate order, the court will direct the appropriate agency to collect the 

initial partial filing fee from plaintiff’s trust account and forward it to the Clerk of the Court. 

Thereafter, plaintiff will be obligated for monthly payments of twenty percent of the preceding 

month’s income credited to plaintiff’s prison trust account. These payments will be forwarded by 

the appropriate agency to the Clerk of the Court each time the amount in plaintiff’s account 

exceeds $10.00, until the filing fee is paid in full. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(2).

Case 2:20-cv-00132-KJM-CKD Document 9 Filed 03/26/20 Page 1 of 5
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The court is required to screen complaints brought by prisoners seeking relief against a 

governmental entity or officer or employee of a governmental entity. 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(a). The 

court must dismiss a complaint or portion thereof if the prisoner has raised claims that are legally 

“frivolous or malicious,” that fail to state a claim upon which relief may be granted, or that seek 

monetary relief from a defendant who is immune from such relief. 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(b)(1) & 

(2). Plaintiff’s amended complaint (ECF No. 1) is before the court for screening. 

The court finds that this case may proceed against defendant Nicholson on a claim for 

excessive force arising under the Eighth Amendment. With respect to the other defendants

identified in plaintiff’s complaint, the facts alleged fail to state actionable claims. Plaintiff has 

two options: 1) he may proceed on the claim described above; or 2) make an attempt to cure the 

deficiencies in his complaint with respect to the other defendants and claims in an amended 

complaint.

If plaintiff decides to file an amended complaint, plaintiff should consider the following:

1. In order to avoid dismissal for failure to state a claim a complaint must contain more 

than “naked assertions,” “labels and conclusions” or “a formulaic recitation of the elements of a 

cause of action.” Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 555-557 (2007). In other 

words, “[t]hreadbare recitals of the elements of a cause of action, supported by mere conclusory 

statements do not suffice.” Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678 (2009). Furthermore, a claim 

upon which the court can grant relief has facial plausibility. Twombly, 550 U.S. at 570. “A 

claim has facial plausibility when the plaintiff pleads factual content that allows the court to draw 

the reasonable inference that the defendant is liable for the misconduct alleged.” Iqbal, 556 U.S. 

at 678. When considering whether a complaint states a claim upon which relief can be granted, 

the court must accept the allegations as true, Erickson v. Pardus, 551 U.S. 89, 93-94 (2007), and 

construe the complaint in the light most favorable to the plaintiff, see Scheuer v. Rhodes, 416 

U.S. 232, 236 (1974).

2. In order to state an actionable claim, plaintiff must demonstrate with specific 

allegations how the conditions complained of have resulted in a deprivation of plaintiff’s 

constitutional rights. See Ellis v. Cassidy, 625 F.2d 227 (9th Cir. 1980). Also, in his amended 

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complaint, plaintiff must allege in specific terms how each named defendant is involved. There 

can be no liability under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 unless there is some affirmative link or connection 

between a defendant’s actions and the claimed deprivation. Rizzo v. Goode, 423 U.S. 362 

(1976). Furthermore, vague and conclusory allegations of official participation in civil rights 

violations are not sufficient. Ivey v. Board of Regents, 673 F.2d 266, 268 (9th Cir. 1982). 

3. Denial or delay of medical care for a prisoner’s serious medical needs may constitute a 

violation of the prisoner’s Eighth Amendment rights. Estelle v. Gamble, 429 U.S. 97, 104-05 

(1976). A prison official is liable for such a violation only when the official causes injury as a 

result of at least deliberate indifference to a prisoner’s serious medical needs. Id.

4. Plaintiff asserts violations of California law, but plaintiff fails to plead compliance with 

the California Tort Claims Act. Plaintiff is informed that before he may proceed on a claim 

arising under California law in this court he must comply with the terms of the California Tort 

Claims Act, and then plead compliance. See Cal. Gov’t Code § 910 et seq.; Mangold v. Cal. Pub. 

Utils. Comm’n, 67 F.3d. 1470, 1477 (9th Cir. 1995). Complaints must present facts 

demonstrating compliance, rather than simply conclusions suggesting as much. Shirk v. Vista 

Unified School Dist., 42 Cal.4th 201, 209 (2007).

Finally, plaintiff is informed that if he elects to amend his complaint the court cannot refer 

to a prior pleading in order to make the amended complaint complete. Local Rule 220 requires 

that an amended complaint be complete in itself without reference to any prior pleading. This is 

because, as a general rule, an amended complaint supersedes the original complaint. See Loux v. 

Rhay, 375 F.2d 55, 57 (9th Cir. 1967). Once plaintiff files an amended complaint, the original 

pleading no longer serves any function in the case. Therefore, in an amended complaint, as in an 

original complaint, each claim and the involvement of each defendant must be sufficiently 

alleged. 

In accordance with the above, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:

1. Plaintiff’s motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis (ECF No. 5) is granted;

2. Plaintiff is obligated to pay the statutory filing fee of $350.00 for this action. All fees 

shall be collected and paid in accordance with this court’s order to the Director of the California 

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Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation filed concurrently herewith.

3. Plaintiff is granted 21 days within which to complete and return the attached form 

notifying the court whether he wants to proceed against defendant Nicholson on a claim for 

excessive force arising under the Eighth Amendment or whether he wishes to file an amended 

complaint in an attempt to cure the deficiencies in his complaint. If plaintiff does not return the 

form, this action will proceed on the claim described above. 

Dated: March 26, 2020

1

thom0132.op

_____________________________________

CAROLYN K. DELANEY

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

ROMONTE J. THOMPSON,

Plaintiff,

v.

DAVID BAUGHMAN, et al.,

Defendants.

No. 2:20-cv-0132 KJM CKD P

PLAINTIFF’S NOTICE OF 

HOW TO PROCEED

Check one:

_____ Plaintiff wants to proceed immediately on a claim arising under the Eighth Amendment for 

excessive force against defendant Nicholson.

_____ Plaintiff wants time to file an amended complaint.

DATED: 

________________________________ 

Plaintiff

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