Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_06-cv-00175/USCOURTS-azd-2_06-cv-00175-0/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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 Many inmates apparently believe that they will receive an immediate payout from a fund

established in Hart v. Hill, No. CV 77-0479-PHX-EHC (MS) (D. Ariz.). No such fund exists. The

inmates in Hart asked for injunctive relief and not monetary damages. The Court at this time

expresses no opinion on whether Plaintiff’s lawsuit may result in an award of damages. 

TERMPSREF

BL

WO

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Roberto Flores, 

Plaintiff, 

vs.

Joseph Arpaio, 

Defendant. 

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No. CV 06-0175-PHX-DGC (ECV)

ORDER

Plaint iff Roberto Flores, currently confined in the Maricopa County Durango Jail in

Phoenix, Arizona, filed a pro se Complaint pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983.1

 This action is one

of more than one thousand lawsuits filed in this district since September 2004 alleging t hat

the overcrowded conditions in the Maricopa Count y jail system have resulted in a variety

of constitutional violations. The Court will order Defendant Arpaio to answer the

Complaint.

A. Application to Proceed In Forma Pauperis & Filing Fee

Plaintiff’s request to proceed in forma pauperis will be grant ed. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a).

Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1), Plaintiff is required t o pay the statutory filing fee of

$250.00 for this action. An initial partial filing fee of $6.17 will be assessed by this Order.

Case 2:06-cv-00175-DGC-ECV Document 3 Filed 01/31/06 Page 1 of 6
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28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1). By separate order, the Court will direct the appropriate agency to

collect the initial p art ial filing fee from Plaintiff’s trust account and forward it to the Clerk

of Court. Thereafter, Plaintiff will be obligated for monthly payments of 20 percent of the

p receding month’s income credited to Plaintiff’s trust account. These payments will be

forwarded by the appropriate agency to the Clerk of 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).

Plaintiff should take notice that if he is released before the filing fee is paid in full,

he must p ay t he remaining unpaid amount of the filing fee within 120 days of the date of

his release. If Plaintiff fails to pay the remainder of the filing fee within 120 day s of the date

of his release, the action will be dismissed, unless Plaintiff shows good cause, in writing,

why he is unable to pay the remainder of the filing fee.

B. Statutory Screening of Prisoner Complaints

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 port ion thereof if the Plaintiff has raised

claims that are legally “frivolous or malicious,” that fail to state a claim up on 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). The Court also must dismiss a complaint or portion

thereof if Plaintiff fails to exhaust any administrative remedy available to him. 42 U.S.C.

§ 1997e(a). 

C. Complaint

Plaintiff names as a Defendant Josep h Arp aio, Sheriff of Maricopa County, alleging

that as Sheriff, Defendant Arpaio is responsible for hiring and training personnel, and all

jail policies and procedures. Plaintiff argues that his constitutional right s were violated by

(1) an inadequate, non-nutritious, and t ainted diet due to insufficient caloric intake, the

serving of rotten and spoiled food, improper food storage, improper food preparation and

the failure to certify the food handlers, resulting in hunger, headaches, nausea, indigestion,

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illness, and weight loss, (2) overcrowding resulting in a threat to his safety, constant

exposure to light and noise, loss of muscle tone, and back and neck pains, and (3)

unsanitary conditions due to dirty walls with peeling paint, airborne asbest os, the

ventilation system being full of lint, dust, mold, and mildew, him being forced to eat on his

bed causing food sp illage and attracting vermin, bugs, worms, and leaches in the showers,

and lack of sufficient cleaning supplies, resulting in dry skin, itchy and dry eyes, sore

throat, runny nose headaches, staph infections, skin irritat ions, and dry scalp. Plaintiff

seeks monetary and other relief.

D. Claims to be Served

At this early stage, Plaintiff sufficiently alleges that his constitutional rights were

violat ed by (1) an inadequate, non-nutritious, and tainted diet, (2) overcrowding, and

(3) unsanitary conditions. Defendant Arpaio will be ordered to answer the Complaint.

E. Rule 41 Cautionary Notice

Plaintiff should take notice that if he fails to timely comply with every provision of

this Order, or any order entered in this matter, this action will be dismissed pursuant to

Rule 41(b) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. See Ferdik v. Bonzelet, 963 F.2d 1258,

1260-61 (9th Cir. 1992) (district court may dismiss action for failure to comply with any order

of the Court).

IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that: 

(1) Plaintiff’s Ap p licat ion to Proceed In Forma Pauperis (Doc. #1) is granted

pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(1).

(2) Plaintiff is obligated to pay the statutory filing fee of $250.00 for this act ion.

Plaintiff is assessed an initial partial filing fee of $6.17. All fees shall be collected and paid

in accordance with this Court=s Order to the appropriate government agency filed

concurrently herewith.

(3) The Clerk of Court shall send Plaintiff a service packet including the Complaint,

this Order, and both summons and request for waiver forms for Defendant Arpaio.

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(4) Plaintiff shall complete and return the service packet to the Clerk of Court within

20 days of the date of filing of this Order. The United States Marshal will not provide

service of process if Plaintiff fails to comply with this Order.

(5) If Plaintiff does not either obtain a waiver of service of the summons or complete

service of the Summons and Complaint on each Defendant within 120 days of the filing of

the complaint or within 60 day s of the filing of this Order, whichever is later, the action may

be dismissed as to each Defendant not served pursuant to Rule 4(m) of the Federal Rules

of Civil Procedure and Local Rule of Civil Procedure 16.2(b)(2)(B)(i).

(6) The United States Marshal shall retain the Summons, a cop y of t he Complaint,

and a copy of this Order for future use.

(7) The United States M arshal shall notify Defendant of the commencement of this

action and request waiver of service of the summons pursuant to Rule 4(d) of the Federal

Rules of Civil Procedure. The notice to Defendant shall include a copy of this Order. The

Marshal shall file waivers of service of the summons or requests for waivers t hat were

returned as undeliverable as soon as they are received. If a waiver of service of summons

is not returned by a Defendant within thirty days from the date the request for waiver was

sent by the Marshal, the Marshal shall:

(a) Personally serve copies of the Summons, Complaint, and this Order up on

the Defendant pursuant to Rule 4(e)(2) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure;

(b) Within 10 days after personal service is effected, file the return of service

for the Defendant, along with evidence of t he attempt to secure a waiver of service

of the summons and of t he costs subsequently incurred in effecting service upon

the Defendant. The cost s of service shall be enumerated on the return of service

form (USM -285) and shall include the costs incurred by the Marshal for

photocopy ing additional copies of the Summons, Complaint, or this Order and for

preparing new process receipt and return forms (USM-285), if required. Costs of

service will be taxed against the personally served defendant pursuant to Rule

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4(d)(2) and (5) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, unless otherwise ordered by

the Court.

(8) A Defendant who agrees to waive service of the Summons and Complaint shall

return the signed waiver forms to the United States Marshal, not the Plaintiff.

(9) Defendant shall answer the Complaint or otherwise respond by appropriate

motion within the time provided by the app licable provisions of Rule 12(a) of the Federal

Rules of Civil Procedure.

(10) Any answer or responsive pleading shall state t he Defendant by name on

whose behalf it is filed. T he Court may strike any answer, responsive pleading, or other

motion or paper that does not identify the Defendant by name on whose behalf it is filed.

(11) Plaintiff shall serve upon Defendant, or if appearance has been entered by

counsel, upon counsel, a copy of every further pleading or other document submitted for

consideration by t he Court. Plaintiff shall include with the original document and copy, to

be filed with the Clerk of t he Court , a certificate stating the date a true and correct copy of

the pleading or document was mailed to Defendant or counsel. Any paper received by a

District Court Judge or Magistrate Judge which has not been filed with the Clerk of Court

may be disregarded by the Court.

(12) At all times during t he p endency of this action, Plaintiff shall immediately

advise the Court and the United States Marshal of any change of address and its effect ive

dat e. Such not ice shall be captioned “NOTICE OF CHANGE OF ADDRESS.” The notice

shall contain only information pertaining t o t he change of address and its effective date.

Plaintiff shall serve a copy of the notice on all opposing parties. The not ice shall not

include any motions for any other relief. Failure to file a Notice of Change of Address may

result in t he dismissal of the action for failure to prosecute pursuant to Rule 41(b) of the

Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. 

(13) A clear, legible copy of every p leading or other document filed shall

accompany each original pleading or ot her document filed with the Clerk for use by the

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District Judge or M agist rate Judge to whom the case is assigned. Failure to comply with

this requirement may result in the pleading or document being stricken without further

notice to Plaintiff.

(14) This matt er is referred to Magistrate Judge Edward C. Voss pursuant to Local

Rules of Civil Procedure 72.1 and 72.2 for further proceedings.

DATED this 26th day of January, 2006.

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