Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_15-cv-00176/USCOURTS-casd-3_15-cv-00176-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 550
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Civil Rights (U.S. defendant)
Cause of Action: 42:1983pr Prisoner Civil Rights

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

GREGORY SMITH,

CDCR #V-40437,

Civil No. 15cv0176 GPC (WVG)

Plaintiff, ORDER: 

(1) GRANTING MOTION FOR

LEAVE TO SUBSTITUTE

DEFENDANTS (ECF Doc. No. 6);

AND 

(2) DIRECTING U.S. MARSHAL

TO EFFECT SERVICE OF FIRST

AMENDED COMPLAINT 

PURSUANT TO 

28 U.S.C. § 1915(d) 

AND FED.R.CIV.P. 4(c)(3)

vs.

R. COBB; CCI SHARPE; A. CLARK;

J. CAREY; E. SOLIS; ROBERT COBB;

FRANK SHARPE; S. DAROGLOU;

R. PREZ; NAZAR BUDUHI,

Defendants.

Gregory Smith (“Plaintiff”), currently incarcerated at Folsom State Prison located

in Folsom, California, has filed a civil rights complaint(“Compl.”) pursuant to 42 U.S.C.

§ 1983 (Doc. No. 1). In addition, Plaintiff filed a Motion to Proceed In Forma Pauperis

(“IFP”) pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a) (ECF Doc. No. 2). On February 28, 2015, this

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Court granted Plaintiff’s Motion to Proceed IFP but sua sponte dismissed his Complaint

for failing to state a claim. (ECF Doc. no. 3.)

Plaintiff has now filed a First Amended Complaint, along with a “Motion for

Leave to File an Amended Cover Sheet.” (ECF Doc. Nos. 4, 6.) Plaintiff’s Motion is

GRANTED and Defendants Daroglou, Prez and Buduhi have been added to the Court’s

docket.

II. SUA SPONTE SCREENING PER 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2) and § 1915A(b)

The Prison Litigation Reform Act (“PLRA”) requires that the Court review

complaints filed by all persons proceeding IFP and by those, like Plaintiff, who are

“incarcerated or detained in any facility [and] accused of, sentenced for, or adjudicated

delinquent for, violations of criminal law or the terms or conditions of parole, probation,

pretrial release, or diversionary program,” “as soon as practicable after docketing.” See

28 U.S.C. §§ 1915(e)(2) and 1915A(b). 

As currently pleaded, the Court finds Plaintiff’s First Amended Complaint is

sufficient to survive the sua sponte screening required by 28 U.S.C. §§ 1915(e)(2) and

1915A(b). Accordingly, the Court will direct the U.S. Marshal to effect service on 1

Plaintiff’s behalf. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(d).

III. CONCLUSION AND ORDER

Good cause appearing, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:

1. Plaintiff’s “Motion for Leave to File an Amended Cover Sheet” (ECF Doc.

No. 6) is GRANTED.

/ / /

/ / /

Plaintiff is cautioned that “the sua sponte screening and dismissal procedure is 1

cumulative of, and not a substitute for, any subsequent Rule 12(b)(6) motion that [a

defendant] may choose to bring.” Teahan v. Wilhelm, 481 F. Supp. 2d 1115, 1119 (S.D.

Cal. 2007). 

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IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that:

2. The Clerk is DIRECTED to issue a summons as to Plaintiff’s First

Amended Complaint(ECF Doc. No. 4) upon Defendants and forward it to Plaintiff along

with blank U.S. Marshal Form 285s for each named Defendant. In addition, the Clerk

is directed provide Plaintiff with a certified copy ofthe Court’s Order granting Plaintiff’s

Motion to Proceed IFP (ECF Doc. No. 3) and a certified copy of his First Amended

Complaint (ECF Doc. No. 6) and the summons so that he may serve each named

Defendant. Upon receipt of this “IFP Package,” Plaintiff is directed to complete the

Form 285s as completely and accurately as possible, and to return them to the United

States Marshal according to the instructions provided by the Clerk in the letter

accompanying his IFP package. 

3. Upon receipt, the U.S. Marshal is ORDERED to serve a copy of the First

Amended Complaint and summons upon the named Defendants as directed by Plaintiff

on the USM Form 285s. All costs of service will be advanced by the United States. See

28 U.S.C. § 1915(d); FED.R.CIV.P. 4(c)(3).

4. Defendants are thereafter ORDERED to reply to Plaintiff’s First Amended

Complaint within the time provided by the applicable provisions of FederalRule ofCivil

Procedure 12(a). See 42 U.S.C. § 1997e(g)(2) (while a defendant may occasionally be

permitted to “waive the right to reply to any action brought by a prisoner confined in any

jail, prison, or other correctional facility under section 1983,” once the Court has

conducted its sua sponte screening pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2) and § 1915A(b),

and thus, has made a preliminary determination based on the face on the pleading alone

that Plaintiff has a “reasonable opportunity to prevail on the merits,” the defendant is

required to respond).

5. Plaintiff must serve upon the Defendants or, if appearance has been entered

by counsel, upon Defendants’ counsel, a copy of every further pleading or other

document submitted for consideration by the Court. Plaintiff must include with the

original paper to be filed with the Clerk of the Court, a certificate stating the manner in

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which a true and correct copy of the document wasserved on the Defendants, or counsel

for Defendants, and the date of that service. Any paper received by the Court which has

not been properly filed with the Clerk, or which fails to include a Certificate of Service,

may be disregarded.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: July 13, 2015

HON. GONZALO P. CURIEL

United States District Judge

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