Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_12-cv-06516/USCOURTS-cand-3_12-cv-06516-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 440
Nature of Suit: Other Civil Rights
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Civil Rights Act

---

United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

STEPHEN B. TURNER,

Plaintiff,

 v.

HOWARD JORDAN ET AL.,

Defendants. /

No. C 12-06516 CRB

ORDER DENYING TEMPORARY

RESTRAINING ORDER

This suit by Plaintiff Stephen Turner against Howard Jordan, the chief of the Oakland

Police Department, and related entities challenges the Oakland Police Department’s alleged

policy of permitting sex offenders to register only on Thursday or Saturday of any given

week. See generally dkt. 1. Turner says that policy violates California Penal Code section

290, and also violated Turner’s First Amendment rights because Turner was forced to

register on Saturday November 24, 2012, the Jewish Sabbath, when the police department

was closed on Thanksgiving (Thursday, November 22, 2012). 

Turner’s suit includes five causes of action styled as follows: (1) “[i]ntentional

violation of the Establishment Clause,” dkt. 1 at 8; (2) negligent infliction of emotional

distress, id. at 9; (3) “a Monell claim [of] a policy or custom of repeated constitutional

violations, id. at 10; (4) violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1985, id. at 11; and (5) violation of 42

U.S.C. § 1986, id. at 12. The suit requests damages, declaratory relief, and an injunction

barring the police department from continuing the policy. Id. at 14.

Case 3:12-cv-06516-CRB Document 7 Filed 01/04/13 Page 1 of 2
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

1

Turner’s request for injunctive relief, which he sometimes refers to as an ex parte request

for a temporary restraining order (TRO) and at other times calls a request for a preliminary

injunction, see dkt. 1 at 16-17, was not properly made in a separately filed motion as required

by Northern District of California Local Rule 7-1. Rather, Turner filed an omnibus 17-page

document that included both his complaint and a request for injunctive relief after the signature

page of his complaint. See dkt. 1. Because the Court has no reason to believe Defendants have

received notice of this request (and Turner has failed to describe his efforts in that regard in

violation of Fed. R. Civ. P. 65(b)(1)(B)), the Court will analyze the request as an ex parte

application for a TRO.

G:\CRBALL\2012\6516\order re tro v2.wpd 2

A plaintiff seeking pretrial injunctive relief1 “must establish [1] that he is likely to

succeed on the merits, [2] that he is likely to suffer irreparable harm in the absence of

preliminary relief, [3] that the balance of equities tips in his favor, and [4] that an injunction

is in the public interest.” Winter v. Natural Resources Def. Council, Inc., 555 U.S. 7, 20

(2008). 

Turner has not shown a likelihood of irreparable harm. He says only that “there is the

distinct possibility that a recurrence of the November 24, 2012, incident could arise

sometime in the future, that would require Turner to register on the Jewish Sabbath.” Dkt. 1

at 16. Turner has identified no looming Thursday holidays that coincide with a week he is

required to register, and his speculation about “distinct possibilities” that might arise

“sometime” does not establish any likelihood of irreparable harm, let alone “immediate”

damage that will “result to the movant before the adverse party can be heard in opposition.” 

Fed. R. Civ. P. 65. 

Accordingly, the Court DENIES Turner’s ex parte application for a TRO. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: January 4, 2013 

CHARLES R. BREYER

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Case 3:12-cv-06516-CRB Document 7 Filed 01/04/13 Page 2 of 2