Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_05-cv-03526/USCOURTS-azd-2_05-cv-03526-0/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. 

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BL

WO

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Raymond Drinkhouse, 

Plaintiff, 

vs.

Joseph M. Arpaio,

Defendant. 

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No. CV 05-3526-PHX-DGC (VAM)

ORDER

Plaintiff Raymond Drinkhouse, currently confined in the Maricopa County Durango

Jail in Phoenix, Arizona, has filed a pro se Complaint pursuant to § 1983. 1 This action is

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

that the overcrowded conditions in the Maricopa County jail system have resulted in a

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

Complaint as outlined below.

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. No init ial partial filing fee will be assessed by this Order. 28 U.S.C.

Case 2:05-cv-03526-DGC-VAM Document 4 Filed 11/16/05 Page 1 of 7
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§ 1915(b)(1). By separate order, the Court will direct the appropriate agency to collect

monthly payments of 20 percent of the preceding month’s income credited to Plaintiff’s

trust account. These payments will be forwarded by the appropriat e 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 pay the remaining unpaid amount of the filing fee within 120 day s of the date of

his release. If Plaintiff fails to pay the remainder of the filing fee within 120 days 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 portion thereof if the Plaintiff has raised

claims that are legally “frivolous or malicious,” that fail t o st ate 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). 

C. Complaint.

Plaintiff names as a Defendant Joseph M. Arpaio, Sheriff of Maricopa County,

alleging that he was responsible for hiring employees and setting policies. Plaintiff argues

that his constit ut ional rights were violated by (1) an inadequate and tainted diet consisting

of rotten, spoiled, and mice and roach infested food, (2) the failure of the jail to conduct a

physical examination and “ t aking their time dealing with medical issues,” and

(3) overcrowding, resulting in fights. Plaintiff seeks monetary and other relief.

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D. Failure to State a Claim.

1. Hart v. Hill

Throughout his Complaint, Plaintiff refers to Hart v. Hill, No. CIV 77-0479-PHX-EHC

(D. Ariz.), claiming that the conditions of his confinement violated an Amended Judgment

in that act ion. Jurisdiction to enforce the judgment is retained by the court which entered

it. Jeff D. v. Kempt horne, 365 F.3d 844, 853 (9th Cir. 2004). A civil rights action is not the

proper means by which to enforce the decree. Cagle v. Sutherland, 334 F.3d 980, 986 (11th

Cir. 2003); Klein v. Zavaras, 80 F.3d 432, 435 (10th Cir. 1996); DeGidio v. Pung, 920 F.2d 525,

534 (8th Cir.1990); Green v. M cKaskle, 788 F.2d 1116, 1122-23 (5th Cir. 1986). Standing

alone, remedial orders cannot serve as a substant ive basis for a § 1983 claim for damages

because such orders do not create “rights, privileges, or immunities secured by the

Constitution and laws.” Green, 788 F.3d at 1123-24. Remedial decrees are the means by

which unconstitutional conditions are corrected but they do not create or enlarge

constitutional right s. Id. at 1123. To the extent Plaintiff seeks to enforce Hart v. Hill, his

claim is not properly brought in this action. 

2. Count II

“[D]eliberat e indifference to serious medical needs of prisoners constitutes the

‘unnecessary and wanton infliction of p ain.’” Estelle v. Gamble, 429 U.S. 97, 104-05 (1976).

“To demonstrate that a prison official was deliberately indifferent to an inmat e’s serious

... health needs, the prisoner must show that ‘the official [knew] of and disregard[ed] an

excessive risk to inmate health.’” Aust in v. Terhune, 367 F.3d 1167, 1172 (9th Cir. 2004).

Plaintiff alleges that his const it ut ional rights were violated because the jail did not conduct

a physical examination and does not timely treat medical issues. However, Plaintiff did not

allege that he suffered from a serious medical need. Accordingly, this claim will be

dismissed without prejudice.

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E. Claims For Which An Answer Will be Required.

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

violated by (1) an inadequate and tainted diet and (2) overcrowding. Defendant Arpaio will

be ordered to answer these claims.

F. Warning of Possible Dismissal Pursuant to Rule 41.

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. 1991) (district court may dismiss action for failure to comply with any order

of the Court).

IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that: 

(1) Plaintiff’s Application 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 t his action.

Plaintiff is assessed no initial partial filing fee. All fees shall be collected and paid in

accordance wit h t his Court’s Order to the appropriate government agency filed

concurrently herewith.

(3) Count II is dismissed without prejudice.

(4) Defendant Arpaio will be required to answer Counts I and III.

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

(Doc. #1), t his Order, and both summons and request for waiver forms for Defendant

Arpaio.

(6) Plaint iff 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.

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

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

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t he complaint or within 60 days of the filing of this Order, whichever is later, the action may

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

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

(8) The United St at es Marshal shall retain the Summons, a copy of the Complaint,

and a copy of this Order for future use.

(9) The United States Marshal shall notify Defendant of the commencement of this

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

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

Marshal shall file waivers of service of t he summons or requests for waivers that 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 t he Summons, Complaint, and this Order upon

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

of the summons and of the costs subsequently incurred in effect ing service upon

the Defendant. The costs of service shall be enumerated on the ret urn of service

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

photocopying 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

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

the Court.

(10) 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.

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(11) Defendant shall answer the Comp laint or otherwise respond by appropriate

motion within the time provided by t he ap p licable provisions of Rule 12(a) of the Federal

Rules of Civil Procedure.

(12) Any answer or responsive pleading shall state the 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.

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

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

consideration by the 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.

(14) At all t imes during the pendency of this action, Plaintiff shall immediately

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

date. Such notice shall be captioned “NOTICE OF CHANGE OF ADDRESS.” T he not ice

shall contain only information p ert aining to the change of address and its effective date.

Plaintiff shall serve a copy of the notice on all opposing parties. T he notice 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. 

(15) A clear, legible copy of every pleading or other document filed shall

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

District Judge or Magistrate Judge t o whom t he case is assigned. Failure to comply with

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

notice to Plaintiff.

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(16) This matter is referred to Magistrate Virginia A. Mathis pursuant to Local Rules

of Civil Procedure 72.1 and 72.2 for further proceedings.

DATED this 15th day of November, 2005.

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