Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_16-cv-00458/USCOURTS-caed-1_16-cv-00458-0/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

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

KENNETH R. HENRY,

 Plaintiff,

 vs.

MIRANDA, et al.,

 Defendants.

1:16-cv-00458-EPG-PC

 

ORDER ADDRESSING PLAINTIFF'S 

MOTION TO ADD INFORMATION TO 

COMPLAINT

(ECF No. 6.)

ORDER INFORMING PLAINTIFF HE IS 

PERMITTED TO FILE AMENDED 

COMPLAINT AS A MATTER OF 

COURSE

ORDER FOR CLERK TO SEND 

COMPLAINT FORM TO PLAINTIFF

THIRTY DAY DEADLINE TO FILE 

FIRST AMENDED COMPLAINT

I. BACKGROUND

Kenneth R. Henry (“Plaintiff”) is a former state prisoner proceeding pro se with this 

civil rights action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. On April 1, 2016, Plaintiff filed the Complaint 

commencing this action. (ECF No. 1.) 

On May 9, 2016, Plaintiff filed a motion to add information to the Complaint. (ECF 

No. 6.)

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II. LOCAL RULE 220 AND FEDERAL RULE OF CIVIL PROCEDURE 15(a) -

AMENDING THE COMPLAINT

Local Rule 220 provides, in part:

Unless prior approval to the contrary is obtained from the Court, every 

pleading to which an amendment or supplement is permitted as a matter of right 

or has been allowed by court order shall be retyped and filed so that it is 

complete in itself without reference to the prior or superseded pleading. No 

pleading shall be deemed amended or supplemented until this Rule has been 

complied with. All changed pleadings shall contain copies of all exhibits 

referred to in the changed pleading.

Plaintiff requests the Court to add to his Complaint the California Supreme Court’s 

April 13, 2016 decision denying his petition for writ of habeas corpus. Plaintiff has submitted a 

copy of the one-page judgment as an exhibit to his motion. (ECF No. 6 at 3.)

Plaintiff may not add information to the Complaint in this manner. Under Rule 220, 

Plaintiff may not amend the Complaint by adding information piecemeal after the Complaint 

has been filed. To add information or correct an error in the Complaint, Plaintiff must file a 

new First Amended Complaint which is complete within itself. 

Under Rule 15(a) of the Federal Rule of Civil Procedure, a party may amend the party’s 

pleading once as a matter of course at any time before a responsive pleading is served. 

Otherwise, a party may amend only by leave of the Court or by written consent of the adverse 

party, and leave shall be freely given when justice so requires. Fed. R. Civ. P. 15(a). Here, 

because Plaintiff has not previously amended the Complaint and no responsive pleading has 

been served in this action, Plaintiff has leave to file an amended complaint as a matter of 

course. Plaintiff shall be granted thirty days in which to file an amended complaint, making the 

needed changes.

Plaintiff is informed he must demonstrate in his amended complaint 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). The amended complaint 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

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claimed deprivation. Rizzo v. Goode, 423 U.S. 36 (1976); May v. Enomoto, 633 F.2d 164, 167 

(9th Cir. 1980); Johnson v. Duffy, 588 F.2d 740, 743 (9th Cir. 1978). 

As a general rule, an amended complaint supersedes the original complaint. See Loux 

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

complaint 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. 

Plaintiff should note that although he has the opportunity to amend, it is not for the 

purpose of adding allegations of events occurring after April 1, 2016. Plaintiff may not change 

the nature of this suit by adding new, unrelated claims in his amended complaint. George v. 

Smith, 507 F.3d 605, 607 (7th Cir. 2007) (no “buckshot” complaints). In addition, Plaintiff 

should take care to include only those claims that were exhausted prior to the initiation of this 

suit on April 1, 2016.

Finally, Plaintiff is advised that Local Rule 220 requires that an amended complaint be 

complete in itself without reference to any prior pleading. The First Amended Complaint 

should be clearly and boldly titled “FIRST AMENDED COMPLAINT,” refer to the 

appropriate case number, and be an original signed under penalty of perjury.

III. CONCLUSION

Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:

1. Plaintiff is advised that he may not add information to the Complaint by 

submitting exhibits to the Court after the Complaint is filed;

2. Plaintiff is informed that he has leave to amend the Complaint once as a matter 

of course;

3. Plaintiff is granted thirty (30) days from the date of service of this order, in 

which to file a First Amended Complaint as instructed by this order, using the 

Court’s form;

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4. The First Amended Complaint should be clearly and boldly titled “First 

Amended Complaint,” refer to case number 1:16-cv-00458-EPG-PC, and be an 

original signed under penalty of perjury;

5. If Plaintiff does not file a First Amended Complaint within thirty days, the Court 

shall proceed with Plaintiff’s Complaint filed on April 1, 2016; and

6 The Clerk of Court shall send one § 1983 civil rights complaint form to Plaintiff.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: September 7, 2016 /s/

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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