Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-5_19-cv-07469/USCOURTS-cand-5_19-cv-07469-0/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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United States District Court

Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SAN JOSE DIVISION

LETHA PEARL WILKS,

Plaintiff,

v.

CHOWCHILLA WOMEN FACILITY,

Defendant.

Case No. 19-cv-07469-VKD 

ORDER OF TRANSFER

Ms. Letha Pearl Wilks, who is currently confined at the Patton State Hospital, filed a pro 

se civil rights complaint pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against the Central California Women’s 

Facility (“CCWF”) for classifying her as a “mental patient” upon her arrival. Dkt. No. 1 at 1–2. 

CCWF is in Chowchilla, which is in Madera County. Because the acts complained of occurred in 

Madera County, which lies within the venue of the Eastern District of California, see 28 U.S.C. 

§ 84(b), venue properly lies in that district and not in this one. See 28 U.S.C. § 1391(b). This 

Court has discretion to either dismiss the case for wrong venue or transfer it to the proper federal 

court “in the interest of justice.” See 28 U.S.C. § 1406(a). The Court concludes that the interest 

of justice is best served by transfer, and accordingly orders the case TRANSFERRED to the 

United States District Court for the Eastern District of California. 

The Clerk of the Court shall terminate all pending motions and transfer the entire file to the 

Eastern District of California. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: November 19, 2019

VIRGINIA K. DEMARCHI

United States Magistrate Judge

Case 5:19-cv-07469-VKD Document 7 Filed 11/19/19 Page 1 of 1