Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-4_07-cv-00665/USCOURTS-cand-4_07-cv-00665-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 550
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Civil Rights (U.S. defendant)
Cause of Action: 28:1441 Petition for Removal- Civil Rights Act

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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 Deputy Attorney General Kenneth T. Roost represents and has acknowledged service on

behalf of Defendants Hager and Avelino. Although "Comfort Care Manufacturer/Supplier" has been

named as a Defendant, that Defendant has not been served.

United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

BENJAMIN ELLIS,

Plaintiff,

 v.

K. HAGER, et al.,

Defendants. /

No. C 07-00665 SBA (PR)

ORDER GRANTING DEFENDANTS'

MOTION TO SCREEN AMENDED

COMPLAINT PURSUANT TO 28 U.S.C.

§ 1915A

Plaintiff, a state prisoner, filed this action as a civil action in the Monterey County Superior

Court. Defendants have removed the action to this Court pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1441(b). Plaintiff

has since amended his complaint. In an Amended Order dated August 1, 2007, the Court granted

Plaintiff's motion for leave to file an amended complaint.

Defendants, who are represented by the State Attorney General's Office,1 have filed a motion

asking the Court to screen the amended complaint under 28 U.S.C. § 1915A. 

Cases brought under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, as this one is, may properly be brought in either state

or federal court. See Patsy v. Bd. of Regents of State of Fl., 457 U.S. 496, 506-07 (1982). However,

a defendant may remove to the appropriate federal district court "any civil action brought in a State

court of which the district courts of the United States have original jurisdiction." Chicago v. Int'l

Coll. of Surgeons, 522 U.S. 156, 163 (1997) (quoting 28 U.S.C. § 1441(a)). The propriety of

removal thus depends on whether the case originally could have been filed in federal court. See id.

Removal does not require court action, but rather is effective upon the defendant's filing of a notice

of removal. See 28 U.S.C. § 1446(d). 

Case 4:07-cv-00665-SBA Document 14 Filed 03/05/08 Page 1 of 3
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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P:\PRO-SE\SBA\CR.07\Ellis0665.grantSCREEN.wpd 2

Because this case is filed by a prisoner, the Court must engage in a preliminary screening of

the amended complaint.

Accordingly, Defendants' motion to screen the amended complaint is GRANTED. The

Court will conduct its initial review of the amended complaint pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915A in a

separate written Order.

This Order terminates Docket no. 11.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: 3/4/08 

SAUNDRA BROWN ARMSTRONG

United States District Judge

Case 4:07-cv-00665-SBA Document 14 Filed 03/05/08 Page 2 of 3
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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P:\PRO-SE\SBA\CR.07\Ellis0665.grantSCREEN.wpd 3

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE 

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

BENJAMIN ELLIS,

Plaintiff,

 v.

K HAGER et al,

Defendant. /

Case Number: CV07-00665 SBA 

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I, the undersigned, hereby certify that I am an employee in the Office of the Clerk, U.S. District

Court, Northern District of California.

That on March 5, 2008, I SERVED a true and correct copy(ies) of the attached, by placing said

copy(ies) in a postage paid envelope addressed to the person(s) hereinafter listed, by depositing said

envelope in the U.S. Mail, or by placing said copy(ies) into an inter-office delivery receptacle

located in the Clerk's office.

Benjamin F. Ellis P-16230

Salinas Valley State Prison

P.O. Box 1050

Soledad, CA 93960-1050

Dated: March 5, 2008

Richard W. Wieking, Clerk

By: LISA R CLARK, Deputy Clerk

Case 4:07-cv-00665-SBA Document 14 Filed 03/05/08 Page 3 of 3