Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_11-cv-01110/USCOURTS-casd-3_11-cv-01110-0/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

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

ALONSO PENA,

CDCR #F-95885,

Civil No. 11-1110 DMS (CAB)

Plaintiff, ORDER:

(1) GRANTING MOTION TO

PROCEED IN FORMA PAUPERIS, [ECF No. 3]; AND

(2) DIRECTING U.S. MARSHAL TO

EFFECT SERVICE OF COMPLAINT

PURSUANT TO FED.R.CIV.P. 4(c)(3) 

& 28 U.S.C. § 1915(d)

vs.

JOHN DOE #1; JOHN DOE #2;

JOHN DOE #3; JOHN DOE #4,

Defendants.

Alonso Pena (“Plaintiff”), a state prisoner currently incarcerated at the California

Correctional Institution, and proceeding in pro se, has filed a civil rights Complaint pursuant to

42 U.S.C. § 1983. In addition, Plaintiff has filed a Motion to Proceed In Forma Pauperis

(“IFP”) [ECF No. 3]. In his Complaint, Plaintiff alleges that Sheriff Deputies with the Imperial

County Sheriff’s Department used excessive force against him while he was housed in the

Imperial County Jail. (See Compl. at 3-4.)

/ / /

/ / /

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1

 Plaintiff is cautioned that “the sua sponte screening and dismissal procedure is cumulative of,

and not a substitute for, any subsequent Rule 12[] motion that [a defendant] may choose to bring.”

Teahan v. Wilhelm, 481 F. Supp. 2d 1115, 1119 (S.D. Cal. 2007).

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I.

MOTION TO PROCEED IFP [ECF No. 3]

All parties instituting any civil action, suit or proceeding in a district court of the United

States, except an application for writ of habeas corpus, must pay a filing fee of $350. See 28

U.S.C. § 1914(a). An action may proceed despite a plaintiff’s failure to prepay the entire fee

only if the plaintiff is granted leave to proceed IFP pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a). See

Rodriguez v. Cook, 169 F.3d 1176, 1177 (9th Cir. 1999). However, prisoners granted leave to

proceed IFP remain obligated to pay the entire fee in installments, regardless of whether their

action is ultimately dismissed. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1) & (2).

The Court finds that Plaintiff has no available funds from which to pay filing fees at this

time. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(4). Therefore, the Court GRANTS Plaintiff’s Motion to Proceed

IFP [ECF No. 3] and assesses no initial partial filing fee per 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1). However,

the entire $350 balance of the filing fees mandated shall be collected and forwarded to the Clerk

of the Court pursuant to the installment payment provisions set forth in 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1).

II.

SCREENING PURSUANT TO 28 U.S.C. §§ 1915(e)(2) & 1915A(b)

The PLRA also obligates the Court to review complaints filed by all persons proceeding

IFP and by those, like Plaintiff, who are “incarcerated or detained in any facility [and] accused

of, sentenced for, or adjudicated delinquent for, violations of criminal law or the terms or

conditions of parole, probation, pretrial release, or diversionary program,” “as soon as

practicable after docketing.” See 28 U.S.C. §§ 1915(e)(2) and 1915A(b). Under these

provisions of the PLRA, the Court must sua sponte dismiss complaints, or any portions thereof,

which are frivolous, malicious, fail to state a claim, or which seek damages from defendants who

are immune. See 28 U.S.C. §§ 1915(e)(2)(B) and 1915A.

Here, the Court finds Plaintiff’s allegations sufficient to survive the sua sponte screening

required by 28 U.S.C. §§ 1915(e)(2) and 1915A(b).1

 Accordingly, the Court finds Plaintiff is

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entitled to U.S. Marshal service on his behalf. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(d); FED.R.CIV.P. 4(c)(3).

However, Plaintiff must make an effort to identify the unnamed Defendants and amend his

pleading to substitute their true names. While the use of “Doe” Defendants is disfavored, the

Court will not dismiss Plaintiff’s claims at this time. See Wakefield v. Thompson, 177 F.3d

1160, 1163 (9th Cir. 1999) (citing Gillespie v. Civiletti, 629 F.2d 637, 642 (9th Cir. 1980))

(where identity of alleged defendants will not be known prior to filing of complaint, plaintiff

should be given an opportunity through discovery and amend his complaint to identify the

unknown defendants, unless it is clear that discovery would not uncover the identities, or that

the complaint would be dismissed on other grounds).

III.

CONCLUSION AND ORDER

 Good cause appearing therefor, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:

1. Plaintiff’s Motion to proceed IFP pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a) [ECF No. 3] is

GRANTED. 

2. The Secretary of California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, or his

designee, shall collect from Plaintiff’s prison trust account the $350 balance of the filing fee

owed in this case by collecting monthly payments from the account in an amount equal to twenty

percent (20%) of the preceding month’s income and forward payments to the Clerk of the Court

each time the amount in the account exceeds $10 in accordance with 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(2).

ALL PAYMENTS SHALL BE CLEARLY IDENTIFIED BY THE NAME AND NUMBER

ASSIGNED TO THIS ACTION.

3. The Clerk of the Court is directed to serve a copy of this Order on Matthew Cate,

Secretary, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, 1515 S Street, Suite 502,

Sacramento, California 95814.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that:

4. The Clerk shall issue a summons as to Plaintiff’s Complaint [ECF No. 1] upon the

Defendants and shall forward it to Plaintiff along with a blank U.S. Marshal Form 285 for each

Defendant. In addition, the Clerk shall provide Plaintiff with a copy of this Order and a copy

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of his Complaint and the summons so that he may serve Defendants. Upon receipt of this “IFP

Package,” Plaintiff is directed to complete the Form 285s as completely and accurately as

possible, and to return them to the United States Marshal according to the instructions provided

by the Clerk in the letter accompanying his IFP package. Upon receipt, the U.S. Marshal shall

serve a copy of the Complaint and summons upon Defendants as directed by Plaintiff on the

USM Form 285s. All costs of service shall be advanced by the United States. See 28 U.S.C.

§ 1915(d); FED.R.CIV.P. 4(c)(3).

5. Plaintiff shall serve upon the Defendants or, if appearance has been entered by

counsel, upon Defendants’ counsel, a copy of every further pleading or other document

submitted for consideration of the Court. Plaintiff shall include with the original paper to be

filed with the Clerk of the Court a certificate stating the manner in which a true and correct copy

of any document was served on Defendants, or counsel for Defendants, and the date of service.

Any paper received by the Court which has not been filed with the Clerk or which fails to

include a Certificate of Service will be disregarded.

DATED: August 10, 2011

HON. DANA M. SABRAW

United States District Judge

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