Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_01-cv-06396/USCOURTS-caed-1_01-cv-06396-6/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

ROBERT LEE ROBINS, JR.,

Plaintiff,

v.

L. ATCHUE, et al.,

Defendants.

 /

CASE NO. 1:01-CV-6396-REC-SMS-P

ORDER DIRECTING UNITED STATES

MARSHAL TO RE-ATTEMPT SERVICE ON

DEFENDANTS SHILAY, VAUGHN, AND

CRAMER WITHOUT PREPAYMENT OF

COSTS

Plaintiff Robert Lee Robins, Jr. (“plaintiff”) is a state prisoner proceeding pro se and in forma

pauperis in this civil rights action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. On June 10, 2005, the court

directed the United States Marshal to initiate service of process on twenty-one defendants. (Doc.

34.) The Marshal was unable to locate five of the defendants. (Docs. 43, 44.) 

The court and the Marshal have a statutory duty to service process on plaintiff’s behalf, and

with respect to three of the five defendants, the responses given to the Marshal to date by the CDC

are insufficient to allow the court to discharge this duty on the ground that those defendants cannot

be located. 28 U.S.C. 1915(d); Fed. R. Civ. P. 4(c)(2). With respect to defendant Vaughn, the

Marshal’s Office was informed that he retired to Hot Springs Village, Arkansas, but his complete

address was apparently not provided. The Marshal’s Office was informed that defendants Shilay and

Cramer could not be located. The Marshal may have been unable to locate Shilay because his last

name was misspelled as Shiley by plaintiff. It is unclear why Cramer could not be located. Absent

information that there is no current address available for Cramer, the vague statement that he cannot

be located is insufficient to discharge the Marshal from effecting service. The court must direct the

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 Apparently retired. 1

 Apparently retired. 2

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Marshal to re-attempt service on defendants Vaugh, Shilay, and Cramer. The court will provide the

Marshal with a record bearing defendants’ names, in the event that the record can assist CDC

personnel. If the institution is unable to locate these defendants, the Marshal shall contact the

Legal Affairs Division and request the assistance of a special investigator. 

Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:

1. The Clerk of the Court is directed to forward the following documents to the United

States Marshal:

(1) One completed and issued summons for each defendant to be served;

(2) One completed USM-285 form for each defendant to be served;

(3) One copy of the second amended complaint filed on August 4, 2003 for each

defendant to be served, plus an extra copy for the Marshal; 

(4) One copy of this order for each defendant to be served, plus an extra copy for

the Marshal; and

(5) One copy of the court’s consent form for each defendant to be served; 

2. Within ten days from the date of this order, the United States Marshal is directed to

notify the following defendant of the commencement of this action and to request a

waiver of service in accordance with the provisions of Fed. R. Civ. P. 4(d) and 28

U.S.C. § 566(c):

TOM E. VAUGHN, CHIEF DEPUTY WARDEN

1

C. SHILAY, ASSOCIATE WARDEN

P. CRAMER, SERGEANT2

3. The U.S. Marshal is directed to retain the summons and a copy of the second

amended complaint in their file for future use.

4. The United States Marshal shall file the returned waiver of service, or the request for

waiver if it is returned as undelivered, as soon as it is received. 

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5. In attempting to locate defendants, if the institution is unable to provide

assistance, the Marshal shall contact the Legal Affairs Division in Sacramento

and request the assistance of a special investigator.

6. If a waiver of service is not returned by a defendant within sixty days of the date of

mailing the request for waiver, the United States Marshal shall:

a. Personally serve process and a copy of this order upon the defendant pursuant

to Rule 4 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and 28 U.S.C. § 566(c) and

shall command all necessary assistance from the California Department of

Corrections (CDC) to execute this order. The United States Marshal shall

maintain the confidentiality of all information provided by the CDC pursuant

to this order. 

b. Within ten days after personal service is effected, the United States Marshal

shall file the return of service for the defendant, along with evidence of any

attempts to secure a waiver of service of process and of the costs

subsequently incurred in effecting service on said defendant. Said costs shall

be enumerated on the USM-285 form and shall include the costs incurred by

the Marshal's office for photocopying additional copies of the summons and

complaint and for preparing new USM-285 forms, if required. Costs of

service will be taxed against the personally served defendant in accordance

with the provisions of Fed. R. Civ. P. 4(d)(2).

7. In the event that any defendants make an appearance in this action by filing an

answer, dispositive motion, or other pleading, the U.S. Marshals Service need not

personally serve those defendants.

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8. In the event that defendants either waive service or are personally served, defendants

are required to reply to the complaint. 42 U.S.C. § 1997e(g)(2).

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: December 1, 2005 /s/ Sandra M. Snyder 

i0d3h8 UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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