Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_03-cv-00072/USCOURTS-caed-2_03-cv-00072-3/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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1

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

EUGENE EVERETT WELCH,

Plaintiff, No. CIV S-03-0072 LKK JFM P

vs.

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF

CORRECTIONS, et al.,

Defendants. ORDER

 /

Plaintiff, a state prisoner proceeding pro se, has filed this civil rights action

seeking relief under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. The matter was referred to a United States Magistrate

Judge pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1)(B) and Local General Order No. 262.

On August 28, 2006 , the magistrate judge filed findings and recommendations

herein which were served on all parties and which contained notice to all parties that any

objections to the findings and recommendations were to be filed within fourteen days. Plaintiff

has filed objections to the findings and recommendations.

In accordance with the provisions of 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1)(C) and Local Rule 72-

304, this court has conducted a de novo review of this case. Plaintiff filed this action in 2003,

claiming his rights under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA),

42 U.S.C. § 2000cc et seq. were being violated by enforcement against him of grooming

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26 Now known as the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. 1

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regulations promulgated and implemented in 1997 by the California Department of Corrections.

1

On February 3, 2006, defendants filed a motion for summary judgment. In the August 28, 2006

findings and recommendations, the magistrate judge recommended that defendants’ motion be

granted on the grounds that (1) the action has mooted by the promulgation of new grooming

regulations in 2006, the restoration of plaintiff’s privilege status and lost time credits, and the

removal of all grooming related disciplinary actions from plaintiff’s record; and (2) defendants

are entitled to qualified immunity from damages. 

In his objections, plaintiff presents evidence that, inter alia, his lost time credits

have not yet been restored and that documents related to the grooming related disciplinary

convictions remain in his central file. These and other contentions in plaintiff’s objections raise

questions as to whether plaintiff’s claims for declaratory and injunctive relief are in fact moot. 

Accordingly, defendants’ motion for summary judgment on those claims will be denied without

prejudice and the matter will be referred back to the magistrate judge for further proceedings 

The court finds the findings and recommendations with respect to defendants’ claimed

entitlement to qualified immunity from damages to be supported by the record and by proper

analysis and will therefore adopt those in full.

Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:

1. The findings and recommendations filed August 28, 2006, are adopted in part; 

2. Defendants’ February 3, 2006 motion for summary judgment is granted in part

and denied in part, as follows:

a. Defendants’ motion for summary judgment on plaintiff’s claims for

declaratory and injunctive relief is denied without prejudice;

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3

b. Defendants’ motion for summary judgment on plaintiff’s claim for

monetary damages is granted on the ground that defendants are entitled to qualified immunity

from monetary damages; and

3. This matter is referred back to the magistrate judge for further proceedings.

DATED: September 28, 2006.

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