Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_06-cv-00047/USCOURTS-caed-2_06-cv-00047-3/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 440
Nature of Suit: Other Civil Rights
Cause of Action: 28:1983 Civil Rights

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

----oo0oo----

SONYA WOLF, individually and

as Guardian Ad Litem for her

minor son NICHOLAS H.,

NO. CIV. S-06-0047 WBS KJM

Plaintiffs,

v. ORDER RE: MOTION TO APPOINT

GUARDIAN AD LITEM 

COUNTY OF SAN JOAQUIN, MELISSA

TORRES, individually and as an

employee of the County of San

Joaquin; MICHELLE MCDANIEL,

individually and as an

employee of the County of San

Joaquin; SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

SHERIFF’S OFFICE; VALERIE

AGBULOS, individually and as

an employee of the County of

San Joaquin; and Does 1

through 50, inclusive;

Defendants.

----oo0oo----

Pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 17(c) and

Local Rule 17-202, plaintiffs Sonya Wolf and Nicholas H. now move

to appoint Roger Craig as the guardian ad litem for Nicholas H.,

Case 2:06-cv-00047-WBS -KJM Document 28 Filed 06/13/06 Page 1 of 3
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This same motion was originally filed, but not noticed, 1

on January 8, 2006. Technically, the guardian ad litem is

supposed to be appointed for a minor plaintiff before the summons

is served. Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 373(a) (“If the minor is the

plaintiff the appointment must be made before the summons is

issued . . . .”). Because plaintiffs failed to notice their

motion, this step was not performed in a timely manner. 

Nevertheless, “failure to appoint a guardian for a minor ad litem

is a mere irregularity or judicial error which does not affect

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who is a minor.

ORDER

On a motion to appoint a guardian ad litem, the court

must consider (1) any reasonable objections raised by the minor

and (2) “whether the minor and the guardian have divergent

interests.” Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 372(b)(1). Objections by the

minor have not been raised. Furthermore, the declaration of

Roger Craig demonstrates that:

1. Petitioner is the grandfather of Nicholas H., a minor

of the age of seven (D.O.B. January 16, 1999), and resides at 101

Waverly St., in Palo Alto, California. 

2. Petitioner’s grandson, Nicholas H., has causes of

action against the above named defendants for violation of his

constitutional rights, actionable under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 and

California Civil Code § 52.1, and intentional infliction of

emotional distress.

3. Petitioner is a competent and responsible person,

qualified to become the guardian ad litem of said minor, aware of

the responsibilities the position entails, and he consents in his

declaration to act in such a capacity.

4. No previous application for appointment of a guardian

ad litem in this matter has been made.1

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the jurisdiction of the court.” Cikuth v. Loero, 14 Cal. App. 2d

32, 33 (1936) (citing Johnston v. S. Pac. Co., 150 Cal. 535, 539

(1907)). Consequently, the court still has the authority to make

this appointment. 

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5. Petitioner has already been appointed by Judge Karlton

to represent Nicholas H. in a related action that was reassigned

to the undersigned on April 18, 2006 (Case No. Civ. S-06-0050).

IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that plaintiffs’ motion to

appoint Roger Craig as the guardian ad litem for the minor

Nicholas H. be, and the same hereby is, GRANTED.

DATED: June 12, 2006

Case 2:06-cv-00047-WBS -KJM Document 28 Filed 06/13/06 Page 3 of 3