Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_05-cv-01405/USCOURTS-azd-2_05-cv-01405-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 555
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Prison Condition
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Prisoner Civil Rights

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BL

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Mario Cardenas, 

Plaintiff, 

vs.

Joseph M. Arpaio, 

Defendant. 

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No. CV 05-1405-PHX-DGC (DKD)

ORDER

Plaintiff Mario Cardenas, presently confined in the Maricopa Unit of the Arizona

State Prison Complex in Douglas, Arizona, has filed a pro se Civil Rights Complaint by a

Prisoner pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. The Court will denied leave to proceed in forma

pauperis without prejudice and dismiss the action as duplicative.

A. Statutory Screening of Prisoner Complaints.

The Court is required to screen complaints brought by prisoners seeking relief against

a governmental entity or officer or employee of a governmental entity. 28 U.S.C.

§ 1915A(a). The Court must dismiss a complaint or portion thereof if Plaintiff has raised

claims that are legally “frivolous or malicious,” that fail to state a claim upon which relief

may be granted, or that seek monetary relief from a defendant who is immune from such

relief. 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(b)(1),(2). 

Case 2:05-cv-01405-DGC--DKD Document 6 Filed 10/14/05 Page 1 of 3
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1 Effective February 7, 2005, the filing fee for a civil rights action increased from $150.00

to $250.00. See 28 U.S.C. § 1914, amended by, Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2005,

Pub.L.No. 108-447, 118 Stat. 2809, Sec. 307 (December 8, 2004). Plaintiff’s prior Complaint, was

not subject to the increased fee because it was filed prior to the effective date of the increase.

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B. Procedural History and Complaint.

Plaintiff names as a defendant Joseph Arpaio, Sheriff of Maricopa County, and notes

that he filed a prior lawsuit raising the same claims as in the instant action. Plaintiff states

that the prior suit was incorrectly filed and he has not received a response. However, on

September 15, 2005, this Court issued an order on the prior suit, Cardenas v. Maricopa

County Sheriff’s Office,CV 04-2661-PHX-JAT (JMM) ordering the Plaintiff to either pay

the $150.00 filing fee1

 or properly apply for in forma pauperis. Thus, the instant suit is

identical to the prior pending suit.

C. Duplicative Action Must Be Dismissed.

An in forma pauperis complaint that merely repeats pending or previously litigated

claims may be considered abusive and dismissed under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e). Cato v. United

States, 70 F.3d 1103, 1105 n.2 (9th Cir. 1995); see also McWilliams v. State of Colorado,

121 F.3d 573, 574 (11th Cir. 1997) (repetitious action may be dismissed as frivolous or

malicious); Aziz v. Burrows, 976 F.2d 1158 (9th Cir. 1992) (“district courts may dismiss a

duplicative complaint raising issues directly related to issues in another pending action

brought by the same party”); Bailey v. Johnson, 846 F.2d 1019, 1021 (5th Cir. 1988)

(repetitious litigation of virtually identical causes of action is subject to dismissal as

malicious). Accordingly, the Complaint and this action will be dismissed as duplicative of

No. CV 04-2661-PHX-JAT (JMM). Plaintiff’s application to proceed in forma pauperis will

be denied without prejudice.

IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED: 

(1) That Plaintiff’s Application to Proceed In Forma Pauperis is denied without

prejudice. 

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(2) That the Complaint and this action are dismissed without prejudice and the Clerk

of Court shall enter judgment accordingly.

Dated this 13th day of October, 2005.

Case 2:05-cv-01405-DGC--DKD Document 6 Filed 10/14/05 Page 3 of 3