Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_05-cv-02526/USCOURTS-azd-2_05-cv-02526-0/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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Many inmates apparently believe that they will receive an immediate payout from

a fund established in Hart v. Hill, No. CV 77-0479-PHX-EHC (MS) (D. Ariz.). No such fund

exists. The inmat es in Hart asked for injunctive relief and not monetary damages. The

Court at this time expresses no opinion whether Plaintiff’s lawsuit may result in an award

of damages. 

TERMPSREF

LMH

WO

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Cody W. Williams, 

Plaintiff, 

vs.

Joe Arpaio, et al., 

Defendants. 

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No. CV 05-2526-PHX-DGC (CRP)

ORDER

This is one of more than one thousand civil rights actions filed since September

2004 by Maricopa Count y Jail inmates.1 Plaintiff is a state prisoner at the Gila South Unit

of the Arizona State Prison Complex in Douglas, Arizona, but his action concerns events

while confined at the Towers Jail in Phoenix, Arizona. The Court will require an answer to

the Complaint.

A. Application to Proceed In Forma Pauperis & Filing Fee

Plaintiff’s request to proceed in forma pauperis will be granted. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a).

Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1), Plaintiff is required to pay the st at ut ory filing fee of

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$250.00 for this action. An initial partial filing fee of $19.84 (based on an average monthly

deposit of $99.22) will be assessed by this Order. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1). By separate order,

the Court will direct the appropriate agency to collect the initial partial filing fee from

Plaintiff’s trust account and forward it to the Clerk of Court. 

Plaintiff will be obligated for monthly payments of 20 percent of the preceding

month’s income credited to Plaint iff’s trust account. The Court will direct the appropriate

agency to collect these monthly payments, which will be forwarded to the Clerk of Court

each time the amount in Plaintiff’s account exceeds $10.00, until t he filing fee is paid in full.

28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(2).

Plaintiff should take notice that if he is released before the filing fee is paid in full,

he must pay the remaining unpaid amount of the filing fee within 120 days of t he dat e of

his release. If Plaintiff fails to pay the remainder of t he filing fee within 120 days of the date

of his release, t he action will be dismissed, unless Plaintiff shows good cause, in writing,

why he is unable to pay the remainder of the filing fee.

B. 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 the Plaintiff has raised

claims that are legally “frivolous or malicious,” that fail t o st ate 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). 

C. Complaint

Plaintiff alleges that while incarcerated at the Towers Jail, he was served an

inadequate quantity of food that was often unfit for consumption, was subjected to

overcrowded conditions that caused him to fear for his safety, and contracted infections

from the unsanitary conditions. Plaintiff sues Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio for

creating and implementing the policy and procedure at all the jails. Plaint iff also sues the

“John Doe” Towers Jail Commander for implementing the policy and procedure at the

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Towers Jail. For relief, Plaintiff seeks monetary damages and an order to enforce the

Amended Judgment in Hart v. Hill.

At this juncture, Plaintiff allegations sufficiently state a claim. Plaintiff, however,

may not seek to enforce the Amended Judgment in Hart v. Hill, No. CIV 77-0479-PHX-EHC

(MS) (D. Ariz .) in this action. Jurisdiction to enforce the judgment is retained by the court

which entered it. Jeff D. v. Kemp t horne, 365 F.3d 844, 853 (9th Cir. 2004). A civil rights

action is not the proper means by which to enforce the decree. Cagle v. Sut herland, 334

F.3d 980, 986 (11th Cir. 2003); Klein v. Zavaras, 80 F.3d 432, 435 (10th Cir. 1996); DeGidio

v. Pung, 920 F.2d 525, 534 (8th Cir.1990); Green v. McKaskle, 788 F.2d 1116, 1122-23 (5th Cir.

1986). Standing alone, remedial orders cannot serve as a substantive basis for a § 1983

claim for damages because such orders do not create “rights, privileges, or immunities

secured by the Constitution and laws.” Green, 788 F.3d at 1123-24. Remedial decrees are

the means by which unconstitutional conditions are corrected but they do not create or

enlarge constitutional rights. Id. at 1123. Accordingly, Plaintiff may not seek to enforce

Hart v. Hill in this action.

D. Rule 41 Cautionary Notice

Plaintiff should take notice that if he fails to timely comply with every provision of

this Order, or any order entered in this matter, this act ion will be dismissed pursuant to

Rule 41(b) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. See Ferdik v. Bonzelet, 963 F.2d 1258,

1260-61 (9th Cir.) (district court may dismiss action for failure to comply with any order of

the Court), cert. denied, 506 U.S. 915 (1992).

IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that: 

(1) Plaintiff’s Application to Proceed In Forma Pauperis is granted. Plaintiff is

obligated to pay the statutory filing fee of $250.00 for this action. The Arizona Depart ment

of Corrections or her designee shall collect from Plaintiff’s trust account an initial partial

filing fee in the amount of $19.84 and shall forward t he amount to the Clerk of Court. Said

payment shall be clearly identified by the name and number assigned to this action.

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Pursuant to Rule 25(d)(2) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, a public officer

may be described by the official’s title rather than by name, but the Court may require the

name to be added. Plaintiff must include the name of t he T owers Jail Commander in the

service packet.

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(2) The Arizona Department of Corrections or her designee shall collect the filing fee

from Plaintiff’s trust account by collect ing mont hly payments in an amount equal to 20

percent of the preceding month’s income credited to Plaintiff’s trust account and

forwarding the payments to the Clerk of the Court each time the amount in the account

exceeds $10.00 in accordance with 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(2). The payments shall be clearly

identified by the name and number assigned to this action.

(3) The Clerk of Court shall send Plaintiff a service packet including the Comp laint,

this Order, and both summons and request for waiver forms for Defendants Arpaio and

“John Doe” Jail Commander.2

(4) Plaintiff shall complete and return the service p acket to the Clerk of Court within

20 days of the date of filing of this Order. The United States Marshal will not provide

service of process if Plaintiff fails to comply with this Order.

(5) If Plaintiff does not either obtain a waiver of service of the summons or complete

service of the Summons and Complaint on each Defendant within 120 day s of the filing of

the complaint or within 60 days of the filing of t his Order, whichever is later, the action may

be dismissed as to each Defendant not served pursuant to Rule 4(m) of the Federal Rules

of Civil Procedure and Local Rule of Civil Procedure 16.2(b)(2)(B)(i). 

(6) The United States Marshal shall retain the Summons, a copy of the Complaint,

and a copy of this Order for future use.

(7) The United States Marshal shall notify Defendants of the commencement of t his

action and request waiver of service of the summons p ursuant to Rule 4(d) of the Federal

Rules of Civil Procedure. The notice to Defendant s shall include a copy of this Order. The

Marshal shall file waivers of service of the summons or requests for waivers that were

returned as undeliverable as soon as they are received. If a waiver of service of summons

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is not returned by a Defendant within thirty days from the date the request for waiver was

sent by the Marshal, the Marshal shall:

(a) Personally serve copies of the Summons, Complaint, and this Order upon

the Defendant pursuant to Rule 4(e)(2) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure;

(b) Within 10 days after personal service is effected, file the return of service

for the Defendant , along with evidence of the attempt to secure a waiver of service

of the summons and of the costs subsequently incurred in effect ing service upon

the Defendant. The costs of service shall be enumerated on the return of service

form (USM-285) and shall include the costs incurred by the Marshal for

photocopying additional copies of the Summons, Complaint, or this Order and for

preparing new process receipt and return forms (USM-285), if required. Costs of

service will be taxed against the personally served defendant pursuant to Rule

4(d)(2) and (5) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, unless otherwise ordered by

the Court.

(8) A Defendant who agrees to waive service of the Summons and Complaint shall

return the signed waiver forms to the United States Marshal, not the Plaintiff.

(9) Defendants shall answer t he Complaint or otherwise respond by appropriate

motion within the time provided by the applicable provisions of Rule 12(a) of the Federal

Rules of Civil Procedure.

(10) Any answer or responsive pleading shall state the specific Defendant(s) by

name on whose behalf it is filed. The Court may st rike any answer, responsive pleading,

or other motion or p aper that does not identify the specific Defendant(s) by name on

whose behalf it is filed.

(11) Plaint iff shall serve upon Defendants, or if appearance has been entered by

counsel, upon counsel, a copy of every further pleading or other document submitted for

consideration by the Court. Plaintiff shall include with the original document and copy, to

be filed with the Clerk of the Court, a certificat e st at ing t he date a true and correct copy of

the pleading or document was mailed to Defendants or counsel. Any paper received by

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a District Court Judge or Magistrate Judge which has not been filed with the Clerk of Court

may be disregarded by the Court.

(12) At all times during the pendency of this action, Plaintiff shall immediately advise

the Court and the United States Marshal of any change of address and its effective dat e.

Such notice shall be captioned “NOTICE OF CHANGE OF ADDRESS.” The notice shall

contain only information pertaining to the change of address and its effective date.

Plaintiff shall serve a copy of the notice on all opposing parties. T he notice shall not

include any motions for any other relief. Failure to file a Notice of Change of Address may

result in the dismissal of the action for failure to prosecute pursuant to Rule 41(b) of the

Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. 

(13) A clear, legible copy of every pleading or other document filed shall

accompany each original p leading or other document filed with the Clerk for use by the

District Judge or Magistrate Judge t o whom t he case is assigned. Failure to comply with

this requirement may result in the pleading or document being stricken wit hout further

notice to Plaintiff. 

(14) This matter is referred to Magistrate Judge Charles R. Pyle pursuant to Local

Rules of Civil Procedure 72.1 and 72.2 for further proceedings.

DATED this 3rd day of January, 2006.

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