Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_05-cv-03941/USCOURTS-azd-2_05-cv-03941-0/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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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

JDN

WO

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Randy Markle, 

Plaintiff, 

vs.

Joseph Arpaio, 

Defendant. 

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No. CV 05-3941-PHX-DGC (VAM)

ORDER

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

2004 by Maricopa County Jail inmates.1 Plaintiff is presently confined in the East Unit of

the Arizona State Prison Complex in Florence, Ariz ona. The Court will require an answer

to the Complaint.

A. Application to Proceed In Forma Pauperis & Filing Fee

Plaintiff originally filed his Complaint in the United St at es District Court for the

Central District of California on November 4, 2005 (Dkt. # 3). The case was filed as CV 05-

7796-MMM-PLA. Magistrate Judge Paul L. Abrams grant ed leave to proceed in forma

pauperis and assessed no initial partial filing fee (Dkt. # 2). On December 5, 2005, the case

Case 2:05-cv-03941-DGC-VAM Document 13 Filed 01/30/06 Page 1 of 6
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was transferred to this Court and assigned to Judge David G. Campbell with the above civil

case number (Dkt. # 6). Plaint iff is required to pay the statutory filing fee of $250.00 for

this action. To date, no portion of the filing fee has been paid.

Plaintiff will be obligat ed for monthly payments of 20 percent of the preceding

month’s income credited to Plaintiff’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 the 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 p ay the remaining unpaid amount of the filing fee within 120 days

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

days of the date of his release, the 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 Plaint iff has raised

claims t hat 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). 

C. Complaint

Plaintiff's Complaint concerns his previous confinement in the Towers Jail in

Phoenix, Arizona. In his Complaint Plaint iff alleges that the jail was severely overcrowded,

and the living condit ions were unsanitary. He claims that he was exposed to threats of

violence, his health and safety were in jeopardy, and he risked contracting staph

infections. Plaintiff further alleges that Defendant Josep h Arp aio, the Maricopa County

Sheriff, is liable because he knowingly maintained the conditions at the jail. These

allegations adequately state a claim, and the Court will require an answer t o the Complaint.

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D. Dismissal

1. Maricopa County Sheriff's Office

In Arizona, the responsibility of operating jails and caring for prisoners is placed by

law upon the sheriff. See A.R.S. § 11-441(A)(5); A.R.S. § 31-101. A sheriff’s office is simply

an administrative creat ion of t he county sheriff to allow him to carry out his statutory

duties, and not a “person” amenable to suit pursuant to § 1983. Accordingly, the

Maricop a County Sheriff’s Office will be dismissed from this action as an improper

Defendant. 

2. Count I - Access to Courts

In Count I Plaintiff alleges that he was denied due process by Defendant's failure

to provide access to a law library, thereby denying Plaint iff the opportunity to sufficiently

aid in his defense. As a pretrial detainee during his confinement at the Maricopa County

Jail, Plaint iff’s right of access to the courts for his criminal prosecution was guaranteed by

the State’s offer of a criminal defense attorney. The Ninth Circuit and other courts have

uniformly held that the right of access to the courts cannot be violated when an inmate is

offered the assistance of court-appointed counsel. See United States v. Wilson, 690 F.2d

1267, 1271-72 (9th Cir. 1982) (“The offer of court-appointed counsel to represent

[Defendant] satisfied the Fifth Amendment obligation to provide meaningful access to the

courts.”); United States v. Smith, 907 F.2d 42, 45 (6th Cir. 1990) (“principles of due process

are not violated when a defendant waives his right to counsel, even though by doing so

he dest roy s any meaningful access to the court that he may have had”). The Supreme

Court of Arizona follows the same principles. See, e.g., State v. Henry, 863 P.2d 861, 876

(Ariz. 1993); Salstrom v. State, 714 P.2d 875, 878 (Ariz. 1986). 

The Maricopa County Superior Court records show that the State of Arizona filed

a criminal case against Plaintiff. See State v.Markle, No. CR2005-131145-001. The state

court records indicate that Plaint iff was represented by counsel. Plaintiff therefore fails to

state a claim for the denial of his right of access t o t he courts and Count I will be dismissed

without prejudice.

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E. Rule 41 Cautionary Notice

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

this Order, or any order entered in this matter, this action 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. 1992) (district court may dismiss action for failure to comply with any order

of the Court).

IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that: 

(1) Plaintiff is obligated to pay the statutory filing fee of $250.00 for this action. By

previous Order no initial filing fee is required.

(2) The Maricopa County Sheriff or his designee shall collect the filing fee from

Plaintiff’s t rust account by collecting monthly payments in an amount equal to 20 percent

of the preceding month’s income credit ed t o Plaintiff’s trust account and forwarding the

payments to the Clerk of the Court each time the amount in t he 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 Maricopa County Sheriff's Office is dismissed as a Defendant.

(4) Count I is dismissed without prejudice.

(5) The Clerk of Court shall send Plaintiff a service packet including the Complaint,

this Order, and both summons and request for waiver forms for Defendant Arpaio.

(6) 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.

(7) 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 day s of the filing of this 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 Rule 16.2(b)(2)(B)(i) of the Local Rules of Civil Procedure. 

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

and a copy of this Order for future use.

(9) T he United States Marshal shall notify Defendant of the commencement of t his

act ion and request waiver of service of the summons pursuant to Rule 4(d) of the Federal

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

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

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

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 t he p ersonally served defendant pursuant to Rule

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

the Court.

(10) 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.

(11) Defendant shall answer the Comp laint or otherwise respond by appropriate

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

Rules of Civil Procedure.

(12) 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,

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

whose behalf it is filed.

(13) Plaintiff shall serve upon Defendant, or if appearance has been entered by

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

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

be filed with the Clerk of t he Court , a certificate stating the date a true and correct copy of

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

Dist rict Court Judge or Magistrate Judge which has not been filed with the Clerk of Court

may be disregarded by the Court.

(14) 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 date.

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 p arties. The 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 t he

Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. 

(15) 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 Magistrat e Judge t o whom the case is assigned. Failure to comply with

this requirement may result in the pleading or document being stricken without further

notice to Plaintiff. 

(16) This matter is referred to Magist rat e Judge Virginia A. Mathis pursuant to Rule

72.1 and 72.2 of the Local Rules of Civil Procedure for further proceedings.

DATED this 26th day of January, 2006.

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