Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-4_06-cv-06870/USCOURTS-cand-4_06-cv-06870-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 440
Nature of Suit: Other Civil Rights
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Civil Rights Act

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

OAKLAND DIVISION

JOHN F. HUTCHENS, et al.,

Plaintiffs,

 v.

ALAMEDA COUNTY, et al.,

Defendants. 

No. C 06-6870 SBA

ORDER

Before the Court is pro se plaintiffs John F. Hutchens and Zamora Moton’s ex parte application

for an order to rule on the legal status of Alameda County Medical Center and/or issue a new summons

for the complaint against Alameda County Medical Center, filed September 17, 2007. For the reasons

that follow, the motion is DENIED.

The plaintiffs appear to be requesting that the Court rule that there is no distinction between

defendant Alameda County Social Services Agency and non-party Alameda County Medical Center.

The plaintiffs’ motion seems to suggest that these entities are either alter egos or there is some agency

relationship between the two. 

The plaintiffs’ motion was apparently prompted by the defendants’ position that “Alameda

County Medical Center is an indispensable party in this action pursuant to FRCP 19(a).” Docket No.

49 (Joint Case Management Statement at 3). Rather than file a motion to join Alameda County Medical

Center as a necessary party pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 19, the plaintiffs are asking the

Court to simply find that Alameda County Medical Center is an agency of one or more of the defendants

named in their amended complaint and “order that, for purposes of this action, the Alameda County

Medical Center shall henceforth be regarded as a Department or Agency of the County of Alameda, and

that the Court rule that service of process has been effected, and that the counsel for the County of

Alameda be directed henceforth to accept service on behalf of Alameda County Medical Center, et al,

for all purposes related to this litigation.” Ex Parte Application at 3. 

In the alternative, the plaintiffs are requesting “the Court to direct the Clerk of the Court to issue

Case 4:06-cv-06870-SBA Document 54 Filed 10/04/07 Page 1 of 3
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a new Summons naming the Alameda County Medical Center, et al, as defendants to the above entitled

Complaint.” Id. 

There are no grounds for granting either request. First, there is no legal basis at this point for

the Court to simply deem a non-party as a related entity to a named defendant. Second, Alameda

County Medical Center is not a defendant in this action at this time. The issuance of a summons to a

non-party is not appropriate. Accordingly, the ex parte motion is DENIED.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

October 3, 2007 _________________________________

Saundra Brown Armstrong 

United States District Judge

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE 

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

JOHN F. HUTCHENS et al,

Plaintiff,

 v.

ALAMEDA COUNTY SOCIAL SERVICES

AGENCY et al,

Defendant. /

Case Number: CV06-06870 SBA 

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I, the undersigned, hereby certify that I am an employee in the Office of the Clerk, U.S. District Court,

Northern District of California.

That on October 4, 2007, I SERVED a true and correct copy(ies) of the attached, by placing said

copy(ies) in a postage paid envelope addressed to the person(s) hereinafter listed, by depositing said

envelope in the U.S. Mail, or by placing said copy(ies) into an inter-office delivery receptacle located

in the Clerk's office.

John F. Hutchens

P.O. Box 182

Canyon, CA 94516

Zamora Moton

2710 9th Avenue

Apt. 3

Oakland, CA 94606

Dated: October 4, 2007

Richard W. Wieking, Clerk

By: LISA R CLARK, Deputy Clerk

Case 4:06-cv-06870-SBA Document 54 Filed 10/04/07 Page 3 of 3