Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_06-cv-02734/USCOURTS-casd-3_06-cv-02734-0/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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K:\COMMON\CHMB_15\Joshua Povill\06cv2734 - Oluwa v. Tidwell (Prisoner 1983)\Order Transferring Action to CD 1 Cal for improper venue.wpd 06cv2734

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

RAS ADISA GAMBA OLUWA,

CDC #C-48441,

Civil No. 06-2734 BTM (CAB)

Plaintiff,

ORDER TRANSFERRING CIVIL

ACTION FOR LACK OF PROPER

VENUE TO THE CENTRAL

DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA,

WESTERN DIVISION PURSUANT

TO 28 U.S.C. § 84(c)(3), 

28 U.S.C. § 1391(b) 

AND 28 U.S.C. § 1406(a)

 vs.

MS. D.A. TIDWELL, et al.

Defendants.

Plaintiff, currently incarcerated at Pelican Bay State Prison in Crescent City, California,

has filed a civil rights Complaint pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Plaintiff alleges that his

constitutional rights were violated when he was incarcerated at California State Prison in Los

Angeles County. Plaintiff did not prepay the $350 civil filing fee mandated by 28 U.S.C. §

1914(a); instead he filed a Motion to Proceed In Forma Pauperis (“IFP”) pursuant to 28 U.S.C.

§ 1915(a) [Doc. No. 2].

I. Lack of Proper Venue

Upon initial review of the Complaint, the Court finds that Plaintiff’s case lacks proper

venue. Venue may be raised by a court sua sponte where the defendant has not yet filed a

responsive pleading and the time for doing so has not run. Costlow v. Weeks, 790 F.2d 1486,

Case 3:06-cv-02734-BTM-CAB Document 3 Filed 12/28/06 Page 1 of 2
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 Because the Court finds transfer appropriate, it expresses no opinion and defers ruling on

Plaintiff’s pending Motion to Proceed IFP [Doc. No. 2] to the Judge assigned to this case after its

transfer to the Central District of California.

K:\COMMON\CHMB_15\Joshua Povill\06cv2734 - Oluwa v. Tidwell (Prisoner 1983)\Order Transferring Action to CD 2 Cal for improper venue.wpd 06cv2734

1488 (9th Cir. 1986). “A civil action wherein jurisdiction is not founded solely on diversity of

citizenship may, except as otherwise provided by law, be brought only in (1) a judicial district

where any defendant resides, if all defendants reside in the same State, (2) a judicial district in

which a substantial part of the events or omissions giving rise to the claim occurred, or a

substantial part of property that is the subject of the action is situated, or (3) a judicial district in

which any defendant may be found, if there is no district in which the action may otherwise be

brought.” 28 U.S.C. § 1391(b); Costlow, 790 F.2d at 1488; Decker Coal Co. v. Commonwealth

Edison Co., 805 F.2d 834, 842 (9th Cir. 1986). “The district court of a district in which is filed

a case laying venue in the wrong division or district shall dismiss, or if it be in the interests of

justice, transfer such case to any district in or division in which it could have been brought.” 28

U.S.C. § 1406(a).

Here, Plaintiff claims constitutional violations originally arising out of events which

occurred in Lancaster, California, which is located in Los Angeles County. No Defendants are

alleged to reside in San Diego or Imperial Counties. Therefore, venue is proper in the Central

District of California, Western Division, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 84(c)(2), not in the Southern

District of California. See 28 U.S.C. § 1391(b); Costlow, 790 F.2d at 1488.

II. Conclusion and Order

Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the Clerk of the Court shall transfer this

case for lack of proper venue, in the interests of justice and for the convenience of all parties, to

the docket of the United States District Court for the Central District of California, Western

Division, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 84(c)(3), 28 U.S.C. § 1391(b) and 28 U.S.C. § 1406(a).1

 

DATED: December 27, 2006

Hon. Barry Ted Moskowitz

United States District Judge

Case 3:06-cv-02734-BTM-CAB Document 3 Filed 12/28/06 Page 2 of 2