Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_18-cv-02314/USCOURTS-caed-2_18-cv-02314-5/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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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

JULIUS ANDERSON,

Plaintiff,

v.

CALIFORNIA MEDICAL FACILITY, et 

al.,

Defendants.

No. 2:18-cv-2314 DB P

ORDER

Plaintiff is a state prisoner proceeding through counsel, John Stringer, Esq. Shortly after 

this action was initiated and pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B)(ii), plaintiff’s complaint was 

screened and found to be devoid of a cognizable claim. (ECF No. 6.) Plaintiff was then granted 

thirty days to file a notice as to whether he wished to stand on his complaint, to dismiss this case, 

or to file a first amended complaint. When plaintiff (through his counsel) did not respond within 

that thirty-day period, the Court issued an Order to Show Cause (“OSC”) why this action should 

not be dismissed for failure to comply with a court order and failure to prosecute. (ECF No. 11.) 

On April 12, 2019, plaintiff’s counsel finally submitted a response to the OSC and a First 

Amended Complaint, which the Court screened on August 6, 2019, and again found to be devoid 

of a claim. (ECF No. 18.) Plaintiff was then given another thirty days to file a notice as to how he 

wished to proceed.

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Relevant here, and as addressed in the August 6, 2019, Screening Order, plaintiff has been 

dissatisfied with Mr. Stringer’s legal representation of him: 

Plaintiff has now twice written to the Court to seek the status of this 

case and to convey that he has been unable to communicate with Mr. 

Stringer since the case was initiated in August 2018, despite having 

written him several letters. (See ECF Nos. 14-15.) As a one-time 

courtesy, the Court will direct the Clerk’s Office to provide plaintiff 

with a copy of the docket, the complaint, the first amended 

complaint, and the Court’s recent orders. However, so long as Mr. 

Stringer is listed as counsel of record for plaintiff, any 

communications between plaintiff and this Court are improper. If 

plaintiff continues to be dissatisfied with Mr. Stringer’s 

representation of him, plaintiff of course retains the right to seek new 

counsel or to relieve current counsel and proceed in pro per.

(ECF No. 19 at 1 n.1.) 

Plaintiff has since filed a notice that he has terminated Mr. Stringer’s services. (ECF No. 

23.) The Court construes this notice as a motion for withdrawal pursuant to Local Rule 182. Good 

cause appearing, this request will be granted. 

This notice also includes a request that the Court order Mr. Stringer to return plaintiff’s 

case files. Because Mr. Stringer is not a party to this action, the Court lacks jurisdiction to direct 

him to return plaintiff’s files. Zepeda v. United States Immigration Service, 753 F.2d 719, 727 

(9th Cir. 1985) (“A federal court may issue an injunction if it has personal jurisdiction over the 

parties and subject matter jurisdiction over the claim; it may not attempt to determine the rights of 

persons not before the court.”) This request will therefore be denied.

Lastly, plaintiff moves the Court to allow him to file a document titled “Third Amended 

Complaint.” (ECF No. 20.) This appears to be a misnomer since the most recent operative 

pleading was a First Amended Complaint. In any event, this request too will be granted. 

Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that: 

1. Plaintiff’s motion for withdrawal (ECF No. 23) is granted. Mr. Stringer is no longer 

representing plaintiff in this action, and plaintiff is now proceeding in pro per. 

Plaintiff’s mailing address, as per his most recent court filing, is: 

JULIUS ANDERSON

K-33896, C-105

P.O. BOX 2500

VACAVILLE, CA 95696-2500

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2. Plaintiff’s request for an order directing Mr. Stringer to return his case files is 

DENIED;

3. Plaintiff’s motion to amend (ECF No. 20) is GRANTED; 

4. The Clerk of Court is directed to rename the pleading filed at ECF No. 21 as a 

“Second Amended Complaint.” 

Dated: January 27, 2020

/DLB7;

DB/Inbox/Routine/ande2314.notice

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