Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-4_16-cv-06455/USCOURTS-cand-4_16-cv-06455-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 710
Nature of Suit: Fair Labor Standards Act
Cause of Action: 29:201 Fair Labor Standards Act

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United States District Court

Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

ANTHONY M. MENDOZA,

Plaintiff,

v.

AARON ZAMBRANO, et al.,

Defendants.

Case No.4:16-cv-06455-KAW

ORDER DISMISSING COMPLAINT 

WITH LEAVE TO AMEND; ORDER 

GRANTING IFP APPLICATION; 

ORDER CONTINUING CASE 

MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE

Re: Dkt. Nos. 1 & 2

The Court has received Plaintiff's complaint and application to proceed in forma pauperis, 

both filed on November 4, 2016. The Court may authorize a plaintiff to file an action in federal 

court without prepayment of fees or security if the plaintiff submits an affidavit showing that he or 

she is unable to pay such fees or give security therefor. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a). The in forma 

pauperis statute also provides that the Court shall dismiss the case if at any time the Court 

determines that the allegation of poverty is untrue, or that the action (1) is frivolous or malicious, 

(2) fails to state a claim on which relief may be granted; or (3) seeks monetary relief against a 

defendant who is immune from such relief. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2). 

The Court finds that Plaintiff is unable to prepay the filing fee, and GRANTS the 

application to proceed in forma pauperis.

Plaintiff’s complaint, however, is deficient and must be amended for the reasons set forth 

below:

1. While Plaintiff’s complaint attempts to describe the events that triggered the

lawsuit, it is unclear whether he is seeking relief under the correct legal theories. Plaintiff must 

clearly identify the causes of action he is alleging, which defendant(s) each cause of action is 

against, and the facts supporting each cause of action. Thus, Plaintiff has failed to set forth “a 

short and plain statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief” as required by 

Rule 8 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. 

Case 4:16-cv-06455-KAW Document 5 Filed 11/22/16 Page 1 of 2
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United States District Court

Northern District of California

2. Each allegation in the complaint must be contained in numbered paragraphs. Fed. 

R. Civ. P. 10(b). “A party must state its claims or defenses in numbered paragraphs, each limited 

as far as practicable to a single set of circumstances.” Id.

Accordingly, pursuant to its authority under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2), the Court 

DISMISSES the complaint with leave to amend. Plaintiff shall file an amended complaint no later 

than January 13, 2017. Failure to file a first amended complaint by this date may result in the 

case being dismissed with prejudice.

In amending his complaint, Plaintiff may wish to contact the Federal Pro Bono Project’s 

Help Desk for assistance—a free service for pro se litigants—by calling (415) 782-8982 to make 

an appointment with a licensed attorney. Plaintiff is advised that the staff attorney cannot 

represent him, but may provide him guidance in amending his complaint. Plaintiff may also wish 

to consult a manual the court has adopted to assist pro se litigants in presenting their case. This 

manual, and other free information for pro se litigants, is available online at: 

http://cand.uscourts.gov/proselitigants. 

Plaintiff should be aware that an amended complaint will supersede or replace the original 

complaint, and the original complaint will thereafter be treated as nonexistent. Armstrong v. Davis, 

275 F.3d 849, 878 n. 40 (9th Cir. 2001), abrogated on other grounds by Johnson v. Cal., 543 U.S. 

499 (2005). The first amended complaint must, therefore, be complete, in itself, without reference 

to the prior or superseded pleading, as “[a]ll causes of action alleged in an original complaint 

which are not alleged in an amended complaint are waived.” King v. Atiyeh, 814 F.2d 565, 567 

(9th Cir. 1987) (citations omitted).

Additionally, the Case Management Conference scheduled for February 7, 2017 is 

continued to April 11, 2017 at 1:30 p.m. at 1301 Clay Street, Oakland, California. The case 

management conference statement is due April 4, 2017.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: November 22, 2016

______________________________________

KANDIS A. WESTMORE

United States Magistrate Judge

Case 4:16-cv-06455-KAW Document 5 Filed 11/22/16 Page 2 of 2