Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_05-cv-01448/USCOURTS-azd-2_05-cv-01448-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 555
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Prison Condition
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Prisoner Civil Rights

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WO RP

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Trosker James Roberts,

Plaintiff, 

vs.

Joseph Arpaio, 

Defendant. 

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No. CV-05-1448-PHX-SMM (JRI)

ORDER

Trosker James Roberts (Plaintiff), presently confined in the Maricopa County Durango

Jail in Phoenix, Arizona (Durango Jail), filed with the Clerk of the Court a pro se "Civil

Rights Complaint By A Prisoner" (Document #1) (Complaint) pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983.

This action is one of more than one thousand (1,000) lawsuits filed in this district since

September 2004 alleging that the overcrowded conditions in the Maricopa County jail system

have resulted in a variety of constitutional violations.

Plaintiff has not paid a filing fee, but he has filed a certified "Application To Proceed In

Forma Pauperis By A Prisoner Civil (Non-Habeas)" (Application To Proceed) and an

"Inmate Account Statement" (Account Statement) with his Complaint.

APPLICATION TO PROCEED IN FORMA PAUPERIS AND FILING FEE

Plaintiff’s certified Application To Proceed and Account Statement filed with the

Complaint make the showing required by 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a). Accordingly, Plaintiff’s

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Application to Proceed will be granted. 

Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1), Plaintiff is required to pay the two hundred and fifty

dollar ($250.00) statutory filing fee. Based on the average monthly deposits in Plaintiff’s

account for two (2) months preceding the filing of the Complaint, an initial partial filing fee

of one dollar and eleven cents ($1.11) will be assessed by this Order. 28 U.S.C. §

1915(b)(1).

By separate order, the Court will direct the appropriate agency to collect the initial partial

filing fee from Plaintiff’s trust account and forward it to the Clerk of the Court. Thereafter,

Plaintiff will be obligated for monthly payments of twenty percent (20%) of the preceding

month’s income credited to Plaintiff’s trust account. These payments will be forwarded by

the appropriate agency to the Clerk of the Court each time the amount in Plaintiff’s account

exceeds ten dollars ($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

pay the remaining unpaid amount of the filing fee within one hundred and twenty (120) days

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

hundred and twenty (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.

STATUTORY SCREENING OF PRISONER COMPLAINTS

The Court is required to screen complaints or amended 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 Plaintiff

has raised claims that 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). 

The Court also must dismiss a complaint or portion thereof if Plaintiff fails to exhaust any

administrative remedy available to him. 42 U.S.C. § 1997e(a).

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COMPLAINT

Plaintiff alleges three (3) counts in his Complaint. (Complaint at 4-6). 

Named as Defendant in the Complaint is Joseph Arpaio, Maricopa County Sheriff.

(Complaint at 1-2).

Plaintiff seeks inspection and correction of Eighth Amendment violations, contempt

sanctions, general equitable relief, and compensatory and punitive monetary damages.

(Complaint at 7).

DISCUSSION

Count I

In Count I of the Complaint, Plaintiff claims that his Eighth Amendment rights are being

violated because Defendant Joseph Arpaio "took away one meal." (Complaint at 4).

To state a viable constitutional claim under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, Plaintiff must show an

affirmative link between an alleged injury and the conduct of an individual Defendant. Rizzo

v. Goode, 423 U.S. 362, 371-72, 377 (1976). However, Plaintiff has failed to allege in Count

I that he was injured in any way by the denial of "one meal." (Complaint at 4).

Although pro se pleadings are liberally construed, Haines v. Kerner, 404 U.S. 519 (1972),

conclusory and vague allegations will not support a cause of action. Ivey v. Board of

Regents of the University of Alaska, 673 F.2d 266 (9th Cir. 1982); Rhodes v. Robinson, 612

F.2d 766, 772 (3rd Cir. 1979). Further, a liberal interpretation of a civil rights complaint may

not supply essential elements of the claim that were not initially pled. Ivey, 673 F.2d at 268.

Accordingly, Count I of the Complaint will be dismissed without prejudice pursuant to 28

U.S.C. §§ 1915(e)(2)(B)(ii) and 1915A(b)(1) for failure to state a claim upon which relief

may be granted. 

Count II

In Count II of the Complaint, Plaintiff claims that his Eighth Amendment rights are being

violated by overcrowding that threatens his safety. (Complaint at 5). 

Liberally construed, Plaintiff's Count II adequately states a claim for relief under the

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Eighth Amendment. Accordingly, the Court will call for an answer from Defendant Joseph

Arpaio to Count II of the Complaint.

Count III

In Count III of the Complaint, Plaintiff claims that his Eighth Amendment rights are being

violated by the denial of adequate medical care. (Complaint at 6). 

Liberally construed, Plaintiff's Count III adequately states a claim for relief under the

Eighth Amendment. Accordingly, the Court will call for an answer from Defendant Joseph

Arpaio to Count III of the Complaint.

RULE 41(b) WARNING

Plaintiff should take notice that if he fails to timely comply with every provision of this

Order, or any order of the Court entered in this matter, the action and Complaint will be

dismissed pursuant to Rule 41(b) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. See Ferdik v.

Bonzelet, 963 F.2d 1258 (9th Cir. 1992) (stating that a district court may dismiss action for

failure to comply with any order of the court).

IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED:

(1) That Plaintiff’s "Application to Proceed In Forma Pauperis By A Prisoner Civil (NonHabeas)" filed with the Complaint is GRANTED; 

(2) That Plaintiff is OBLIGATED to pay the statutory filing fee of two hundred and fifty

dollars ($250.00) for this action. Plaintiff is ASSESSED an initial partial filing fee of one

dollar and eleven cents ($1.11). All fees shall be collected and paid in accordance with this

Court’s Order to the Maricopa County Sheriff filed concurrently herewith;

(3) That Count I of the Complaint (Document #1) is DISMISSED WITHOUT

PREJUDICE pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1915(e)(2)(B)(ii) and 1915A(b)(1) for failure to state

a claim upon which relief may be granted;

(4) That Defendant Joseph Arpaio is REQUIRED TO FILE an answer to Counts II and

III of the Complaint; 

(5) That the Clerk of the Court is DIRECTED to send Plaintiff a service packet, including

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a copy of this Order, a copy of the Complaint (Document #1), and both summons and request

for waiver forms for Defendant Joseph Arpaio;

(6) That Plaintiff SHALL COMPLETE AND RETURN the service packets to the Clerk

of the Court within twenty (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) That if Plaintiff does NOT either obtain a waiver of service of summons or complete

service of the summons and Complaint on Defendant within one hundred and twenty (120)

days of the date the Complaint was filed, or within sixty (60) days of the filing of this Order,

whichever is later, the ACTION MAY BE DISMISSED as to Defendant 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 (LRCiv); 

(8) That the United States Marshal SHALL RETAIN the summons, a copy of the

Complaint (Document #1), and a copy of this Order for future use;

(9) That the United States Marshal SHALL NOTIFY Defendant Joseph Arpaio of the

commencement of this action and REQUEST WAIVER OF SERVICE 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 requests for waivers that

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

is not returned by Defendant to the Marshall within thirty (30) days from the date the request

for waiver was sent by the Marshal, the Marshal shall:

(a) Personally serve copies of the summons, Complaint (Document #1), and

this Order upon the Defendant pursuant to Rule 4(e)(2) of the Federal Rules

of Civil Procedure;

(b) Within ten (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

effecting service upon the Defendant. The costs of service shall be

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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

the personally served Defendant pursuant to Rule 4(d)(2) and (5) of the

Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, unless otherwise ordered by the Court;

(10) That if Defendant agrees to waive service of the summons and Complaint, he

SHALL RETURN the signed waiver form to the United States Marshal, not to Plaintiff;

(11) That Defendant Joseph Arpaio SHALL ANSWER Counts II and III of the Complaint

or otherwise respond by appropriate motion within the time provided by the applicable

provisions of Rule 12(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure;

(12) That a clear, legible copy of every pleading or other document filed SHALL

ACCOMPANY each original pleading or other document filed with the Clerk for use by the

District Judge or Magistrate Judge to whom the case is assigned. See LRCiv 5.4. Failure

to submit a copy along with the original pleading or document will result in the

pleading or document being stricken without further notice to Plaintiff;

(13) That Plaintiff SHALL SERVE upon Defendant(s), or if appearance has been entered

by counsel, upon the attorney, a copy of every further pleading or other document submitted

for consideration by the Court. Plaintiff shall include with the original document and copy,

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

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

by a District Court Judge or Magistrate Judge which has not been filed with the Clerk of the

Court may be disregarded by the Court; 

(14) That 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

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and its effective date, except that if Plaintiff has been released from custody, the notice

should so indicate. The notice shall not include any motions for any other relief. Plaintiff

shall serve a copy of the notice on all opposing parties. Failure to file a NOTICE OF

CHANGE OF ADDRESS may result in the dismissal of the action for failure to prosecute

pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 41(b);

(15) That this matter is referred to Magistrate Judge Jay R. Irwin pursuant to LRCiv 72.1

and 72.2 for further proceedings.

DATED this 30th day of March, 2006.

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