Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_07-cv-02058/USCOURTS-casd-3_07-cv-02058-0/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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- 1 - 07CV2058

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

GUADALUPE FELIX,

Plaintiff,

CASE NO. 07CV2058-LAB (LSP)

ORDER GRANTING

DEFENDANTS' MOTION TO

DISMISS

[Dkt No. 10]

vs.

UNITED STATES BORDER PATROL,

et al.,

Defendants.

This 42 U.S.C. § 1983 civil rights action naming as defendants the United States

Border Patrol, the Department of Homeland Security, and four individual Border Patrol

agents alleges plaintiff Guadalupe Felix was shot by defendants on October 29, 2005 as he

"attempted to flee" during a "secondary search" of his vehicle for drugs at a checkpoint on

"Highway 78." Compl. ¶¶1, 9, 17-18. Plaintiff, proceeding through counsel, filed his

Complaint on October 29, 2007. Summons issued the same day. 

On April 7, 2008, the Court issued an Order To Show Cause re Dismissal. No

returns of service or other action had occurred in the case, and the 120-day deadline for

timely service of process had passed. Dkt No. 3. The Court ordered plaintiff or his counsel

to file a Declaration showing good cause why the case should not be dismissed for failure

to serve. Plaintiff's counsel filed a (belated) Declaration, and the Court discharged the OSC,

Case 3:07-cv-02058-LAB-LSP Document 14 Filed 11/03/08 Page 1 of 2
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- 2 - 07CV2058

setting a May 12, 2008 deadline to file proofs of service. Dkt No. 5. Plaintiff filed one proof

of service on the extended deadline as to defendant United States Border Patrol (Dkt No.

.7) reciting that service on the Border Patrol was effectuated by personal service at the

United States Attorney's Office (only), and one proof of service as to defendant Department

of Homeland Security filed a day late revealing service was purportedly effectuated by a

certified mailing on May 13, 2008 (Dkt No. 8). To date, no proof of service of the summons

and complaint on any of the individual named defendants has been filed.

Defendants now move for dismissal, on grounds of improper service under Fed. R.

Civ. P. ("Rule") 4(m), failure to comply with Rule 4(c) service requirements, failure to serve

the individual defendants at all, and no good cause warrants yet another extension of time

to effectuate service. Dkt Nos. 10, 12. Defendants further argue the agency defendants

must be dismissed on grounds of sovereign immunity. Id. Plaintiff's counsel filed an

Opposition. Dkt No. 11. Defendants filed a Reply. Dkt No. 12. The Court rejects the

Opposition arguments of "sufficient" service or service in "substantial compliance" with

service of process requirements.

For all the reasons recited in the Motion, and based on the authority relied on therein,

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED the Motion is GRANTED and this action is dismissed in its

entirety.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: October 28, 2008

HONORABLE LARRY ALAN BURNS

United States District Judge

Case 3:07-cv-02058-LAB-LSP Document 14 Filed 11/03/08 Page 2 of 2