Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_01-cv-02407/USCOURTS-caed-2_01-cv-02407-3/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 850
Nature of Suit: Securities, Commodities, Exchange
Cause of Action: 28:1983 Civil Rights

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1

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

----oo0oo----

CHRIS LUSBY TAYLOR, NANCY A.

PEPPLE-GONSAVLES, GARY KESSELMAN,

SUSAN SWINTON, DAWN E. STRUCK,

and WILLIAM J. PALMER, as

taxpayers, and on behalf of

themselves and other persons

similarly situated,

NO. CIV. S-01-2407 WBS GGH

Plaintiffs,

v.

ORDER

JOHN CHIANG, in his capacity

as CONTROLLER OF THE STATE OF

CALIFORNIA, and STEVE WESTLY, 

individually,

Defendants.

----oo0oo----

By minute order on May 8, 2007, this court granted

plaintiffs’ motion to substitute John Chiang, the current

Controller of California, for Steve Westly, the former Controller

of California, in both his official and individual capacities. 

Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 25(d) provides that

Case 2:01-cv-02407-JAM-GGH Document 96 Filed 06/04/07 Page 1 of 2
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Steve Westly was named as a defendant in both his 1

official and individual capacities. Therefore, he remains a

defendant in his individual capacity. 

2

“[w]hen a public officer is a party to an action in his official

capacity and during its pendency dies, resigns, or otherwise

ceases to hold office, the action does not abate and the

officer’s successor is automatically substituted as a party.” 

Fed. R. Civ. P. 25(d). Therefore, John Chiang is properly

substituted for Steve Westly in his official capacity.1

However, Rule 25(d) is not the proper mechanism to add

John Chiang in his individual capacity. To accomplish that,

plaintiffs must make a motion pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil

Procedure 21. See Jackson v. Hayakawa, 682 F.2d 1344, 1348 (9th

Cir. 1982) (official before the court in his official capacity

must be effectively served with a complaint suing him in his

individual capacity in order for him to be joined to the action

as such). 

IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that:

(1) the court’s minute order of May 8, 2007, is hereby

WITHDRAWN; 

(2) plaintiffs’ motion to substitute John Chiang in his

official capacity be, and the same hereby is, GRANTED;

(3) plaintiffs’ motion to substitute John Chiang in his

individual capacity be, and the same hereby is, DENIED. 

DATED: June 4, 2007

Case 2:01-cv-02407-JAM-GGH Document 96 Filed 06/04/07 Page 2 of 2