Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_18-cv-00844/USCOURTS-casd-3_18-cv-00844-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 446
Nature of Suit: Americans with Disabilities Act - Other
Cause of Action: 42:12101 The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

JERRY JACKSON,

Plaintiff,

v.

BUFFALO JOE’S L.P., MADISON 

MARKETPLACES S A LLC, and DOES 

1-10 INCLUSIVE,

Defendants.

Case No.: 18-CV-844 JLS (BGS)

ORDER: (1) GRANTING MOTION 

TO PROCEED IN FORMA 

PAUPERIS; AND (2) DIRECTING 

U.S. MARSHAL TO EFFECT 

SERVICE OF SUMMONS AND 

COMPLAINT PURSUANT TO 28 

U.S.C. § 1915(d) AND FED. R. CIV. P. 

4(c)(3)

(ECF No. 2)

Plaintiff Jerry Jackson filed an action pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities 

Act (“Compl.,” ECF No. 1), and a Motion to Proceed In Forma Pauperis (“IFP”) pursuant 

to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a), (“IFP Mot.,” ECF No. 2). 

IFP Motion

All parties instituting any civil action, suit or proceeding in a district court of the 

United States, except an application for writ of habeas corpus, must pay a filing fee of 

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$400.1 See 28 U.S.C. § 1914(a). An action may proceed despite the plaintiff’s failure to 

prepay the entire fee only if he is granted leave to proceed IFP pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 

§ 1915(a). See Andrews v. Cervantes, 493 F.3d 1047, 1051 (9th Cir. 2007); Rodriguez v. 

Cook, 169 F.3d 1176, 1177 (9th Cir. 1999). A federal court may authorize the 

commencement of an action without the prepayment of fees if the party submits an 

affidavit, including a statement of assets, showing that he is unable to pay the required 

filing fee. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a).

In support of his IFP Motion, Plaintiff has submitted an affidavit of his financial 

status pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(1) and Civil Local Rule 3.2. These statements show 

that Plaintiff receives $870.00 in monthly disability benefits, is not employed or married, 

and has no assets. (IFP Mot. 1–3.)2 Plaintiff represents that he has $802.00 in monthly 

expenses. Thus it appears that Plaintiff does not have the funds to pay the requisite filing 

fee. Accordingly, the Court GRANTS Plaintiff’s Motion to Proceed IFP.

Initial Screening Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1915(e)(2) and 1915A

The Court must screen every civil action brought pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a) 

and dismiss any case it finds “frivolous or malicious,” “fails to state a claim on which relief 

may be granted,” or “seeks monetary relief against a defendant who is immune from relief.” 

28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B); see also Calhoun v. Stahl, 254 F.3d 845, 845 (9th Cir. 2001) 

(“[T]he provisions of 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B) are not limited to prisoners.”); Lopez v. 

Smith, 203 F.3d 1122, 1126–27 (9th Cir. 2000) (en banc) (noting that 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e) 

“not only permits but requires a district court to dismiss an in forma pauperis complaint 

that fails to state a claim”).

As amended by the Prison Litigation Reform Act (“PLRA”), 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2) 

mandates that the court reviewing an action filed pursuant to the IFP provisions of § 1915 

 

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In addition to the $350 statutory fee, all parties filing civil actions on or after May 1, 2013, must pay an 

additional administrative fee of $50. See 28 U.S.C. § 1914(a) (Judicial Conference Schedule of Fees, 

District Court Misc. Fee Schedule) (eff. May 1, 2013). However, the additional $50 administrative fee is 

waived if the plaintiff is granted leave to proceed IFP. Id.

2 Pin citations refer to the CM/ECF numbers electronically stamped at the top of each page.

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make and rule on its own motion to dismiss before directing the Marshal to effect service 

pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 4(c)(3). See Fed. R. Civ. P. 4(c)(3); Navarette 

v. Pioneer Med. Ctr., No. 12-cv-0629-WQH (DHB), 2013 WL 139925, at *1 (S.D. Cal. 

Jan. 9, 2013).

All complaints must contain a “short and plain statement of the claim showing that 

the pleader is entitled to relief.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a)(2). Detailed factual allegations are 

not required, but “[t]hreadbare recitals of the elements of a cause of action, supported by 

mere conclusory statements, do not suffice.” Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678 (2009) 

(citing Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 554, 555 (2007)). “[D]etermining whether a 

complaint states a plausible claim is context-specific, requiring the reviewing court to draw 

on its experience and common sense.” Iqbal, 556 U.S. at 663–64 (citing Twombly, 550 

U.S. at 556). 

“When there are well-pleaded factual allegations, a court should assume their 

veracity, and then determine whether they plausibly give rise to an entitlement of relief.”

Iqbal, 556 U.S. at 679. “[W]hen determining whether a complaint states a claim, a court 

must accept as true all allegations of material fact and must construe those facts in the light 

most favorable to the plaintiff.” Resnick v. Hayes, 213 F.3d 443, 447 (9th Cir. 2000); see 

also Andrews v. King, 393 F.3d 1113, 1121 (9th Cir. 2005); Barren v. Harrington, 152 

F.3d 1193, 1194 (9th Cir. 1998) (“The language of § 1915(e)(2)(B)(ii) parallels the 

language of Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6).”).

“While factual allegations are accepted as true, legal conclusions are not.” Hoagland 

v. Astrue, No. 1:12-cv-00973-SMS, 2012 WL 2521753, at *3 (E.D. Cal. June 28, 2012) 

(citing Iqbal, 556 U.S. at 678). Courts cannot accept legal conclusions set forth in a 

complaint if the plaintiff has not supported her contentions with facts. Id. (citing Iqbal, 

556 U.S. at 679).

A prima facie claim under 42 U.S.C. § 12182(a) requires a plaintiff to show: (1) he 

is disabled; (2) the defendant’s business is a place of public accommodation; and (3) 

plaintiff was denied access because of his disability. Hernandez v. Polanco Enter., Inc., 

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19 F. Supp. 3d 918, 930 (N.D. Cal. 2013) (citing Molski v. M.J. Cable, Inc., 481 F.3d 724, 

730 (9th Cir. 2007)). Here, Plaintiff alleges that he is mobility impaired and uses a 

wheelchair. (Compl. ¶ 10.) He alleges that Defendants’ restaurant is open to the public 

and is inaccessible to the disabled community because it does not have a table that would 

fit Plaintiff’s wheelchair. (Id. ¶ 11.) He further alleges that Defendants’ business does not 

have any alternative seating for disabled persons. (Id.) Plaintiff has also retained an ADA 

specialist and attached the specialist’s report concerning the business as an exhibit. (See 

id. ¶ 14; Ex. A.) 

The Court finds Plaintiff’s complaint sufficient to survive the low threshold for 

proceeding past the sua sponte screening required by 28 U.S.C. §§ 1915(e)(2) and 

1915A(b). However, the Court warns Plaintiff that “the sua sponte screening and dismissal 

procedure is cumulative of, not a substitute for, any subsequent Rule 12(b)(6) motion that 

the defendant may choose to bring.” Teahan v. Wilhelm, 481 F. Supp. 2d 1115, 1119 (S.D. 

Cal. 2007).

CONCLUSION

Good cause appearing, the Court: 

1. GRANTS Plaintiff’s IFP Motion, (ECF No. 2), pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 

§ 1915(a).

2. DIRECTS the Clerk of Court to issue a summons as to Plaintiff’s Complaint, 

(ECF No. 1), upon Defendants and forward it to Plaintiff along with a blank U.S. Marshal 

Form 285 for the named Defendants. In addition, the Clerk is DIRECTED to provide 

Plaintiff with a certified copy of this Order and a certified copy of his Complaint, (ECF 

No. 1), and the summons so that he may serve the named Defendants. Upon receipt of this 

“IFP Package,” Plaintiff is DIRECTED to complete the Form 285 as completely and 

accurately as possible, and to return it to the United States Marshal according to the 

instructions provided by the Clerk in the letter accompanying the IFP package.

3. Upon receipt, the Court ORDERS the U.S. Marshal to serve a copy of the 

Complaint and summons upon the named Defendant as directed by Plaintiff on the USM 

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Form 285. All costs of service will be advanced by the United States. See 28 U.S.C. 

§ 1915(d); Fed. R. Civ. P. 4(c)(3).

4. Defendants are thereafter ORDERED to reply to Plaintiff’s Complaint within 

the time provided by the applicable provisions of Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(a). 

See 42 U.S.C. § 1997e(g) (noting that once the Court has conducted its sua sponte screening 

pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2) and § 1915A(b), and thus has made a preliminary 

determination based on the face on the pleading alone that Plaintiff has a “reasonable 

opportunity to prevail on the merits,” the defendant is required to respond).

5. Plaintiff SHALL SERVE upon the Defendants or, if appearance has been entered 

by counsel, upon Defendants’ counsel, a copy of every further pleading or other document 

submitted for consideration by the Court. Plaintiff must include with the original paper to 

be filed with the Clerk, a certificate stating the manner in which a true and correct copy of 

the document was served on the Defendants, or counsel for Defendants, and the date of 

that service. Any paper received by the Court which has not been properly filed with the 

Clerk, or which fails to include a Certificate of Service, may be disregarded.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: May 14, 2018

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