Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_15-cv-00993/USCOURTS-casd-3_15-cv-00993-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 550
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Civil Rights (U.S. defendant)
Cause of Action: 42:1983pr Prisoner Civil Rights

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

TUANJA EDWARD ANDERSON, 

CDCR #V-2881l, 

vs. 

Plaintiff, 

ALAN HERNANI?E~ Assoc. Warden; 

M. STOUT, Ca}:1tam; K. DAVIS, 

Correctional Officer; BUSTOS, 

Correctional Officer; HEDDY, Correctional 

Officer; S. MILLER, Correctional Officer; 

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF 

CORRECTIONS, 

Defendants. 

Civil No. 15cv0993 BEN (BLM) 

ORDER: 

(1) GRANTING MOTIONS TO 

PROCEED IN FORMA 

PAUPERIS AND FOR 

DETERMINATION BY 

DISTRICT JUDGE 

(ECF Doc. Nos. 3, 5) 

(2) DENYING MOTIONS FOR 

APPOINTMENT OF COUNSEL 

(ECF Doc. Nos. 2,11) 

AND 

(3) DIRECTING U.S. 

MARSHAL TO EFFECT 

SERVICE UPON DEFENDANTS 

PURSUANT TO 

28 U.S.C. § 1915(d) AND 

FED. R. CIV. P. 4(c)(3) 

25 Plaintiff Tuanja Edward Anderson, currently incarcerated at Salinas Valley 

26 State Prison ("SVSP") in Soledad, California, and proceeding pro se, has filed a civil 

27 rights complaint pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. (ECF Doc. No. 1.) Plaintiffc1aims 

28 that the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation ("CDCR") and 

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Case 3:15-cv-00993-BEN-BLM Document 12 Filed 08/13/15 Page 1 of 7
1 several correctional officials at Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility failed to 

2 provide him reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act, 

3 failed to protect him from a cell-mate who sexually assaulted him, and later denied 

4 him dental supplies after he reported the incident. (See CompI. at 4-6.) He seeks 

5 injunctive relief as well as $15,850,000 in general and punitive damages. (Id. at 8.) 

6 Plaintiff filed a Motion to Proceed In Forma Pauperis ("IFP") pursuant to 28 

7 U.S.C. § 1915(a). (ECF Doc. No.3.) In addition, Plaintiff seeks the appointment of 

8 counsel (ECF Doc. Nos. 2, 11), and requests that a district judge be assigned to 

9 conduct all proceedings pursuant to CivLR 72.3 (ECF Doc. No.5). 

10 I. Plaintiff's Motion to Proceed IFP 

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

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

13 fee. 28 U.S.C. § 1914(a).1 An action may proceed despite a plaintiffs failure to 

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

15 § 1915(a). See Rodriguez v. Cook, 169 F.3d 1176, 1177 (9th Cir. 1999). However, if 

16 the plaintiff is a prisoner and he is granted leave to proceed IFP, he remains obligated 

17 to pay the entire fee in "increments," see Williams v. Paramo, 775 F.3d 1182, 1185 

18 (9th Cir. 2015), regardless of whether his action is ultimately dismissed. See 28 

19 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1) & (2); Taylor v. Delatoore, 281 F.3d 844,847 (9th Cir. 2002). 

20 Under 28 U.S.C. § 1915, as amended by the Prison Litigation Reform Act 

21 ("PLRA"), prisoners seeking leave to proceed IFP must submit a "certified copy of 

22 the trust fund account statement (or institutional equivalent) for the ... six-month 

23 period immediately preceding the filing ofthe complaint." 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(2); 

24 Andrews v. King, 398 F.3d 1113, 1119 (9th Cir. 2005). From the certified trust 

25 account statement, the Court assesses an initial payment of20% of (a) the average 

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27 1 In addition to the $350 statutory fee, civil litigants must pay an additional 

28 administrative fee of $50. See 28 U.S.C. § 1914(a) (JUdicial Conference Schedule of 

Fees) District Court Misc. Fee Schedule, § 14 (err. Dec. 1,2014). The additional $50 

admmistrative fee does not apply to persons granted leave to proceed IFP. Id. 

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1 monthly deposits in the account for the past six months, or (b) the average monthly 

2 balance in the account for the past six months, whichever is greater, unless the 

3 prisoner has no assets. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(I); 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(4). The 

4 institution having custody of the prisoner then collects subsequent payments, assessed 

5 at 20% of the preceding month's income, in any month in which the prisoner's 

6 account exceeds $10, and forwards those payments to the Court until the entire filing 

7 fee is paid. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(2). 

8 In support of his IFP Motion, Plaintiff submitted a certified copy of his trust 

9 account statement, as well as a certificate of funds issued by an accounting executive 

10 at SVSP. The Court has reviewed Plaintiffs certificate and his trust account 

11 statements, and they show no average monthly balance, no average monthly deposits, 

12 and no current available funds in his account over the six-month period preceding the 

13 filing of his Complaint. 

14 Therefore, the Court GRANTS Plaintiffs Motion to Proceed IFP and assesses 

15 no initial partial filing fee. However, the entire $350 balance of the filing fee owed 

16 must be collected by the CDCR and forwarded to the Clerk of the Court pursuant to 

17 the installment payment provisions set forth in 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(I). 

18 II. Motions for Appointment of Counsel 

19 Plaintiff also filed two separate motions requesting the appointment of counsel 

20 to assist him because he is indigent, in custody, disabled, has limited access to legal 

21 resources, and little knowledge ofthe law. (See ECF Doc. Nos. 2, 11 f 

22 There is no constitutional right to counsel in a civil case. Lassiter v. Dept. of 

23 Soc. Servs., 452 U.S. 18,25 (1981). Nonetheless, under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(I), 

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25 2 Plaintiffs second motion also requests "equitable tolling" and cites 28 U.S.C. 

& 2254(h). (See ECF Doc. No. 11 at 1.) Section 2254(h) is inapplicable because 

Plaintiff has not filed a habeas petition and his Complamt does not challenge the 

26 constitutionality of his conviction or sentence. Instead, lie has filed a civil rights action 

pursuant to 42 U .S.C. § 1983 challenging the conditions of his confinement. A prisoner 27 m state custody may not use a section 1983 civil rights action to challenge the "fact or 

28 duration of his coniinement." Preiser v. Rodriguez, 411 U.S. 475, 489 (973). He must 

seek federal habeas cOJPus relief instead. WilICinson v. Dotson, 544 U.S. 74, 78 (2005) (quoting Preiser, 411 U.S. at 489). 

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1 district courts have some limited discretion to "request" that an attorney represent an 

2 indigent civil litigant. Agyeman v. Carr. Corp. of Am., 390 F.3d 1101, 1103 (9th Cir. 

3 2004). This discretion may be exercised only under "exceptional circumstances." 

4 Id.; see also Terrell v. Brewer, 935 F.2d 1015, 1017 (9th Cir. 1991): A finding of 

5 exceptional circumstances requires "an evaluation of the likelihood of the plaintiffs 

6 success on the merits and an evaluation of the plaintiffs ability to articulate his 

7 claims 'in light of the complexity of the legal issues involved. '" Agyeman, 390 F.3d 

8 at 1103 (quoting Wilborn v. Escalderon, 789 F.2d 1328,1331 (9th Cir. 1986». 

9 The Court DENIES Plaintiffs Motions without prejudice because, as 

10 discussed below, it appears Plaintiff is capable of articulating the factual basis for his 

11 claims, and his likelihood of success on the merits is not at all yet clear. Therefore, 

12 neither the interests of justice nor any exceptional circumstances warrant appointment 

13 of counsel at this time. See LaMere v. Risley, 827 F.2d 622, 626 (9th Cir. 1987); 

14 Terrell, 935 F.2d at 1017. 

15 III. Screening of Complaint per 28 U.S.C. §§ 1915(e)(2)(B) and 1915A(b) 

16 Notwithstanding Plaintiffs IFP status or the payment of any filing fees, the 

17 PLRA also requires the Court to review complaints filed by all persons and prisoners 

18 proceeding IFP "as soon as practicable after docketing." 28 U.S.C. §§ 1915(e)(2) and 

19 1915A(b). Under these statutes, the Court must sua sponte dismiss any complaint, or 

20 any portion of a complaint, which is frivolous, malicious, fails to state a claim, or 

21 seeks damages from defendants who are immune. Id. 

22 All complaints must contain "a short and plain statement of the claim showing 

23 that the pleader is entitled to relief." Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a)(2). Detailed factual 

24 allegations are not required, but "[t]hreadbare recitals of the elements of a cause of 

25 action, supported by mere conclusory statements, do not suffice." Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 

26 556 U.S. 662, 678 (2009) (citing Bell At!. Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 555 

27 (2007». "Determining whether a complaint states a plausible claim for relief [is] ... 

28 a context-specific task that requires the reviewing court to draw on its judicial 

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1 experience and common sense." Id. The "mere possibility of misconduct" falls short 

2 of meeting this plausibility standard. Id.; see also Moss v. u.s. Secret Service, 572 

3 F.3d 962, 969 (9th Cir. 2009). "When there are well-pleaded factual allegations, a 

4 court should assume their veracity, and then determine whether they plausibly give 

5 rise to an entitlement to relief." Iqbal, 556 U.S. at 679; see also Barren v. Harrington, 

6 152 F.3d 1193, 1194 (9th Cir. 1998)(noting that § 1915(e)(2) "parallels the language 

7 of Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6)"). 

8 However, while the court "ha[s] an obligation where the petitioner is pro se, 

9 particularly in civil rights cases, to construe the pleadings liberally and to afford the 

10 petitioner the benefit of any doubt," Hebbe v. Pliler, 627 F.3d 338,342 & n.7 (9th Cir. 

11 2010) (citing Bretz v. Kelman, 773 F.2d 1026, 1027 n.l (9th Cir. 1985», it may not 

12 "supply essential elements of claims that were not initially pled." Ivey v. Bd. of 

13 Regents of the Univ. of Alaska, 673 F.2d 266,268 (9th Cir. 1982). 

14 As currently pled, the Court finds Plaintiffs Complaint contains plausible 

15 claims for relief which are sufficient to survive the "low threshold" for proceeding 

16 past the initial sua sponte screening. 3 See Wilhelm v. Rotman, 680 F.3d 1113, 1123 

17 (9th Cir. 2012); Farmer v. Brennan, 511 U.S. 825,832-33,837 (1994) (Eighth 

18 Amendment requires prison officials to take reasonable measures to guarantee the 

19 safety of inmates, and has been interpreted to include the affirmative duty to protect 

20 prisoners from serious risks of harm); Rhodes v. Robinson, 408 F.3d 559,567-68 (9th 

21 Cir. 2005) ("Within the prison context, a viable claim of First Amendment retaliation 

22 entails five basic elements: (1) An assertion that a state actor took some adverse 

23 action against an inmate (2) because of(3) that prisoner's protected conduct, and that 

24 such action (4) chilled the inmate's exercise of his First Amendment rights, and (5) 

25 the action did not reasonably advance a legitimate correctional goal."). Accordingly, 

26 

27 3 Plaintiff is cautioned that "the sua sponte screening and dismissal procedure is 

28 cumulative of, and not a substitute for, any subsequent Rule 12(b)(6) motion that fa 

defendant] may choose to bring." Teahan v. Wilhelm, 481 F. Supp.1d 1115, 1119 (S.D. Cal. 2007). 

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1 the Court will direct the U.S. Marshal to effect service upon the Defendants on 

2 Plaintiffs behalf. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(d) ("The officers of the court shall issue and 

3 serve all process, and perform all duties in [IFP] cases."); Fed. R. Civ. P. 4(c)(3) 

4 ("[T]he court may order that service be made by a United States marshal or deputy 

5 marshal ... if the plaintiff is authorized to proceed informa pauperis under 28 U.S.C. 

6 § 1915."). 

7 IV. Conclusion and Orders 

8 Good cause appearing, the Court: 

9 1. GRANTS Plaintiffs Motion to Proceed IFP and his Motion for District 

10 Judge.4 

11 2. DENIES Plaintiffs Motions for Appointment of Counsel without 

12 prejudice. 

13 3. DIRECTS the Secretary of the CDCR, or his designee, to collect from 

14 Plaintiffs prison trust account the $350 filing fee owed in this case by garnishing 

15 monthly payments from his account in an amount equal to 20% of the preceding 

16 month's income and forwarding those payments to the Clerk of the Court each time 

17 the amount in the account exceeds $10. ALL PAYMENTS SHALL BE CLEARLY 

18 IDENTIFIED BY THE NAME AND NUMBER ASSIGNED TO THIS ACTION. 

19 4. DIRECTS the Clerk of the Court to serve a copy ofthis Order on Jeffrey 

20 A. Beard, Secretary, CDCR, P.O. Box 942883, Sacramento, California, 94283-0001. 

21 5. DIRECTS the Clerk to issue a summons as to Plaintiffs Complaint 

22 (Doc. No.1) upon Defendants and forward it to Plaintiff along with a blank U.S. 

23 Marshal Form 285 for each Defendant. In addition, the Clerk will provide Plaintiff 

24 

25 4 The Court notes that while Plaintiff consents to magistrate judge jurisdiction in 

his Complaint..,see ECF Doc. No. 1 at 8, his Motion requests determination by a district 

judge. See ECI' Doc. No.3. Because his intentions are not clear, the Court will not infer 

26 Plamtiffs consent to magistrate judge jurisdiction at this time. See Wilhelm, 680 F.3d. 

27 at 1118-21 (discussing circumstances under which consent to magistrate iudge jurisdiction may be imJ?lied). Nevertheless, pursuant to S.D. CAL. CIvLR 72.3(e)l tlie 

28 assigned magistrate juage will hereafter "conduct all necessary hearings and suomit 

proposed finoings of fact and recommendations for the disposition of all motions 

excepted from tiie magistrate judge's jurisdiction by 28 U. S. C. § 636(b)( 1 )( A)." 

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1 with a certified copy of this Order, a certified copy of his Complaint, and the 

2 summons so that he may serve the Defendants. Once he receives this "IFP Package," 

3 Plaintiff must complete the Form 285s as completely and accurately as possible, and 

4 return them to the United States Marshal according to the instructions the Clerk 

5 provides in the letter accompanying the IFP package. 

6 6. ORDERS the U.S. Marshal to serve a copy of the Complaint and 

7 summons upon Defendants as directed by Plaintiff on the USM Form 285s provided 

8 to him. All costs of that service will be advanced by the United States. 

9 7. ORDERS Defendants to reply to Plaintiffs Complaint within the time 

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

11 42 U.S.C. § 1997e(g)(2) (while a defendant may occasionally be permitted to "waive 

12 the right to reply to any action brought by a prisoner confined in any jail, prison, or 

13 other correctional facility under section 1983," once the Court has conducted its sua 

14 sponte screening pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2) and § 1915A(b), and thus, has 

15 made a preliminary determination based on the face on the pleading alone that 

16 Plaintiff has a "reasonable opportunity to prevail on the merits," the defendant is 

17 required to respond). 

18 8. ORDERS Plaintiff to serve upon Defendants or, ifan appearance has 

19 been entered by counsel, upon Defendants' counsel, a copy of every further pleading 

20 or other document he wishes the Court to consider. Plaintiff must include with the 

21 original paper to be filed with the Clerk of the Court, a certificate stating the manner 

22 in which a true and correct copy of the document was served on Defendants, or 

23 counsel for Defendants, and the date of that service. Any paper received by the Court 

24 which has not been properly filed with the Clerk, or which fails to include a 

25 Certificate of Service, may be disregarded. 

26 

27 DATED: Augus~, 2015 

28 

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