Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_06-cv-04405/USCOURTS-cand-3_06-cv-04405-1/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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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

THOMAS L. RUTLEDGE, 

Plaintiff(s),

 v.

SANTA RITA JAIL, et al.,

Defendant(s). 

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No. C 06-4405 CRB (PR)

ORDER OF SERVICE

Plaintiff, a pre-trial detainee at the Alameda County Jail, has filed a pro se

First Amended Complaint ("FAC") under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 alleging deliberate

indifference to his serious medical needs. In a nutshell, plaintiff alleges that

former jail doctor Horacio Campose refused to treat plaintiff's ruptured disc, and

that new jail doctor Liz Mastroianni has refused to treat him for this injury as

well. Plaintiff seeks damages and injunctive relief.

DISCUSSION

A. Standard of Review

Federal courts must engage in a preliminary screening of cases in which

prisoners seek redress from a governmental entity or officer or employee of a

governmental entity. 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(a). The court must identify cognizable

claims or dismiss the complaint, or any portion of the complaint, if the complaint

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"is frivolous, malicious, or fails to state a claim upon which relief may be

granted," or "seeks monetary relief from a defendant who is immune from such

relief." Id. § 1915A(b). Pro se pleadings must be liberally construed, however. 

Balistreri v. Pacifica Police Dep't, 901 F.2d 696, 699 (9th Cir. 1990).

To state a claim under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, a plaintiff must allege two 

elements: (1) that a right secured by the Constitution or laws of the United States

was violated, and (2) that the alleged violation was committed by a person acting

under the color of state law. West v. Atkins, 487 U.S. 42, 48 (1988).

B. Legal Claims

A pretrial detainee's claim of inadequate medical care arises under the Due

Process Clause; however, the Eighth Amendment serves as a benchmark for

evaluating the claim. See Carnell v. Grimm, 74 F.3d 977, 979 (9th Cir. 1996)

(8th Amendment guarantees provide minimum standard of care for pretrial

detainees). The detainee therefore must show that prison officials were

deliberately indifferent to his serious medical needs. Id. "The requirement of

conduct that amounts to 'deliberate indifference' provides an appropriate balance

of the pretrial detainees' right to not be punished with the deference given to

prison officials to manage the prisons." Redman v. County of San Diego, 942

F.2d 1435, 1443 (9th Cir. 1991) (en banc) (citation omitted).

Liberally construed, plaintiff's allegations state a cognizable § 1983 claim

for deliberate indifference to serious medical needs against doctors Horacio

Campose and Liz Mastroianni. The other named defendants are DISMISSED. 

They are not sufficiently linked to the allegations of wrongdoing or are named

under a theory of respondeat superior liability not applicable in § 1983 actions. 

See Taylor v. List, 880 F.2d 1040, 1045 (9th Cir. 1989) (no respondeat superior

liability under § 1983; or, in layman's terms, no liability under § 1983 solely

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because one is responsible for the actions or omissions of another). 

CONCLUSION

For the foregoing reasons and for good cause shown,

1. The clerk shall issue summons and the United States Marshal shall

serve, without prepayment of fees, copies of the complaint in this matter, all

attachments thereto, and copies of this order on the following defendants: 

Doctors Horacio Campose and Liz Mastroianni. The clerk also shall serve a copy

of this order on plaintiff. 

2. In order to expedite the resolution of this case, the court orders as

follows:

a. No later than 90 days from the date of this order, defendants

shall file a motion for summary judgment or other dispositive motion. A motion

for summary judgment shall be supported by adequate factual documentation and

shall conform in all respects to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 56, and shall

include as exhibits all records and incident reports stemming from the events at

issue. If defendants are of the opinion that this case cannot be resolved by

summary judgment or other dispositive motion, they shall so inform the court

prior to the date their motion is due. All papers filed with the court shall be

served promptly on plaintiff.

b. Plaintiff's opposition to the dispositive motion shall be filed

with the court and served upon defendants no later than 30 days after defendants

serve plaintiff with the motion. 

c. Plaintiff is advised that a motion for summary judgment

under Rule 56 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure will, if granted, end your

case. Rule 56 tells you what you must do in order to oppose a motion for

summary judgment. Generally, summary judgment must be granted when there

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is no genuine issue of material fact--that is, if there is no real dispute about any

fact that would affect the result of your case, the party who asked for summary

judgment is entitled to judgment as a matter of law, which will end your case. 

When a party you are suing makes a motion for summary judgment that is

properly supported by declarations (or other sworn testimony), you cannot simply

rely on what your complaint says. Instead, you must set out specific facts in

declarations, depositions, answers to interrogatories, or authenticated documents,

as provided in Rule 56(e), that contradicts the facts shown in the defendant's

declarations and documents and show that there is a genuine issue of material

fact for trial. If you do not submit your own evidence in opposition, summary

judgment, if appropriate, may be entered against you. If summary judgment is

granted, your case will be dismissed and there will be no trial. Rand v. Rowland,

154 F.3d 952, 962-63 (9th Cir. 1998) (en banc) (App. A).

Plaintiff is also advised that a motion to dismiss for failure to exhaust

administrative remedies under 42 U.S.C. § 1997e(a) will, if granted, end your

case, albeit without prejudice. You must “develop a record” and present it in

your opposition in order to dispute any “factual record” presented by the

defendants in their motion to dismiss. Wyatt v. Terhune, 315 F.3d 1108, 1120

n.14 (9th Cir. 2003).

d. Defendants shall file a reply brief within 15 days of the date

on which plaintiff serves them with the opposition. 

e. The motion shall be deemed submitted as of the date the

reply brief is due. No hearing will be held on the motion unless the court so

orders at a later date. 

3. Discovery may be taken in accordance with the Federal Rules of

Civil Procedure. No further court order is required before the parties may

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conduct discovery.

4. All communications by plaintiff with the court must be served on

defendants, or defendants' counsel once counsel has been designated, by mailing

a true copy of the document to defendants or defendants' counsel.

5. It is plaintiff's responsibility to prosecute this case. Plaintiff must

keep the court and all parties informed of any change of address and must comply

with the court's orders in a timely fashion. Failure to do so may result in the

dismissal of this action under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 41(b).

SO ORDERED.

DATED: June 25, 2007 CHARLES R. BREYER

United States District Judge

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