Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_05-cv-00740/USCOURTS-azd-2_05-cv-00740-0/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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WO

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Eric Lowry, 

Plaintiff, 

vs.

Joseph Arpiao, et al.

Defendants. 

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No. 05-CV-740-PHX-FJM

ORDER

The court has before it defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment (doc. 24),

plaintiff's Opposition (docketed as both doc. 31 and doc. 32), and defendant's Reply (doc.

34).

While incarcerated at the Madison Street Jail, plaintiff Lowry slipped, fell, and was

injured as he left the shower. Defendant's Statement of Facts, Exhibit 3 (Incident Report).

Subsequently, Lowry filed an Inmate Grievance Form on which he complained that he

slipped as he left the shower and was injured, that he is an oral diabatic, and that he needs

a medical letter so that he can obtain his own shoes, presumably so that he would not slip

again. Defendant's Statement of Facts, Exhibit 4 (Inmate Grievance Form). The officer

responded that he would provide Lowry with a medical request form, and Lowry withdrew

the grievance. Id.

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 "[T]he failure to exhaust nonjudicial remedies that are not jurisdictional should be

treated as a matter in abatement, which is subject to an unenumerated Rule 12(b) motion

rather than a motion for summary judgment." Wyatt v. Terhune, 315 F.3d 1108, 1119 (9th

Cir. 2003). If the failure to exhaust nonjudicial remedies is raised in a motion for summary

judgment, we will treat the motion for summary judgment as a motion to dismiss. Ritza v.

Int'l Longshoremen's and Warehousemen's Union, 837 F.2d 365, 368-69 (9th Cir. 1988). 

Accordingly, we treat defendant's motion for summary judgment as a motion to dismiss.

Furthermore, "[i]f the district court concludes that the prisoner has not exhausted nonjudicial

remedies, the proper remedy is dismissal of the claim without prejudice." Wyatt, 315 F.3d

at 1120.

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Lowry subsequently filed this action under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, in which he claims that

his constitutional rights were violated by defendants' deliberate indifference to the hazardous

shower conditions that caused plaintiff to slip, fall, and become injured. Second Amended

Complaint at 4; Opposition at 1. Defendant Arpiao argues that plaintiff failed to exhaust his

administrative remedies, and that pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1997e(a), plaintiff is barred from

bringing this action.1

 Motion for Summary Judgment at 2.

The Prison Litigation Reform Act provides that "[n]o action shall be brought with

respect to prison conditions under [42 U.S.C. § 1983], or any other Federal law, by a prisoner

confined in any jail, prison, or other correctional facility until such administrative remedies

as are available are exhausted." 42 U.S.C. § 1997e(a). The Maricopa County Sheriff's

Office, which operates the Madison Street Jail, has an Inmate Grievance Procedure through

which an inmate may seek redress to his grievances by completing grievance forms and

appealing the responses. Motion for Summary Judgment, Attachment A (Inmate Grievance

Procedure).

Plaintiff failed to file a grievance challenging the conditions of the shower. Plaintiff's

grievance form merely requested shoes, presumably to avoid slipping again, Opposition at

3, but failed to complain that the "[i]nadequate maintenance of the housing units and shower

facilities[] created unsafe and hazardous conditions," which is alleged in the claim before us.

Second Amended Complaint at 4. Plaintiff also admits that he did not file a grievance based

on this claim because "[a]n injury cannot be grieved" and "[t]he incident already occurred

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and cannot be remedied." Id. There is however no restriction on the subject of a grievance

pursuant to the Inmate Grievance Procedure. Motion for Summary Judgment, Attachment

A (Inmate Grievance Procedure). Moreover, while plaintiff argues that the detention officer

encouraged him to withdraw his filed grievance–the request for shoes–plaintiff fails to argue

that the officer encouraged him not to file an additional grievance with regard to the

conditions of the shower.

Plaintiff's action is barred because he failed to file a relevant grievance and therefore

failed to exhaust his administrative remedies. Plaintiff should consult the Rules and

Regulations for Inmates, which is available to inmates upon request, if he has any further

complaints with regard to prison conditions. See Motion for Summary Judgment,

Attachment A (Inmate Grievance Procedure) at 1.

IT IS ORDERED granting defendant's motion, which we have construed as a Motion

to Dismiss, and dismissing plaintiff's claim without prejudice (doc. 24).

DATED this 19th day of January, 2006.

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