Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_05-cv-01204/USCOURTS-azd-2_05-cv-01204-0/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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Many inmates apparently believe that they will receive an immediate payout from

a fund established in Hart v. Hill, No. CV 77-0479-PHX-EHC (MS) (D. Ariz.). No such fund

exists. The inmat es in Hart asked for injunctive relief and not monetary damages. The

Court at this time expresses no opinion whether Plaintiff’s lawsuit may result in an award

of damages. 

TERMPSREF

JDN

WO

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Thomas James Lillard, 

Plaintiff, 

vs.

Captain Peterson, 

Defendant. 

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No. CV 05-1204-PHX-DGC (LOA)

ORDER

This is one of more than one thousand civil rights actions filed since September

2004 by Maricopa County Jail inmates.1 Plaintiff is an inmate at the Durango Jail in

Phoenix, Arizona. The Court will require an answer to the Complaint.

A. Application to Proceed In Forma Pauperis & Filing Fee

Plaintiff’s request to proceed in forma pauperis will be granted. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a).

Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1), Plaintiff is required to pay the statutory filing fee of

$250.00 for this action. No initial partial filing fee will be assessed by this Order. 28 U.S.C.

§ 1915(b)(1). 

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Plaintiff will be obligated for monthly payments of 20 percent of the preceding

month’s income credited to Plaint iff’s trust account. The Court will direct the appropriate

agency to collect these monthly payments, which will be forwarded t o t he Clerk of Court

each time the amount in Plaintiff’s account exceeds $10.00, until t he filing fee is paid in full.

28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(2).

Plaintiff should take notice that if he is released before the filing fee is paid in full,

he must pay the remaining unpaid amount of the filing fee within 120 day s of the date of

his release. If Plaintiff fails to pay the remainder of the filing fee within 120 days of the date

of his release, the action will be dismissed, unless Plaintiff shows good cause, in writing,

why he is unable to pay the remainder of the filing fee.

B. Statutory Screening of Prisoner Complaints

The Court is required to screen complaints brought by prisoners seeking relief

against a governmental entity or officer or employee of a governmental entity. 28 U.S.C.

§ 1915A(a). The Court must dismiss a complaint or portion thereof if the Plaintiff has raised

claims that are legally “frivolous or malicious,” that fail t o st ate a claim upon which relief

may be granted, or that seek monetary relief from a defendant who is immune from such

relief. 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(b)(1), (2). 

C. Claims and/or Parties to be Served and/or Dismissed

1. Service

In his Complaint Plaintiff alleges that the jail is severely overcrowded, he receives

frequently spoiled food, and the living conditions are unsanitary. Plaintiff alleges that

Captain Peterson, Jail Commander, is responsible for the hiring and t raining of detention

officers. These allegations adequately state a claim, and the Court will require an answer

to the Complaint.

2. Dismissal

Throughout his Complaint, Plaintiff refers to Hart v. Hill, No. CIV 77-0479-PHX-EHC

(MS) (D. Ariz.), claiming that the conditions of his confinement violate an Amended

Judgment in that action. Jurisdiction to enforce t he judgment is retained by the court

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which ent ered it . Jeff D. v. Kempthorne, 365 F.3d 844, 853 (9th Cir. 2004). A civil rights

action is not the proper means by which t o enforce the decree. Cagle v. Sutherland, 334

F.3d 980, 986 (11th Cir. 2003); Klein v. Zavaras, 80 F.3d 432, 435 (10th Cir. 1996); DeGidio

v. Pung, 920 F.2d 525, 534 (8th Cir. 1990); Green v. McKaskle, 788 F.2d 1116, 1122-23 (5th

Cir. 1986). Standing alone, remedial orders cannot serve as a substantive basis for a § 1983

claim for damages because such orders do not create “rights, privileges, or immunities

secured by the Constitution and laws.” Green, 788 F.3d at 1123-24. Remedial decrees are

the means by which unconstitutional conditions are corrected but they do not create or

enlarge const itutional rights. Id. at 1123. To the extent Plaintiff seeks to enforce Hart v.

Hill, his claim is not properly brought in this action. Inst ead, his allegations must

separately state a violation of a constitutional right . At t his juncture, as described above,

Plaintiff’s allegations do state a claim for a constitutional violation. 

D. Rule 41 Cautionary Notice

Plaintiff should take notice that if he fails to timely comply with every provision of

this Order, or any order entered in this matter, this action will be dismissed pursuant to

Rule 41(b) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. See Ferdik v. Bonzelet, 963 F.2d 1258,

1260-61 (9th Cir. 1992) (district court may dismiss action for failure to comply with any order

of the Court).

IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that: 

(1) Plaintiff’s Application to Proceed In Forma Pauperis is grant ed. Plaintiff is

obligated to pay the statutory filing fee of $250.00 for this action. Plaintiff is assessed no

initial partial filing fee. 

(2) The Maricopa County Sheriff or his designee shall collect the filing fee from

Plaintiff’s trust account by collecting monthly payments in an amount equal to 20 percent

of the preceding month’s income credited to Plaintiff’s trust account and forwarding the

payments to the Clerk of the Court each time the amount in the account exceeds $10.00 in

accordance with 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(2). The payments shall be clearly identified by the

name and number assigned to this action.

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(3) The Clerk of Court shall send Plaintiff a service packet including the Complaint,

this Order, and both summons and request for waiver forms for Defendant Captain

Peterson.

(4) Plaintiff shall complete and return the service packet to the Clerk of Court wit hin

20 days of the date of filing of this Order. The United States Marshal will not provide

service of process if Plaintiff fails to comply with this Order.

(5) If Plaintiff does not either obtain a waiver of service of the summons or comp let e

service of t he Summons and Complaint on each Defendant within 120 days of the filing of

t he complaint or within 60 days of the filing of this Order, whichever is later, the action may

be dismissed as to each Defendant not served pursuant to Rule 4(m) of the Federal Rules

of Civil Procedure and Rule 16.2(b)(2)(B)(i) of the Local Rules of Civil Procedure. 

(6) The United States Marshal shall retain the Summons, a copy of the Complaint,

and a copy of this Order for future use.

(7) The United States M arshal shall notify Defendant of the commencement of this

act ion and request waiver of service of the summons pursuant to Rule 4(d) of the Federal

Rules of Civil Procedure. The notice to Defendant shall include a copy of this Order. The

Marshal shall file waivers of service of the summons or request s for waivers that were

returned as undeliverable as soon as they are received. If a waiver of service of summons

is not returned by a Defendant within thirty days from the date the request for waiver was

sent by the Marshal, the Marshal shall:

(a) Personally serve copies of the Summons, Complaint, and this Order upon

the Defendant pursuant to Rule 4(e)(2) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure;

(b) Within 10 days after personal service is effected, file t he ret urn of service

for the Defendant, along wit h evidence of the attempt to secure a waiver of service

of the summons and of the costs subsequently incurred in effecting service upon

the Defendant . T he costs of service shall be enumerated on the return of service

form (USM -285) and shall include the costs incurred by the Marshal for

p hot ocopying additional copies of the Summons, Complaint, or this Order and for

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preparing new process receipt and return forms (USM-285), if required. Costs of

service will be t axed against the personally served defendant pursuant to Rule

4(d)(2) and (5) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, unless otherwise ordered by

the Court.

(8) A Defendant who agrees to waive service of the Summons and Complaint shall

return the signed waiver forms to the United States Marshal, not the Plaintiff.

(9) Defendant shall answer the Complaint or otherwise respond by appropriate

mot ion within the time provided by the applicable provisions of Rule 12(a) of the Federal

Rules of Civil Procedure.

(10) Any answer or responsive pleading shall state the specific Defendant(s) by

name on whose behalf it is filed. The Court may strike any answer, responsive p leading,

or other motion or paper that does not identify the specific Defendant(s) by name on

whose behalf it is filed.

(11) Plaintiff shall serve upon Defendant, or if appearance has been entered by

counsel, upon counsel, a copy of every further pleading or other document submitted for

consideration by the Court. Plaintiff shall include with the original document and copy , t o

be filed wit h t he Clerk of the Court, a certificate stating the date a true and correct copy of

the pleading or document was mailed to Defendant or counsel. Any paper received by a

District Court Judge or Magistrate Judge which has not been filed with the Clerk of Court

may be disregarded by the Court.

(12) At all times during the pendency of this action, Plaintiff shall immediately advise

the Court and the United States Marshal of any change of address and its effective date.

Such not ice shall be captioned “NOTICE OF CHANGE OF ADDRESS.” The notice shall

contain only information pertaining to the change of address and it s effective date.

Plaintiff shall serve a copy of the notice on all opposing p arties. The notice shall not

include any motions for any other relief. Failure to file a Notice of Change of Address may

result in the dismissal of the action for failure to prosecute pursuant to Rule 41(b) of the

Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. 

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(13) A clear, legible copy of every pleading or other document filed shall

accompany each original pleading or other document filed with the Clerk for use by the

District Judge or Magistrate Judge to whom the case is assigned. Failure to comply with

this requirement may result in the pleading or document being stricken without further

notice to Plaintiff. 

(14) This matter is referred to Magistrate Judge Lawrence O. Anderson p ursuant

to Rule 72.1 and 72.2 of the Local Rules of Civil Procedure for further proceedings.

DATED this 1st day of December, 2005.

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