Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_08-cv-02544/USCOURTS-caed-2_08-cv-02544-23/pdf.json

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

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

VINCENT SOLOMON,

Plaintiff,

v.

T. FELKER, et al.,

Defendants.

No. 2: 08-cv-2544 KJN P

ORDER

Plaintiff is a state prisoner, proceeding without counsel, with a civil rights action pursuant 

to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Pending before the court is plaintiff’s motion for a court order for the return 

of his legal property. (ECF No. 140.) For the following reasons, the Warden of California State 

Prison-Corcoran (“Corcoran”) is directed to respond to plaintiff’s motion.

On September 19, 2014, defendants filed a summary judgment motion. (ECF No. 134.) 

On November 10, 2014, plaintiff filed a motion for access to his legal property and for a ninety 

day extension of time to file his opposition. (ECF No. 137.) In this motion, plaintiff alleged that 

Corcoran officials took all of his legal property and refused to return it. 

On November 21, 2014, the undersigned denied plaintiff’s motion for access to his legal 

property. (ECF No. 138.) The undersigned found that the exhibits attached to plaintiff’s motion 

did not support his claim that his legal property was confiscated and that prison officials refused 

to return it. (Id. at 2.) Plaintiff’s exhibits demonstrated that plaintiff was allowed to have the 

Case 2:08-cv-02544-KJN Document 141 Filed 01/28/15 Page 1 of 3
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amount of legal property in his cell that is permitted for inmates in administrative segregation. 

(Id.) Plaintiff’s exhibits demonstrated that plaintiff could trade a box of legal property in his cell 

for a box of legal property in storage. (Id.) In other words, procedures existed for plaintiff to 

have access to his legal property that was not in his cell. (Id.) The November 21, 2014 order 

granted plaintiff thirty days to file his opposition. (Id.)

Thirty days passed and plaintiff did not file his opposition. Accordingly, on January 7, 

2015, the undersigned ordered that this action would be dismissed if plaintiff failed to file his 

opposition within thirty days. (ECF No. 139.)

On January 26, 2015, plaintiff filed the pending motion. (ECF No. 140.) Plaintiff alleges 

that prison officials confiscated all of his legal property on October 8, 2014. (Id.) Plaintiff 

alleges that prison officials lied to the court when they stated that plaintiff had access to his legal 

property, apparently referring to the previously filed exhibits. (Id.) Plaintiff alleges that most of 

his legal property is in a warehouse. (Id.) Plaintiff alleges that prison officials will not give him 

access to his legal property without a court order. (Id.)

No defendants are located at Corcoran. Usually persons or entities not parties to an action 

are not subject to orders for injunctive relief. Zenith Radio Corp. v. Hazeltine Research, Inc., 395 

U.S. 100 (1969). However, the fact that one is not a party does not automatically preclude the 

court from acting. The All Writs Act, 28 U.S.C. § 1651(a), permits the court to issue writs 

“necessary or appropriate in aid of their jurisdiction and agreeable to the usages and principles of 

law.” See generally S.E.C. v. G.C. George Securities, Inc., 637 F.2d 685 (9th Cir. 1981); United 

States v. New York Telephone Co., 434 U.S. 159 (1977). This section does not grant the court 

plenary power to act in any way it wishes; rather the All Writs Act is meant to aid the court in the 

exercise and preservation of its jurisdiction. Plum Creek Lumber Company v. Hutton, 608 F.2d 

1283, 1289 (9th Cir. 1979).

The court is concerned that it will lose jurisdiction of this action if plaintiff is unable to 

prosecute his case because he is being denied access to his legal property. Pursuant to the All 

Writs Act, the undersigned herein orders the Warden of Corcoran to file a status report addressing 

plaintiff’s allegations regarding denial of access to his legal property.

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Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:

1. Within ten days of the date of this order, the Warden of Corcoran shall file a status 

report addressing plaintiff’s allegations regarding denial of access to his legal property;

2. The Clerk of the Court is directed to serve this order and a copy of plaintiff’s motion 

for court order (ECF No. 140) on Supervising Deputy Attorney General Monica Anderson and 

the Warden of California State Prison-Corcoran, California State Prison-Corcoran, P.O. Box 

3476, Corcoran, California, 93212-3476.

Dated: January 27, 2015

Sol2544.alw

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