Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_06-cv-00971/USCOURTS-caed-1_06-cv-00971-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
John Burk
Defendant
Brandon Crane
Plaintiff

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

FRED JONES, et al., 1:06-CV-00665-OWW-WMW-P

Plaintiffs, ORDER SEVERING PLAINTIFFS’

CLAIMS, AND DIRECTING CLERK

vs. OF COURT TO OPEN TWO NEW

ACTIONS FOR PLAINTIFFS COOPER 

JOHN BURK, et al., AND CRANE 

Defendants. ORDER DIRECTING CLERK TO SEND

COPIES AND FORMS TO PLAINTIFFS 

 / COOPER AND CRANE

I. Severance of Plaintiffs’ Claims

Plaintiffs Fred Jones, Anthony Cooper, and Brandon Crane are prisoners proceeding pro se in

a civil rights action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. After reviewing the record in this action, the court

has determined that each plaintiff should proceed separately on his own claims. Rule 21 of the Federal

Rules of Civil Procedure provides that “parties may be dropped or added by order of the court on motion

of any party or of its own initiative at any stage of the action and on such terms as are just,” and “any

claim against a party may be severed and proceeded with separately.” Courts have broad discretion

regarding severance. See Davis v. Mason County, 927 F.2d 1473, 1479 (9th Cir. 1991).

In the instant action, all three plaintiffs are in the custody of the Merced County Sheriff. In this

court’s experience, an action brought by multiple plaintiffs proceeding pro se in which one or more of

the plaintiffs is incarcerated presents procedural problems that cause delay and confusion. Delay often

arises from the frequent transfer of inmates to other facilities or institutions, the changes in address that

occur when inmates are released on parole, and the difficulties faced by inmates who attempt to

communicate with each other and other unincarcerated individuals. In this case, the need for the

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plaintiffs to agree on all filings made in this action and the need for all filings to contain the original

signatures of all three plaintiffs will lead to delay and confusion.

Accordingly, the courtshall order plaintiffs’ claimssevered. Plaintiff Jones will proceed in this

action, while plaintiffs Cooper and Crane will proceed in separate civil actions to be opened by the Clerk

of the Court. Each plaintiff shall proceed separately and shall be solely responsible for his own action.

The Clerk of the Court will be directed to assign the new actions to the same district judge and

magistrate judge assigned to the instant action. The Clerk of the Court shall make appropriate

adjustment in the assignment of civil cases to compensate for this reassignment.

Since the claims of plaintiffs Cooper and Crane will be severed, each plaintiff shall be given

thirty days to file an amended complaint in his own action, using the form provided by the court with

this order. 

II. Plaintiffs' Applications to Proceed In Forma Pauperis

Each of the three plaintiffs has filed an application to proceed in forma pauperis correctly filled

out and signed by a prison official. However, none of the three plaintiffs has filed a certified copy of

his prison trust account statement for the six month period immediately preceding the filing of the

complaint. 

III. Plaintiffs' Consent-to-Magistrate Forms

Each of the three plaintiffs has filed a form consenting to jurisdiction of the Magistrate judge.

Accordingly, based on the foregoing, it is HEREBY ORDERED that:

1. Plaintiff Jonesshall proceed as the sole plaintiff in case number 1:06-CV-00665-OWWWMW-P;

2. The claims of plaintiffs Cooper and Crane are severed from the claims of plaintiff Jones;

3. The Clerk of the Court is directed to:

a. Open two separate civil actions for plaintiffs Cooper and Crane;

b. Assign the new actions to the district judge and magistrate judge to whom the

instant case is assigned and make appropriate adjustment in the assignment of

civil cases to compensate for such assignment;

c. File and docket a copy of this order in the new actions opened for plaintiffs

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Cooper and Crane;

d. Place a copy of the complaint filed on May 31, 2006, in the instant action into the

new actions opened for plaintiffs Cooper and Crane;

e. Place copies of the applications to proceed in forma pauperis filed by plaintiffs

Cooper and Crane into their respective new actions;

f. Place copies of the consent forms filed by plaintiffs Cooper and Crane into their

respective new actions;

g. Send plaintiffs Cooper and Crane each an endorsed copy of the complaint, filed

May 31, 2006, bearing the case number assigned to his own individual action;

and

h. Send plaintiffs Cooper and Crane each an amended civil rights complaint form;.

4. Within thirty (30) days from the date of service of this order, plaintiffs Cooper and

Crane shall each file an amended complaint bearing his new case number and each either

pay the $350.00 filing fee in full for his new action or submit a certified copy of his

prison trust account statement for the six month period immediately preceding the filing

of the complaint;

5. Within thirty (30) days from the date of service of this order, plaintiff Jones shall either

pay the $350.00 filing fee in full for this action or submit a certified copy of his prison

trust account statement for the six month period immediately preceding the filing of the

complaint; and

6. The failure to comply with this order will result in a recommendation that the action be

dismissed.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: July 24, 2006 /s/ William M. Wunderlich 

j14hj0 UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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