Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-alsd-1_16-cv-00463/USCOURTS-alsd-1_16-cv-00463-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Joseph Hachey
Plaintiff
Ronald Moody
Defendant

Document Text:

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF ALABAMA

SOUTHERN DIVISION

JOSEPH HACHEY, *

*

Plaintiff, *

*

vs. * CIVIL ACTION NO.: 16-00463-KD-B

*

RONALD MOODY, *

*

Defendant. *

REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION

Plaintiff Joseph Hachey, an Alabama prison inmate, filed a 

complaint seeking relief under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. (Doc. 1). This case 

was referred to the undersigned Magistrate Judge pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 

§ 636(b)(1)(B) and Local Rule 72(a)(R) for appropriate action. On

September 2, 2016, the court issued an order directing Plaintiff to 

file his complaint on the correct complaint form for 1983 prisoner 

actions. (Doc. 5). Plaintiff was also directed to pay the statutory 

filing fee or file a motion to proceed without prepayment of fees 

by October 3, 2016. (Id.). To date, Plaintiff has not complied with 

the Court’s September 2, 2016 Order, nor has his copy of the Order 

been returned to the Court. Because Plaintiff has failed to comply 

with the Court’s Order dated September 2, 2016 (Doc. 5), it is 

recommended that this action be dismissed without prejudice. 

Plaintiff’s handwritten complaint was originally filed in the 

Middle District of Alabama. (See Doc. 1). The Middle District of 

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Alabama determined that proper venue lies in the Southern District 

of Alabama; thus, the case was transferred to this Court on September 

1, 2016. (Doc. 4). The Court entered an Order on September 2, 2016, 

directing Plaintiff to re-file his complaint by October 3, 2016 on 

this Court’s current form for prisoner actions under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. 

(Doc. 5). The Court also observed that at the time Plaintiff filed 

this action, he had neither paid the $350.00 statutory filing fee, 

nor filed a motion to proceed without prepayment of fees. (Id.). 

Accordingly, the Court ordered Plaintiff to pay the statutory filing 

fee or, in lieu thereof, file a proper motion to proceed without 

prepayment of fees by October 3, 2016. (Id.) Plaintiff was cautioned

that if he elected not to comply with this Order within the prescribed 

time, his action would be dismissed for failure to prosecute and to 

obey the Court’s Order. (Id. at 2). The Court also directed the Clerk 

to forward to Plaintiff a copy of the requisite forms. (Id.) To date, 

Plaintiff has not filed an amended complaint on the Court’s form for 

1983 prisoner complaints or sought an extension request. He has also 

failed to pay the statutory filing fee, or in lieu thereof, file a 

motion to proceed without prepayment of fees. And, as noted supra, 

Plaintiff’s copy of the Order has not been returned. Thus, at this 

juncture, it appears that he has lost interest in this case.

Due to Plaintiff’s failure to comply with the Court’s Order of 

September 2, 2016 (Doc. 5), and upon consideration of the alternatives 

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available to the Court, it is recommended that this action be dismissed 

without prejudice pursuant to Rule 41(b) of the Federal Rules of Civil 

Procedure as no other lesser sanction will suffice. Link v. Wabash 

R. R., 370 U.S. 626, 630, 82 S. Ct. 1386, 8 L. Ed. 2d 734 (1962) 

(interpreting Rule 41(b) not to restrict the court’s inherent 

authority to dismiss sua sponte an action for lack of prosecution); 

World Thrust Films, Inc. v. International Family Entertainment, Inc., 

41 F.3d 1454, 1456-57 (11th Cir. 1995); Ballard v. Carlson, 882 F.

2d 93 (4th Cir. 1989), cert. denied, Ballard v. Volunteers of America, 

493 U.S. 1084, 110 S. Ct. 1145, 107 L. Ed. 2d 1049 (1990); Mingo v. 

Sugar Cane Growers Co-op, 864 F. 2d 101, 102 (11th Cir. 1989); Goforth 

v. Owens, 766 F. 2d 1533, 1535 (11th Cir. 1983); Jones v. Graham, 

709 F. 2d 1457, 1458 (11th Cir. 1983); accord Chambers v. NASCO, Inc., 

501 U.S. 32, 111 S. Ct. 2123, 115 L. Ed. 2d 27 (1991) (ruling that 

federal courts’ inherent power to manage their own proceedings 

authorized the imposition of attorney’s fees and related expenses 

as a sanction; Malautea v. Suzuki Motor Co., 987 F. 2d 1536, 1545-46 

(11th Cir. 1993)(finding that the court’s inherent power to manage 

actions before it permitted the imposition of fines), cert. denied, 

510 U.S. 863, 114 S. Ct. 181, 126 L. Ed. 2d 140 (1993).

Notice of Right to File Objections

A copy of this report and recommendation shall be served on all 

parties in the manner provided by law. Any party who objects to this 

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recommendation or anything in it must, within fourteen (14) days of 

the date of service of this document, file specific written objections 

with the Clerk of this Court. See 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1); Fed.R.Civ.P. 

72(b); S.D. ALA. GenLR 72(c). The parties should note that under 

Eleventh Circuit Rule 3-1, “[a] party failing to object to a 

magistrate judge’s findings or recommendations contained in a report 

and recommendation in accordance with the provisions of 28 U.S.C. 

§ 636(b)(1) waives the right to challenge on appeal the district 

court’s order based on unobjected-to factual and legal conclusions 

if the party was informed of the time period for objecting and the 

consequences on appeal for failing to object. In the absence of a 

proper objection, however, the court may review on appeal for plain 

error if necessary in the interests of justice.” 11th Cir. R. 3-1.

In order to be specific, an objection must identify the specific 

finding or specify the place in the Magistrate Judge’s report and 

recommendation where the disputed determination is found. An 

objection that merely incorporates by reference or refers to the 

briefing before the Magistrate Judge is not specific. 

DONE this 21st day of November, 2016.

 /S/SONJA F. BIVINS 

 UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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