Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_16-cv-00708/USCOURTS-caed-1_16-cv-00708-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Herbert Johnson
Plaintiff
Unnamed Defendants
Defendant

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

HERBERT JOHNSON,

Plaintiff,

v.

UNNAMED DEFENDANTS,

Defendants.

1:16-cv-0708-DAD-MJS (PC)

ORDER DENYING AS MOOT PLAINTIFF’S 

MOTION FOR LEAVE TO AMEND

(ECF No. 21)

Plaintiff is a state prisoner proceeding pro se in this civil rights action pursuant to 

42 U.S.C. ' 1983. This case was initiated on March 9, 2016, in the Southern District of 

California and transferred to this Court on May 20, 2016. Plaintiff’s original pleading has 

not yet been screened. Plaintiff has now filed with the Court a letter which is construed 

as a motion for leave to file an amended complaint. 

The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure provide that a party may amend or 

supplement his or her pleading once as a matter of course within 21 days of serving the 

pleading or, if the pleading is one to which a responsive pleading is required, within 21 

days after service of the responsive pleading, see Fed. R. Civ. P. 15(a)(1)(A), or within 

21 days after service of a motion under Rule 12(b), (e), or (f) of the rules, whichever time 

is earlier, see Fed. R. Civ. P. 15(a)(1)(B). In all other situations, a party's pleadings may 

only be amended or supplemented upon leave of court or stipulation of all the parties. 

Case 1:16-cv-00708-DAD-MJS Document 22 Filed 07/22/16 Page 1 of 2
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See Fed. R. Civ. P. 15(a)(2). In considering a motion for leave to file an amended 

pleading, “[t]he court should freely give leave when justice so requires.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 

15(a)(2).

In the present case, leave of court is not required because Plaintiff’s complaint 

has not yet been screened and no Defendant has yet been served with the pleading. 

Accordingly, Plaintiff may amend his complaint as of right, and his motion for leave to 

amend will be denied as moot.

Based on the foregoing, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Plaintiff’s motion for leave 

to amend (ECF No. 21) is DENIED as moot. Plaintiff may proceed to file an Amended 

Complaint.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: July 22, 2016 /s/Michael J. Seng 

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Case 1:16-cv-00708-DAD-MJS Document 22 Filed 07/22/16 Page 2 of 2