Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_08-cv-00093/USCOURTS-caed-2_08-cv-00093-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Jimmy Lee Belle
Plaintiff
Steve Williams
Defendant

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

JIMMY LEE BELLE,

Plaintiff, No. CIV S-08-0093 WBS DAD P

vs.

STEVE WILLIAMS,

Defendant. ORDER

 /

Plaintiff, a patient currently confined at Atascadero State Hospital, has filed a civil

rights action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Plaintiff has not filed an in forma pauperis affidavit

or paid the required filing fee. See 28 U.S.C. §§ 1914(a), 1915(a). 

The federal venue statute requires that a civil action, other than one based on

diversity jurisdiction, be brought only in “(1) a judicial district where any defendant resides, if all

defendants reside in the same State, (2) a judicial district in which a substantial part of the events

or omissions giving rise to the claim occurred, or a substantial part of property that is the subject

of the action is situated, or (3) a judicial district in which any defendant may be found, if there is

no district in which the action may otherwise be brought.” 28 U.S.C. § 1391(b). 

In this case, the defendant does not reside in this district. In addition, plaintiff’s

claims arose in San Luis Obispo County, which is in the Central District of California. 

Case 2:08-cv-00093-WBS-DAD Document 4 Filed 01/22/08 Page 1 of 2
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Therefore, plaintiff’s claim should have been filed in the United States District Court for the

Central District of California. In the interest of justice, a federal court may transfer a complaint

filed in the wrong district to the correct district. See 28 U.S.C. § 1406(a); Starnes v. McGuire,

512 F.2d 918, 932 (D.C. Cir. 1974).

Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that this matter is transferred to the

United States District Court for the Central District of California.

DATED: January 18, 2008.

DAD:9:cm

bell0093.21

Case 2:08-cv-00093-WBS-DAD Document 4 Filed 01/22/08 Page 2 of 2