Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_15-cv-01558/USCOURTS-caed-1_15-cv-01558-5/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Commissioner of Social Security
Defendant
Joseph Luise Mckenny
Plaintiff

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

JOSEPH LUISE MCKENNY, 

Plaintiff,

v.

CAROLYN W. COLVIN,

Acting Commissioner of Social Security,

Defendants.

_____________________________________

Case No. 1:15-cv-01558-SKO

ORDER DISCHARGING ORDER TO 

SHOW CAUSE

ORDER DISMISSING ACTION 

WITHOUT PREJUDICE FOR FAILURE 

TO PROSECUTE AND FOR FAILURE TO 

COMPLY WITH COURT ORDER

ORDER DIRECTING CLERK TO CLOSE 

ACTION

I. BACKGROUND

On October 12, 2015, Plaintiff, while represented by counsel and in forma pauperis, filed 

the present action in this Court. (Doc. 1.) Plaintiff seeks review of the Commissioner’s denial of 

his application for benefits. (Doc. 1.) On June 1, 2016, the Court entered the parties’ stipulated 

request to modify the Scheduling Order to require Plaintiff to file and serve his opening brief by 

no later than June 26, 2016. (Docs. 15; 16.)

On June 27 2016, Plaintiff’s counsel filed a motion to withdraw as attorney of record, 

stating her good faith belief that her continued representation of Plaintiff would violate Fed. R. 

Civ. P. 11(b)(2). (Doc. 17.) Plaintiff’s counsel was permitted to withdraw as attorney of record 

on August 2, 2016, and the Court extended the deadline for Plaintiff to file and serve his opening 

brief to September 2, 2016. (Doc. 31.) That same day, August 2, 2016, Plaintiff was served with 

an Informational Order for Pro Se Litigants. (Doc. 33.) The Informational Order detailed 

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Plaintiff’s responsibilities as a pro se litigant, including the substantive requirements of an opening 

brief, and required that the opening brief be filed and served by no later than September 2, 2016. 

(Doc. 33, p. 2.) Plaintiff was further advised of the deadlines for the Commissioner’s responsive 

brief and for any reply brief. (Doc. 33, p. 3.) These deadlines were also set forth on page 3 of the 

Informational Order which was served on Plaintiff. (Doc. 33, p. 3.) On September 2, 2016, 

Plaintiff failed to file and serve his opening brief with the Court and on opposing counsel. (See

Docket.) 

Following Plaintiff’s failure to comply with the Court’s order, on September 13, 2016, the 

Court issued an order to show cause why the matter should not be dismissed. (Doc. 35.) Plaintiff 

was ordered to respond by no later than September 30, 2016, or in the alternative, to file his 

opening brief in accordance with the Court’s order modifying the briefing schedule. (Doc. 35.) 

Plaintiff has not filed any response to the Court’s order to show cause why the action 

should not be dismissed, nor has he filed his opening brief. (See Docket.)

II. DISCUSSION

The Local Rules, corresponding with Fed. R. Civ. P. 11, provide: “Failure of counsel or of 

a party to comply with . . . any order of the Court may be grounds for the imposition by the Court 

of any and all sanctions . . . within the inherent power of the Court.” See LR 110. 

“District courts have inherent power to control their dockets,” and in exercising that power, 

a court may impose sanctions including dismissal of an action. Thompson v. Hous. Auth. of L.A., 

782 F.2d 829, 831 (9th Cir. 1986). A court may dismiss an action with prejudice, based on a 

party’s failure to prosecute an action or failure to obey a court order, or failure to comply with 

local rules. See, e.g., Ferdik v. Bonzelet, 963 F.2d 1258, 1260-61 (9th Cir. 1992) (dismissal for 

failure to comply with an order requiring amendment of complaint); Malone v. U.S. Postal 

Service, 833 F.2d 128, 130 (9th Cir. 1987) (dismissal for failure to comply with a court order); 

Henderson v. Duncan, 779 F.2d 1421, 1424 (9th Cir. 1986) (dismissal for failure to prosecute and 

to comply with local rules).

In determining whether to dismiss an action for failure to obey a court order or failure to 

comply with the Local Rules, the court must consider several factors, including: “(1) the public’s 

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interest in expeditious resolution of litigation; (2) the court’s need to manage its docket; (3) the 

risk of prejudice to the defendants; (4) the public policy favoring disposition of cases on their 

merits; and (5) the availability of less drastic sanctions.” Henderson, 779 F.2d at 1423-24; see 

also Ferdik, 963 F.2d at 1260-61; Thomspon, 782 F.2d at 831.

In this case, the public’s interest in expeditiously resolving this litigation and the Court’s 

interest in managing the docket weigh in favor of dismissal. The risk of prejudice to the 

Defendant Commissioner also weighs in favor of dismissal, since a presumption of injury arises 

from the occurrence of unreasonable delay in prosecution of an action. See Anderson v. Air West, 

542 F.2d 522, 524 (9th Cir.1976). No less drastic sanction is available to the Court, as Plaintiff 

has failed to comply with the Court’s prior orders and is proceeding in forma pauperis. The 

policy favoring disposition of cases on their merits is outweighed by these other four factors in 

favor of dismissal. See Hall v. Comm’r of Soc. Sec., No. 1:11-cv-00693-JLT, 2011 WL 3794705 

at *2 (E.D. Cal. Aug. 25, 2011). 

In its September 13, 2016, order, the Court informed Plaintiff that failure to comply with 

the Court’s order to show cause may result in dismissal of the action. (Doc. 35.) Thus, Plaintiff 

had adequate warning that dismissal would result from failure to file his opening brief or “show 

cause” for why the action should not be dismissed. It is within the Court’s inherent authority to 

dismiss the action both for failure to prosecute and for failure to comply with the Court’s order. 

III. CONCLUSION AND ORDER

Good cause being established therefor, it is HEREBY ORDERED that: 

1. Plaintiff’s complaint be DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE for failure to 

comply with the Court’s order and to prosecute; and

2. The Clerk of Court is directed to close this case.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: October 6, 2016 /s/ Sheila K. Oberto .

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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