Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_16-cv-02707/USCOURTS-caed-2_16-cv-02707-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Inmate Services Corporation
Defendant
Danzel Stearns
Plaintiff

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

DANZEL STEARNS,

Plaintiff,

v.

INMATE SERVICES CORPORATION, et 

al.,

Defendants.

No. 2:16-cv-2707 KJM CKD P

ORDER

Plaintiff (“Stearns”) is a resident of New Albany, Mississippi. Defendant Inmate Services 

Corporation (“ISC”) is headquartered in West Memphis, Arkansas. The complaint alleges as 

follows: 

On September 17, 2016, ISC picked up Stearns in Colorado 

Springs, Colorado on an outstanding warrant calling for him to be 

transported to Union County Jail in New Albany, Mississippi. 

Colorado City, Colorado is 1,105 miles from New Albany, 

Mississippi.

Had ISC transported Stearns directly from his pick-up to his dropoff location, the trip would have taken approximately 16.5 hours.

ISC did not transport Stearns directly. As a result, his trip took 

over 200 hours, or nine days.

ISC transported Stearns from Colorado Springs to and through 

approximately thirteen states, including California where the van 

stopped in Sacramento, picking up and dropping off other inmates, 

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before finally delivering Stearns to Union County Jail, in New 

Albany, Mississippi on September 25. Instead of heading east from 

Colorado, ISC’s van headed west, traversing Utah, Nevada, and 

California, then turned south and returned through Nevada to 

Arizona and through New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, 

and Arkansas before reaching Mississippi.

Throughout the trip, the restraints caused plaintiff physical and 

emotional pain, which became progressively worse, and caused

Stearns to suffer physical injuries. It was impossible for Stearns to 

get comfortable. He could not stretch his legs or arms. He was not 

allowed to lie down. Sitting up, he was only able to sleep for a 

short time.

(ECF No. 1, ¶¶ 19-24.)

The complaint is styled as a class action on behalf of “inmates transported by ISC on or 

after November 7, 2014, who were forced to remain in ISC’s vehicle for more than 48 continuous 

hours.” (Id., ¶ 26.) The class includes subclasses of inmates “who were transported within the 

State of California” by ISC and its agents or employees for certain periods of time. (Id., ¶ 28.) 

Plaintiff asserts claims under federal and California law on behalf of himself and “those similarly 

situated.” (Id., ¶¶ 42-52.) Along with defendant ISC, plaintiff lists 1 to 100 agents or employees 

of ISC as John Doe defendants. (Id., ¶ 6.) 

The federal venue statute provides that a civil action “may be brought in (1) a judicial 

district in which any defendant resides, if all defendants are residents of the State in which the 

district is located, (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) if there is no district in which an action may otherwise be brought as provided in 

this action, any judicial district in which any defendant is subject to the court’s personal 

jurisdiction with respect to such action.” 28 U.S.C. § 1391(b). 

Plaintiff asserts that “a substantial part of the events or omissions giving rise to the claim” 

occurred in the Eastern District of California, despite taking place over a nine-day trip through 

thirteen states. (ECF No. 1, ¶2.) Thus venue is technically appropriate in this district. 

Nevertheless, the court is transferring this action to the Eastern District of Arkansas pursuant to 

28 U.S.C. § 1404(a) in the interests of justice because the sole named defendant is headquartered 

in that district, and because plaintiff does not reside in the Eastern District of California. 

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IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that this action is transferred to the Eastern District of 

Arkansas.

Dated: December 1, 2016

2 / stea2702.21

_____________________________________

CAROLYN K. DELANEY

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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