Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-4_09-cv-05644/USCOURTS-cand-4_09-cv-05644-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
City of Newark, California
Defendant
Cornelius Lopes
Plaintiff

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

OAKLAND DIVISION 

CORNELIS LOPES AND THE CITIZENS OF 

NEWARK, 

 Plaintiffs, 

 vs. 

 CITY OF NEWARK, 

 Defendant. 

Case No: C 09-5644 SBA 

ORDER DISMISSING ACTION 

 On December 1, 2009, Plaintiff Cornelius Lopes filed a pro se complaint against the 

City of Newark, along with an application to proceed in forma pauperis. He alleges that 

“Measure L” is discriminatory and violates his right to equal protection under the United State 

Constitution. Though not entirely clear from the Complaint, it appears that Measure L 

establishes a 3.9% utility tax payable by residents of the City of Newark. 

 On March 11, 2010, the Court issued an Order dismissing the action on two 

independent grounds under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e). First, the Court found that the information 

proffered by Plaintiff in his affidavit was insufficient to convince the Court that he lacked the 

financial means to pay the $350 filing fee. Second, the Court concluded that Plaintiff failed to 

allege “enough facts to state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face.” Bell Atl. Corp. v. 

Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 570 (2007). 

The Court specified that by no later than March 19, 2010, Plaintiff was to either pay the 

$350 filing fee or submit an amended Application to Proceed In Forma Pauperis providing 

specific details regarding Plaintiff’s sources of income and proof of his inability to afford the 

civil filing fee. The Court also directed Plaintiff to file an amended complaint “that identifies 

the provisions of Measure L at issue and the reasons why it discriminates against persons on 

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account of their race.” Order at 1-2 (Docket 9). The Court warned Plaintiff that the failure to 

comply with these requirements would result in the dismissal of this action. However, Plaintiff 

has neither filed an amended in forma pauperis affidavit nor has he paid the filing fee. Plaintiff 

also has failed to file an amended complaint to correct the deficiencies of the original 

complaint. Accordingly, 

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT the instant action is DISMISSED. Said dismissal is 

without prejudice to Plaintiff’s ability to present his claims in a paid complaint. The Clerk 

shall close the file and terminate any pending matters. 

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

Dated: March 24, 2010 ___________________________________ 

SAUNDRA BROWN ARMSTRONG 

United States District Judge 

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

FOR THE 

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

LOPES et al, 

 Plaintiff, 

 v. 

CITY OF NEWARK, CALIFORNIA et al, 

 Defendant. 

 / 

Case Number: CV09-05644 SBA 

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE 

I, the undersigned, hereby certify that I am an employee in the Office of the Clerk, U.S. District 

Court, Northern District of California. 

That on March 25, 2010, I SERVED a true and correct copy(ies) of the attached, by placing said 

copy(ies) in a postage paid envelope addressed to the person(s) hereinafter listed, by depositing 

said envelope in the U.S. Mail, or by placing said copy(ies) into an inter-office delivery receptacle 

located in the Clerk's office. 

Cornelius Lopes 

6251 Quartz Place 

Newark, CA 94560 

Dated: March 25, 2010 

 Richard W. Wieking, Clerk 

 

 By: LISA R CLARK, Deputy Clerk

Case 4:09-cv-05644-SBA Document 10 Filed 03/25/10 Page 3 of 3