Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_10-cv-00803/USCOURTS-caed-1_10-cv-00803-8/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Mathew Cate
Defendant
K. Harrington
Defendant
Garrison S. Johnson
Plaintiff

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

GARRISON S. JOHNSON,

Plaintiff,

v.

MATHEW CATE, et al.,

Defendants.

 /

CASE NO. 1:10-cv-00803-AWI-MJS (PC)

ORDER INSTRUCTING PLAINTIFF ON

SERVICE OF PROCESS AND REQUIRING

PLAINTIFF TO SERVE DEFENDANT

WITHIN ONE-HUNDRED TWENTY DAYS

(ECF No. 20)

Plaintiff Garrison S. Johnson is a state prisoner proceeding pro se in this civil rights

action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. On May 25, 2012, the Court screened Plaintiff’s First

Amended Complaint pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915A and found that it stated cognizable

claims against Warden K. Harrington for the violation of Plaintiff’s Eighth Amendment rights

and negligence under state law. Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a); Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 129 S.Ct. 1937,

1949 (2009); Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 555 (2007). The Screening

Order (ECF No. 20) found that Plaintiff stated no other cognizable claims. On August 21,

2012, the Court’s order (ECF No. 20) was adopted. (ECF No. 23.)

Plaintiff paid the filing fee in full for initiating this action. Because Plaintiff is not

proceeding in forma pauperis, it is Plaintiff’s responsibility to effect service of the summons

and First Amended Complaint on Defendant Harrington. The Clerk of the Court will be

directed to issue one summonses to Plaintiff for purposes of service of process. See Fed.

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R. Civ. P. 4.

Plaintiff shall complete service of process in accordance with Federal Rule of Civil

Procedure 4 within one-hundred twenty (120) days from the date of service of this order. 

Plaintiff shall serve a copy of this order on the Defendant together with a summons and a

copy of the First Amended Complaint. The following two sections contain instructions on

how to serve Defendants.

A. Waiver of Service

Pursuant to Rule 4(d)(1), Plaintiff may, but is not required to, notify Defendant

Harrington of the commencement of this action and request that he waive service of the

summons. Fed. R. Civ. P. 4(d)(1). If Plaintiff wishes to do this, he must mail the

Defendant (1) the form entitled “Notice of Lawsuit and Request for Waiver of Service for

Summons,” (2) the form entitled “Waiver of Service of Summons,” and (3) a copy of the

First Amended Complaint. The documents must be addressed directly to the Defendant

(not the Attorney General’s Office) and must be dispatched (mailed) through first-class

mail. The Waiver of Service of Summons form must set forth the date on which the

request is sent and must allow the Defendant at least thirty (30) days in which to return the

waiver to Plaintiff. If Defendant signs and returns the waiver forms to Plaintiff, Plaintiff

must then file the forms with the Court. After filing the forms with the Court, Plaintiff need

not take any further steps to serve Defendant. Fed. R. Civ. P. 4(d)(4).

B. Personal Service

If either (1) Plaintiff does not wish to request Defendant to waive service or (2) the

Defendant fails to return the Waiver of Service of Summons form to Plaintiff, Plaintiff must

have personal service effected on Defendant. The Defendant must be personally served

with a summons and a copy of the First Amended Complaint, along with a copy of this

order. Plaintiff may not effect personal service himself. Fed. R. Civ. P. 4(c). Service may

be effected by any person who is not a party to this action and who is at least eighteen

years old. Id. The Court will provide Plaintiff with a copy of Rule 4 along with this order. 

Plaintiff should review Rule 4(e), which addresses how personal service may be effected.

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C. Conclusion

In accordance with the above, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:

1. The Clerk of the Court is directed to issue and send Plaintiff one (1)

summonses;

2. The Clerk is further directed to send Plaintiff:

a) One (1) copy of the form entitled “Notice of Lawsuit and Request for

Waiver of Service of Summons;” 

b) One (1) copy of the form entitled “Waiver of Service;” 

c) One (1) copy of the form entitled “Consent to Proceed Before United

States Magistrate Judge” with instructions; and 

d) One (1) copy of Rule 4 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure;

3. Plaintiff shall serve a copy of this order and a copy of the form “Consent to

Proceed Before United States Magistrate Judge” on Defendant at the time

of service of the summons and First Amended Complaint;

4. Plaintiff shall complete service of process on Defendant Harrington within

one-hundred twenty (120) days from the date of service of this order; and

5. Plaintiff’s failure to timely complete service of the First Amended Complaint

on Defendant Harrington may result in dismissal of this action against him. 

Fed. R. Civ. P. 4(m).

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: August 25, 2012 /s/Michael J. Seng 

ci4d6 UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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