Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_16-cv-00151/USCOURTS-caed-1_16-cv-00151-1/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Charles Lewis Bobo
Plaintiff
Countrywide Home Loans
Defendant

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

CHARLES LEWIS BOBO,

Plaintiff,

v.

COUNTRYWIDE HOME LOANS, 

Defendant.

_____________________________________/

Case No. 1:16-cv-00151-DAD-SKO

ORDER DISMISSING PLAINTIFF'S 

FIRST AMENDED COMPLAINT 

WITHOUT PREJUDICE

(Doc. 4)

I. INTRODUCTION

On February 2, 2016, Plaintiff, proceeding pro se and in forma pauperis, filed a complaint

against Countrywide Home Loans. ("Defendant"). (Doc. 1). Plaintiff's complaint was dismissed 

without prejudice, and on March 18, 2016, Plaintiff filed a First Amended Complaint ("FAC"). 

For the reasons set forth below, Plaintiff’s FAC is dismissed without prejudice with 30 days leave 

to amend. 

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II. FACTUAL BACKGROUND

Plaintiff's complaint is entirely devoid of any factual allegations. In the caption of the 

complaint, it appears Plaintiff has named Countrywide Home Loans, CTC Real Estate Services, 

and Phil Franey, the Kern County Treasurer and Tax Collector as defendants (collectively, 

"Defendants"). (Doc. 4.) Other than identifying these entities and Mr. Franey, Plaintiff attached 

copies of what appears to be a property tax invoice, an adjustable rate note, and the first page of a

deed of trust. Plaintiff does not describe the documents’ relevance, nor does he state any factual 

allegations identifying his claim or in what unlawful conduct Defendants have engaged. 

III. DISCUSSION

A. Screening Standard

In cases where the plaintiff is proceeding in forma pauperis, the Court is required to screen 

each case, and shall dismiss the case at any time if the Court determines that the allegation of 

poverty is untrue, or the action or appeal is frivolous or malicious, fails to state a claim upon 

which relief may be granted, or seeks monetary relief against a defendant who is immune from 

such relief. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2). If the Court determines that the complaint fails to state a 

claim, leave to amend may be granted to the extent that the deficiencies of the complaint can be 

cured by amendment. Lopez v. Smith, 203 F.3d 1122, 1130 (9th Cir. 2000) (en banc).

In determining whether a complaint fails to state a claim, the Court uses the same pleading 

standard used under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 8(a). Under Rule 8(a), a complaint must 

contain a “short and plain statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief.” 

Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a)(2). “[T]he pleading standard Rule 8 announces does not require ‘detailed 

factual allegations,’ but it demands more than an unadorned, the-defendant-unlawfully-harmed-me 

accusation.” Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678 (2009) (quoting Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 

550 U.S. 544, 555 (2007)). “[A] complaint must contain sufficient factual matter, accepted as 

true, to ‘state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face.’” Id. (quoting Twombly, 550 U.S. at 

557). “[A] complaint [that] pleads facts that is ‘merely consistent with’ a defendant’s liability . . . 

‘stops short of the line between possibility and plausibility of entitlement to relief.’” Id. (quoting 

Twombly, 550 U.S. at 557). Although a court must accept as true all factual allegations contained 

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in a complaint, a court need not accept a plaintiff’s legal conclusions as true. Id. "Threadbare 

recitals of the elements of a cause of action, supported by mere conclusory statements, do not 

suffice." Id. (quoting Twombly, 550 U.S. at 555). Allegations of a pro se complainant are held to 

less stringent standards than formal pleadings drafted by lawyers. Haines v. Kerner, 404 U.S. 519, 

520 (1972).

B. Plaintiff's Complaint is Dismissed with Leave to Amend

Plaintiff's complaint fails to state a cognizable claim against Defendants. It is not clear 

what harm Defendants have caused Plaintiff or how Plaintiff is entitled to redress under the law. 

Absent factual allegations setting forth conduct that is contrary to law on the part of Defendants

which entitles Plaintiff to relief, the complaint must be dismissed for failure to state a claim. 

Plaintiff will be given one final opportunity to set forth facts that explains the nature of his suit 

against Defendants and states a cognizable claim for which relief can be granted.

Plaintiff is advised that an amended complaint supersedes the original complaint. See 

Lacey v. Maricopa County, 693 F.3d 896, 907 n.1 (9th Cir. 2012) (en banc). The amended 

complaint must be "complete in itself without reference to the prior or superseded pleading." Rule 

220 of the Local Rules of the United States District Court, Eastern District of California. Once 

Plaintiff files an amended complaint, the original pleading no longer serves any function in the 

case. Therefore, in an amended complaint, as in an original complaint, each claim and the 

involvement of each defendant must be sufficiently alleged. If Plaintiff fails to file an amended 

complaint or fails to cure the deficiencies identified above, the Court will recommend that the 

complaint be dismissed with prejudice and without leave to amend.

IV. CONCLUSION AND ORDER

For the reasons set forth above, Plaintiff's complaint does not state a claim upon which 

relief can be granted. Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:

1. Plaintiff's complaint is DISMISSED without prejudice; 

2. Plaintiff shall file an amended complaint within 30 days from the date of this order;

and

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3. Failure to file an amended complaint will result in a recommendation that this 

action be dismissed with prejudice.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: April 7, 2016 /s/ Sheila K. Oberto 

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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