Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_06-cv-00025/USCOURTS-caed-1_06-cv-00025-2/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Tuneco Smith
Plaintiff
J. Woodford
Defendant

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

TUNECO SMITH, 1:06-CV-00025-OWW-LJO-P

Plaintiff,

vs. FIRST INFORMATIONAL ORDER 

J. WOODFORD, 

Defendants.

 /

Plaintiff TUNECO SMITH (“plaintiff”) is a prisoner proceeding pro se and in forma

pauperis in a civil rights action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. In litigating this action, the parties

must comply with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (Fed. R. Civ. P.) and the Local Rules of

the United States District Court, Eastern District of California (Local Rules). This order

highlights specific rules of which the parties should take particular note. FAILURE TO

COMPLY WITH THE LOCAL RULES, FEDERAL RULES OR A COURT ORDER,

INCLUDING THIS ORDER, WILL BE GROUNDS FOR DISMISSAL OR OTHER

APPROPRIATE SANCTIONS. See Local Rule 11-110; Fed. R. Civ. P. 41(b).

1. Documents intended to be filed with the court must be mailed to the Clerk of the

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 When a document is stricken, it becomes a nullity and is not considered by the court 1

for any purposes.

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Court. See Local Rule 5-134(a). All documents improperly mailed to a judge's chambers will be

stricken from the record. A document requesting a court order must be styled as a motion, not a 1

letter. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 7.

2. Each document submitted for filing must include the original signature of the filing

party or parties. Local Rule 7-131; Fed. R. Civ. P. 11(a). All documents submitted without the

required signature(s) will be stricken. Each separate document must be separately stapled. See

Local Rule 7-130. If a document is stapled behind another document, it will not be filed and will

not enter the court docket.

3. All documents filed with the court must be submitted with an additional legible

conformed copy for the court's use. See Local Rule 5-134(b). A document submitted without an

extra copy for the court's use will be stricken. If the filing party wishes the court to return a filestamped copy, he or she must include an additional copy for that purpose (i.e., submit an original

and two copies, one for the court's use and one to be returned) AND a pre-addressed postage paid

envelope. The court cannot provide copy or mailing service for a party, even for an indigent

plaintiff proceeding in forma pauperis. Copies of documents from the court file may be obtained

at the cost of fifty cents per page.

4. After defendants have appeared in an action by filing a pleading responsive to the

complaint (i.e., an answer or a motion to dismiss), all documents filed with the court must

include a certificate of service stating that a copy of the document was served on the opposing

party. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 5; Local Rule 5-135. A document submitted without the required

proof of service will be stricken. Where a party is represented, service on the party's attorney of

record constitutes effective service. 

5. All filings must bear the file number assigned to the action, followed by the initials of

the District Court Judge and the Magistrate Judge to whom the case is assigned and the letter "P." 

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Where plaintiff simultaneously pursues more than one action, he or she must file separate

original documents and the appropriate number of copies in each action to which the document

pertains. Documents submitted listing more than one case number in the caption will be stricken.

6. The court cannot serve as a repository for the parties' evidence (i.e., prison or medical

records, witness affidavits, etc.). The parties may not file evidence with the court until the course

of litigation brings the evidence into question (for example, on a motion for summary judgment,

at trial, or when requested by the court). Evidence improperly submitted to the court will be

stricken.

7. After an answer is filed, the court will issue an order opening discovery, and setting

the deadlines for discovery, amended pleadings, and pre-trial dispositive motions. No discovery

may be conducted without court permission until an answer is filed and the court issues the

discovery order. Discovery propounded on a party is self-executing, and must be served directly

on the party from whom discovery is sought; parties should not file copies of their discovery with

the court. See Local Rules 33-250, 34-250, 36-250. Discovery documents inappropriately

submitted to the court will be stricken. Where the response to discovery is unsatisfactory, the

party seeking discovery may file a motion to compel discovery, including a copy of the discovery

propounded and the response thereto. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 37. 

8. Because plaintiff is incarcerated and proceeds pro se, all pretrial motions will be

submitted without a hearing. See Local Rule 78-230(m). The parties are referred to Local Rule

78-230(m) for the briefing schedule on motions.

9. All court deadlines will be strictly enforced. Requests for time extensions must state

the reason the extension is needed and must be filed with the court before the deadline in

question. See Local Rule 6-142.

10. A pro se plaintiff has an affirmative duty to keep the court and opposing parties

apprised of his or her address. If a plaintiff moves and fails to file a notice of change of address,

service of court orders at plaintiff's prior address shall constitute effective notice. See Local Rule

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83-182(d). If mail directed to plaintiff is returned by the U.S. Postal Service as undeliverable,

the court will not attempt to re-mail it. If the address is not updated within sixty days of the mail

being returned, the action will be dismissed for failure to prosecute. See Local Rule 83-183(b). 

11. The court is required to screen complaints brought by prisoners seeking relief against

a governmental entity or officer or employee of a governmental entity. 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(a). 

The court must dismiss a complaint or portion thereof if the prisoner has raised claims that are

legally “frivolous or malicious,” that fail to state a claim upon which relief may be granted, or

that seek monetary relief from a defendant who is immune from such relief. 28 U.S.C.

§ 1915A(b)(1),(2). The court will direct the United States Marshal to serve plaintiff’s complaint

only after the court has screened the complaint and determined that it contains cognizable claims

for relief against the named defendants. The court has a large number of prisoner civil rights

cases pending before it and will screen plaintiff’s complaint in due course. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: April 5, 2006 /s/ Lawrence J. O'Neill 

b6edp0 UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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