Case Name: Robert RASBERRY, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. David SPRADLING, etc., et al., Defendants-Appellees
Court: United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
Jurisdiction: United States
Decision Date: 1977-08-26
Citations: 558 F.2d 257
Docket Number: No. 77-1969
Parties: Robert RASBERRY, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. David SPRADLING, etc., et al., Defendants-Appellees.
Judges: 
Reporter: Federal Reporter 2d Series
Volume: 558
Pages: 257–257

Head Matter:
Robert RASBERRY, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. David SPRADLING, etc., et al., Defendants-Appellees.
No. 77-1969
Summary Calendar.
United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit.
Aug. 26, 1977.
Sam F. Baxter, Dist. Atty., Harrison County, Marshall, Tex., for defendants-ap-pellees.
Before COLEMAN, GODBOLD and TJOFLAT, Circuit Judges.
Rule 18, 5 Cir.; see Isbell Enterprises, Inc. v. Citizens Casualty Co. of New York et al., 5 Cir., 1970, 431 F.2d 409, Part I.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM:
This is a § 1983 prisoner civil rights case. Rather than ruling on the sufficiency of the complaint under standards of Haines v. Kerner, 404 U.S. 519, 92 S.Ct. 594, 30 L.Ed.2d 652 (1972), the court referred the matter to a Magistrate who made an independent, ex parte factual investigation, including interviews of one or more witnesses.
The Magistrate concluded that plaintiff could not prove any set of facts that would entitle him to recover, and recommended that the case be dismissed as frivolous. The district court accepted the recommendation and dismissed the suit as frivolous. This does not comport with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure or the governing case law.
VACATED and REMANDED for reconsideration under correct legal standards.