Bergen v. State of Wisconsin

CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Wisconsin
DecidedJanuary 13, 2022
Docket2:20-cv-00813
StatusUnknown

This text of Bergen v. State of Wisconsin (Bergen v. State of Wisconsin) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Wisconsin primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Bergen v. State of Wisconsin, (E.D. Wis. 2022).

Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT EASTERN DISTRICT OF WISCONSIN

MICHAEL ERWIN JAMES BERGEN,

Plaintiff, v. Case No. 20-CV-813-JPS

STATE OF WISCONSIN, WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF ORDER CORRECTIONS, DIVISION OF ADULT INSTITUTIONS, CORRECTIONAL OFFICER POLLEI, CORRECTIONAL OFFICER BUCKNER, CORRECTIONAL OFFICER BURMEISTER, CORRECTIONAL OFFICER SGT HILL, CORRECTIONAL OFFICER SGT HEFT, CAPTAIN WESNER, UNIT SUPERVISOR JAEGER, UNIT SUPERVISOR SCHROEDER, N BEIER, Inmate Complaint Examiner, BRAD HOMPE, Corrections Complaint Examiner, SECRETARY C O'DONNELL, and WARDEN MICHAEL MEISNER

Defendants.

Plaintiff Michael Erwin James Bergen (“Plaintiff”), an inmate confined at the Redgranite Correctional Institution (“RCI”), filed a pro se complaint under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 alleging that Defendants violated his constitutional rights and his rights under federal and state law. (Docket #1). This Order resolves Plaintiff’s motion for leave to proceed without prepaying the filing fee and screens his complaint. 1. MOTION FOR LEAVE TO PROCEED WITHOUT PREPAYING THE FILING FEE The Prison Litigation Reform Act (“PLRA”) applies to this case because Plaintiff was a prisoner when he filed his complaint. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(h). The PLRA allows the Court to give a prisoner plaintiff the ability to proceed with his case without prepaying the civil case filing fee. Id. § 1915(a)(2). When funds exist, the prisoner must pay an initial partial filing fee. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1). He must then pay the balance of the $350 filing fee over time, through deductions from his prisoner account. Id. On July 7, 2020, the Court ordered Plaintiff to pay an initial partial filing fee of $18.45. (Docket #9). Plaintiff paid that fee on July 27, 2020. The Court will grant Plaintiff’s motion for leave to proceed without prepaying the filing fee. (Docket #2).1 2. SCREENING THE COMPLAINT 2.1 Federal Screening Standard Under the PLRA, the Court must screen complaints brought by prisoners seeking relief from a governmental entity or an officer or employee of a governmental entity. 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(a). The Court must dismiss a complaint if the prisoner raises 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). In determining whether the complaint states a claim, the Court applies the same standard that applies to dismissals under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6). See Cesal v. Moats, 851 F.3d 714, 720 (7th Cir. 2017)

1It appears that Plaintiff paid his full filing fee on February 2, 2021. (Docket #11). (citing Booker-El v. Superintendent, Ind. State Prison, 668 F.3d 896, 899 (7th Cir. 2012)). A complaint must include “a short and plain statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a)(2). The complaint must contain enough facts, accepted as true, to “state a claim for relief that is plausible on its face.” Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678 (2009) (quoting Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 570 (2007)). “A claim has facial plausibility when the plaintiff pleads factual content that allows a court to draw the reasonable inference that the defendant is liable for the misconduct alleged.” Id. (citing Twombly, 550 U.S. at 556). To state a claim for relief under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, a plaintiff must allege that someone acting under color of state law deprived him of a right secured by the Constitution or the laws of the United States. D.S. v. E. Porter Cnty. Sch. Corp., 799 F.3d 793, 798 (7th Cir. 2015) (citing Buchanan–Moore v. County of Milwaukee, 570 F.3d 824, 827 (7th Cir. 2009)). The Court construes pro se complaints liberally and holds them to a less stringent standard than pleadings drafted by lawyers. Cesal, 851 F.3d at 720 (citing Perez v. Fenoglio, 792 F.3d 768, 776 (7th Cir. 2015)). 2.2 Plaintiff’s Allegations When he filed his complaint, Plaintiff was a state prisoner being housed at RCI. (Docket #1 at 1). On July 7, 2019, Plaintiff and his cellmate were assigned to the Restricted Housing Unit (the “RHU”) for violations of Wisconsin Department of Corrections (“DOC”) administrative codes, namely disfigurement and possession of contraband. (Id. at 2). When Plaintiff was moved to the RHU, Defendants Buckner (“CO Buckner”) and Burmeister (“CO Burmeister”) were required to pack and inventory Plaintiff’s personal belonging on a “236 Form.” (Id.) The officers pack up his belongings, but they did not complete the 236 Form. (Id.) While Plaintiff was in the RHU, he sent request slips to the property sergeant, Heft (“Sgt. Heft”), to obtain his prescription glasses while in the RHU. (Id.) On August 6, 2019, Sgt. Heft replied to Plaintiff, stating, “I do not have them.” (Id. at 3). On August 8, 2019, Plaintiff was released from the RHU, and his property was returned to him. (Id.) While going through his property, Plaintiff discovered that both pairs of his prescription glasses were missing. (Id.) He also discovered broken pieces of his wedding ring at the bottom of the storage box. (Id.) Plaintiff immediately informed the designated unit sergeant, Hill (“Sgt. Hill”), about his missing and broken property. (Id.) Sgt. Hill instructed Plaintiff to file an inmate complaint. (Id.) Plaintiff did so that day. (Id.) On August 13, 2019, using an inmate request slip, Plaintiff also informed Security Director Tarr (“SD Tarr”) that the prison was denying him a copy of any 236 Form that COs Buckner and Burmeister should have created. (Id.) Plaintiff also informed Unit Supervisors Schroeder and Jaeger about his missing property; they similarly ignored Plaintiff’s inquiries. (Id.) On August 9, 2019, inmate complaint examiner Beier (“ICE Beier”) denied Plaintiff’s inmate complaint. (Id.) As reasoning, ICE Beier stated that “there is no documentation that the inmate was in possession of glasses or a wedding ring at the time of his placement.” (Id.) ICE Beier further stated that “[h]ad the items been present at the time of placement, they would have been logged on D.O.C. 236.” (Id.) ICE Beier wrote that “[h]ad staff caused the damage, staff would have documented such in order for reimbursement to take place.” (Id.) ICE Beier recommended against reimbursement and for dismissal of the complaint. (Id.) On October 27, 2019, Plaintiff paid $0.30 to get a copy of his 236 Forms. (Id.) The last 236 Form on record was dated April 24, 2019—well before Plaintiff was moved to the RHU. (Id.) While the April 24, 2019 form showed that Plaintiff had two pairs of glasses, there was no 236 Form for when Plaintiff was moved to the RHU.

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Bluebook (online)
Bergen v. State of Wisconsin, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bergen-v-state-of-wisconsin-wied-2022.