Brown v. Rumsfeld

211 F.R.D. 601, 2002 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 22585, 2002 WL 31656209
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. California
DecidedNovember 21, 2002
DocketNo. C01-1397-MEJ
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 211 F.R.D. 601 (Brown v. Rumsfeld) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. California primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Brown v. Rumsfeld, 211 F.R.D. 601, 2002 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 22585, 2002 WL 31656209 (N.D. Cal. 2002).

Opinion

ORDER GRANTING DEFENDANT’S MOTION TO DISMISS FOR FAILURE TO STATE A CLAIM PURSUANT TO FED. R. CIV. P. 12(b)(6), WITH LEAVE TO AMEND.

JAMES, United States Magistrate Judge.

I. INTRODUCTION

Before the Court is Defendant Donald H. Rumsfeld’s Motion to Dismiss pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6) (“Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6)”), filed October 16, 2001. In his motion, Donald H. Rumsfeld (“Defendant”) seeks dismissal of Plaintiffs claim of employment discrimination. After careful consideration of the parties’ papers, oral arguments heard at the November 21, 2002 hearing, relevant statutory and case law authority, and Good Cause appearing, the Court hereby GRANTS Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss. However, Plaintiff shall have 30 days leave to amend the Complaint for the reasons set forth below.

II. BACKGROUND

A. Factual Background

On April 9, 2001, Pearl G. Ruchman, a union representative filed a Complaint on behalf of Plaintiff. Declaration of Marc Days in support of Plaintiffs Opposition to Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss (hereinafter “Day’s Deck”), Exhibit A. The Complaint alleged employment discrimination when Defendant removed Plaintiff from her position as warehouse worker, WG-5. Day’s Deck, Ex. A, 1:18-19. The Complaint further alleged that Defendant fired Plaintiff based on her borderline mental retardation, sex, and race. Day’s Deck, Ex. A, 1:20-22. Plaintiff attached the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (hereinafter “EEOC”) decision to her Complaint.

On April 11, 2001, Plaintiff filed an Amended Complaint. The Amended Complaint did not state any factual allegations. The Amended Complaint simply stated, “Case was originally filed in Oakland on 4/9/01. File is in transit; Plaintiff is submitting right to sue and her original signature.” The EEOC’s decision was not attached to the Amended Complaint.

[603]*603On February 27, 2002, the Court appointed Ms. Ruchman as Plaintiffs guardian ad li-tem. From the beginning of Plaintiffs lawsuit until November 6, 2002, Plaintiff was a pro se litigant. However, Plaintiff is now represented by counsel.

B. Procedural Background

On April 9, 2001, Plaintiff filed a Complaint, attaching the EEOC’s decision.

On April 9, 2001, the Court Ordered the parties to set initial case management conference.

On Api-il 11, 2001, Plaintiff filed an Amended Complaint.

On August 7, 2001, Plaintiff filed a request to continue the case management conference.

On August 9, 2001, the Court: 1) vacated the ease management conference date; 2) set an Order to Show Cause hearing for September 13, 2001; and 3) ordered Plaintiff to show cause in writing by September 4, 2001.

On August 17, 2001, Defendant consented to magistrate jurisdiction.

On August 28, 2001, Plaintiff requested a thirty day extension to file a letter to show good cause from September 4, 2001 to October 4, 2001.

On August 30, 2001, the Court: 1) granted Plaintiff a thirty day extension; 2) vacated the September 13, 2001 Order to Show Cause hearing; and 3) continued the Order to Show Cause hearing to October 11, 2001.

On September 19, 2001, Plaintiff requested that the Court appoint an attorney to represent her.

On September 28, 2001, Plaintiff requested a sixty day extension to secure an attorney.

On October 5, 2001, Plaintiff consented to magistrate jurisdiction.

On October 5, 2001, the Court: 1) vacated the October 11, 2001, Order to Show Cause hearing; 2) denied Plaintiffs request for a sixty day extension; and 3) ordered Plaintiff to file a declaration and supporting documents regarding claims of borderline retardation and emotional disorder by October 31, 2001.

On October 16, 2001, Defendant filed his Motion to Dismiss.

On November 6, 2001, Plaintiff requested a stay on Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss.

On November 19, 2001, the Court granted Plaintiffs request for a stay on Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss until further order of the Court.

On February 27, 2002, the Court appointed Pearl G. Ruchman as Plaintiffs guardian ad litem.

On October 8, 2002, the Court: 1) denied Plaintiffs application for appointment of counsel and 2) placed Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss back on Court calendar.

On November 1, 2002, Plaintiff filed a Substitution of Counsel.

On November 1, 2002, Plaintiff filed his Opposition to Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss.

On November 6, 2002, the Court granted Plaintiffs Substitution of Counsel.

On November 8, 2002, Defendant filed his Reply Brief in Support of Motion to Dismiss.

III. DISCUSSION

A. Parties Positions

1. Defendant’s Position

Defendant argues in his Motion to Dismiss that Plaintiff has not exhausted her administrative remedies. Defendant further asserts that Plaintiff has not alleged any basis of discrimination, nor included any factual allegations in support of her discrimination claim.

In Defendant’s Reply Brief in Support of Motion to Dismiss, he asserts that the Amended Complaint supersedes the original complaint. The Amended Complaint did not allege any facts. Instead, 'the Amended Complaint simply stated, “Case was originally filed in Oakland on 4/9/01. File is in transit; Plaintiff is submitting Right to Sue and her original signature.” Therefore, the Amended Complaint did not incorporate allegations included in the pervious complaint.

[604]*604 2. Plaintiffs Position

Plaintiff argues that since the Amended Complaint refers to the original complaint, the original complaint is incorporated into the Amended Complaint. However, Plaintiff requests leave to amend under Fed.R.Civ.P. 15(a) if the Court finds that all of his arguments are invalid.

B. Legal Standard

1. Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6)

Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b) provides, in pertinent part:

Every defense, in law or fact, to a claim for relief in any pleading, whether a claim, counterclaim, cross-claim, or third-party claim, shall be asserted in the responsive pleading thereto if one is required, except that the following defense may at the option of the pleader be made by motion... (6) failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted.

Courts appraise the sufficiency of the complaint in a 12(b)(6) motion. See Conley v. Gibson, 355 U.S. 41, 45, 78 S.Ct. 99, 2 L.Ed.2d 80 (1957). “A

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Bluebook (online)
211 F.R.D. 601, 2002 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 22585, 2002 WL 31656209, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/brown-v-rumsfeld-cand-2002.