Burroughs v. Petrone

138 F. Supp. 3d 182, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 142732, 2015 WL 6066319
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. New York
DecidedOctober 15, 2015
DocketNo. 9:15-CV-0818 DNH/ATB
StatusPublished
Cited by25 cases

This text of 138 F. Supp. 3d 182 (Burroughs v. Petrone) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Burroughs v. Petrone, 138 F. Supp. 3d 182, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 142732, 2015 WL 6066319 (N.D.N.Y. 2015).

Opinion

DECISION and ORDER

DAVID N. HURD, District Judge.

I. INTRODUCTION

The Clerk has sent for review a pro se civil rights complaint filed by plaintiff Lor-cen Burroughs (“Burroughs” or “plaintiff’) pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 (“Section 1983”). Dkt. No. 1 (“Compl.”). Plaintiff, who has not paid the statutory filing fee, seeks leave to proceed in forma pauperis.1 Dkt. No. 7 (“IFP Application”).

On August 5, 2015, Burroughs filed a motion seeking to replace his original complaint with a new complaint. See Dkt. No. 8. Plaintiffs motion is granted. Accordingly, the complaint filed on August 5, 2015 shall be deemed the operative pleading.2

II. IFP APPLICATION

Upon review of Burroughs’s IFP Application, plaintiff has demonstrated sufficient economic need and filed the inmate authorization form required in the Northern District of New York. Accordingly, plaintiffs IFP application (Dkt. No. 7) is granted.

III.INITIAL SCREENING

Having found that Burroughs meets the financial criteria for commencing this action in forma pauperis, and because he seeks relief from an officer or employee of a governmental entity, the sufficiency of the allegations set forth in his complaint must be considered in light of 28 U.S.C. §§ 1915(e) and 1915A.

Section 1915(e) of Title 28 of the United States Code directs that, when a plaintiff seeks to proceed in forma pauper-is, “the court shall dismiss the case at any time if the court determines that—... (B) the action ... (i) is frivolous or malicious; (ii) fails to state a claim on which relief may be granted; or (iii) seeks monetary relief against a defendant who is immune from such relief.” 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B).3

Similarly, under 28 U.S.C. § 1915A, a court must review any “complaint in a civil action in which a prisoner seeks redress from a governmental entity or officer or [197]*197employee of a governmental entity” and must “identify cognizable claims or dismiss the complaint, or any portion of the complaint, if the complaint ... is frivolous, malicious, or fails to state a claim upon which relief may be granted; or ... seeks monetary relief from a defendant who is immune from such relief.” 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(b); see also Carr v. Dvorin, 171 F.3d 115, 116 (2d Cir.1999) (per curiam) (noting that § 1915A applies to all actions brought by prisoners against government officials even when plaintiff paid the filing fee).

Additionally, when reviewing a complaint, a court may also look to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Rule 8 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure provides that a pleading which sets forth a claim for relief shall contain, inter alia, “a short and plain statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief.” See Fed. R.Civ.P. 8(a)(2).

The purpose of Rule 8 “is to give fair notice of the claim being asserted so as to permit the adverse party the opportunity to file a responsive answer, prepare an adequate defense and determine whether the doctrine of res judicata is applicable.” Hudson v. Artuz, No. 95 CIV. 4768, 1998 WL 832708, at *1 (S.D.N.Y. Nov. 30, 1998) (quoting Powell v. Marine Midland Bank, 162 F.R.D. 15, 16 (N.D.N.Y.1995). (other citations omitted)).

A court should not dismiss a complaint if the plaintiff has ’ stated “enough facts to state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face.” Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 570, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007). “A claim has facial plausibility when the plaintiff pleads factual content that allows the court to draw the reasonable inference that the defendant is hable for the misconduct alleged.” Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678, 129 S.Ct. 1937, 173 L.Ed.2d 868 (2009). While a court should construe the factual allegations in the light most favorable to the plaintiff, “the tenet that a court must accept as true all of the allegations contained in a complaint is inapplicable to legal conclusions.” Id. “Threadbare recitals of the elements of a cause of action, supported by mere conclusory statements, do not suffice.” Id. (citing Twombly, 550 U.S. at 555, 127 S.Ct. 1955).

In other words, Rule 8 “demands moré than an unadorned, the-defendant-unlawfully-harmed-me accusation.” Ashcroft, 556' U.S. at 678, 129 S.Ct. 1937. Thus, a pleading that contains only allegations which “aré so vague as to fail to give the defendants ádequate notice of the claims against them” is subject to dismissal. Sheehy v. Brown, 335 Fed.Appx. 102, 104 (2d Cir.2009).

IV. SUMMARY OF THE COMPLAINT

Burroughs brings this action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983, which establishes a cause of action for “ ‘the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured by the Constitution and laws’ of the United States.” German v. Fed. Home Loan Mortgage Corp., 885 F.Supp. 537, 573 (S.D.N.Y.1995) (citing Wilder v. Virginia Hasp. Ass’n, 496 U.S, 498, 508, 110 S.Ct. 2510, 110 L.Ed.2d 455 (1990) (quoting 42 U.S.C. § 1983)) (footnote omitted); see also Myers v. Wollowitz, No. 6:95-CV-0272 (TJM/RWS), 1995 WL 236245, at *2 (N.D.N.Y. Apr. 10, 1995) (stating that § 1983 “is the vehicle by which individuals may seek redress for alleged violations of their constitutional rights.” (citation omitted)). “Section 1983 itself creates no substantive rights, [but] ... only a procedure for redress for the deprivation of rights established. elsewhere.” Sykes v. James, 13 F.3d 515, 519 (2d Cir.1993) (citation omitted).

[198]*198In light of Burroughs’s pro se status, the allegations in his complaint will be construed with the utmost leniency. See, e.g., Haines v. Kerner, 404 U.S. 519, 521, 92 S.Ct. 594, 30. L.Ed.2d 652 (1972) (holding that a. pro se litigant’s complaint is to be held “to less stringent standards than formal pleadings, drafted by lawyers.”).

Burroughs sets forth claims against seventy defendants arising out of his confinement in the custody of the New York State Department, of Corrections and Community Supervision (“DOCCS”).4

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
138 F. Supp. 3d 182, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 142732, 2015 WL 6066319, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/burroughs-v-petrone-nynd-2015.