Green v. Harris

309 F. Supp. 3d 21
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. New York
DecidedMarch 15, 2018
Docket6:15–CV–06554 EAW
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 309 F. Supp. 3d 21 (Green v. Harris) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Green v. Harris, 309 F. Supp. 3d 21 (W.D.N.Y. 2018).

Opinion

ELIZABETH A. WOLFORD, United States District Judge

INTRODUCTION

Plaintiff Antwan M. Green ("Plaintiff"), a prisoner previously confined at the Erie *22County Holding Center ("ECHC"), filed a pro se complaint asserting claims under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. (Dkt. 1). The operative complaint in this action is Plaintiff's third amended complaint, filed on October 3, 2016. (Dkt. 29). Presently before the Court is a motion to dismiss pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6) by Defendant Sergeant Carney ("Defendant"). (Dkt. 37). For the reasons that follow, the motion is granted and Defendant is dismissed from this action with prejudice.

BACKGROUND

Defendant filed the instant motion to dismiss on July 24, 2017 (id. ), along with a memorandum in support of the motion (Dkt. 39). Plaintiff was pro se at the time the motion was filed. The Court issued a motion scheduling order on July 24, 2017, which set a deadline of August 21, 2017, for Plaintiff to respond in opposition to the motion and informed Plaintiff that the "claims Plaintiff asserts in his complaint may be dismissed as against Defendant without a trial if he does not respond to this motion." (Dkt. 40). Plaintiff did not file papers opposing the motion to dismiss. On October 24, 2017, Attorney Matthew A. Albert entered a notice of appearance on behalf of Plaintiff. (Dkt. 61).

DISCUSSION

I. Standard of Review

In considering a Rule 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss, a court generally may only consider "facts stated in the complaint or documents attached to the complaint as exhibits or incorporated by reference." Nechis v. Oxford Health Plans, Inc. , 421 F.3d 96, 100 (2d Cir. 2005). A court should consider the motion "accepting all factual allegations in the complaint and drawing all reasonable inferences in the plaintiff's favor." Ruotolo v. City of New York , 514 F.3d 184, 188 (2d Cir. 2008) (citation omitted). To withstand dismissal, a plaintiff must set forth "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 liable for the misconduct alleged." Ashcroft v. Iqbal , 556 U.S. 662, 678, 129 S.Ct. 1937, 173 L.Ed.2d 868 (2009) ; see also Nielsen v. Rabin , 746 F.3d 58, 62 (2d Cir. 2014) ("The plausibility standard is not akin to a probability requirement.... A well-pleaded complaint may proceed even if it strikes a savvy judge that actual proof of the facts alleged is improbable, and that a recovery is very remote and unlikely." (internal quotation marks and citations omitted) ).

"While a complaint attacked by a Rule 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss does not need detailed factual allegations, a plaintiff's obligation to provide the 'grounds' of his 'entitlement to relief' requires more than labels and conclusions, and a formulaic recitation of the elements of a cause of action will not do." Twombly , 550 U.S. at 555, 127 S.Ct. 1955 (alteration and citations omitted). Thus, "at a bare minimum, the operative standard requires the plaintiff to provide the grounds upon which his claim rests through factual allegations sufficient to raise a right to relief above the speculative level." Goldstein v. Pataki , 516 F.3d 50, 56 (2d Cir. 2008) (internal quotation marks and alteration omitted).

In addition, "[i]t is well settled that pro se litigants generally are entitled to a liberal construction of their pleadings, which should be read to raise the strongest arguments that they suggest." Green v. United States , 260 F.3d 78, 83 (2d Cir. 2001) (internal quotation marks omitted); see also *23McEachin v. McGuinnis , 357 F.3d 197, 200 (2d Cir. 2004) ("[W]hen [a] plaintiff proceeds pro se ... a court is obliged to construe his pleadings liberally, particularly when they allege civil rights violations."). Moreover, "a pro se litigant should be afforded every reasonable opportunity to demonstrate that he has a valid claim." Satchell v. Dilworth , 745 F.2d 781, 785 (2d Cir. 1984). "Even in a pro se case, however, 'although a court must accept as true all of the allegations contained in a complaint, that tenet is inapplicable to legal conclusions, and threadbare recitals of the elements of a cause of action, supported by mere conclusory statements, do not suffice.' " Chavis v. Chappius

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309 F. Supp. 3d 21, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/green-v-harris-nywd-2018.