Lane v. Gorup

CourtDistrict Court, D. Alaska
DecidedOctober 13, 2022
Docket3:22-cv-00132
StatusUnknown

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

Bluebook
Lane v. Gorup, (D. Alaska 2022).

Opinion

1 IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

2 FOR THE DISTRICT OF ALASKA

4 DOUGLAS N. LANE,

5 Plaintiff,

6 v. Case No. 3:22-cv-00132-SLG-KFR

7 CHELSEA GORUP, et al.,

8 Defendants. 9

10 SCREENING ORDER

11 On May 24, 2022, Douglas N. Lane, a self-represented prisoner (hereinafter

12 “Plaintiff”), filed a Prisoner’s Complaint Under The Civil Rights Act, 42 U.S.C. § 1983,

13 a Prisoner’s Application to Waive Prepayment of the Filing Fee, and a civil cover

14 sheet.1 Subsequently, Plaintiff filed a 1) Letter to the Court, 2) First Amended

15 Complaint (hereinafter “Amended Complaint”), 3) Motion to Appoint Counsel, 4)

16 Motion for Summary Judgment, and 5) Motion for Relaxation of the Rul es.2

17 The Court now screens Plaintiff’s Amended Complaint in accordance with 28

18 U.S.C. §§ 1915(e) and 1915A.3 The Court will not address Plaintiff’s letter as it is not

19 in the form of a motion, nor is that the proper method by which to amend a

20 complaint.4

21 //

23 1 Dockets 1, 2, & 4. 2 Dockets 5–9. 24 3 See Fed. R. Civ. P. 15(a); Local Civil Rule 15.1; Ramirez v. Cnty. of San Bernardino, 806 F.3d 1002, 1008 (9th Cir. 2015) (citing Forsyth v. Humana, Inc., 114 F.3d 1467, 1474 (9th 25 Cir. 1997), overruled on other grounds by Lacey v. Maricopa Cnty., 693 F.3d 896 (9th Cir. 26 2012)) (stating “an amended complaint supersedes the original, the latter being treated thereafter as non-existent.”). 27 4 See Fed. R. Civ. P. 7(b) (A request to a federal district court must be made by a motion, which must 1) be in writing, 2) state with particularity the grounds or reasons, and 3) 28 state the requested relief.); supra note 3. 1 I. Screening Standard

2 Federal law requires a court to conduct an initial screening of a civil complaint

3 filed by a self-represented prisoner seeking a waiver of the prepayment of the filing

4 fee. In this screening, a court shall dismiss the case at any time if the court

5 determines that the action: 6 (i) is frivolous or malicious; 7 (ii) fails to state a claim on which relief may be granted; or 8 (iii) seeks monetary relief against a defendant who is immune from such relief.5 9 To determine whether a complaint states a valid claim for relief, courts 10 consider whether the complaint contains sufficient factual matter that, if accepted 11 as true, “state[s] a claim to relief that is plausible on its face.”6 In conducting its 12 review, a court must liberally construe a self-represented plaintiff’s pleading and 13 give the plaintiff the benefit of the doubt.7 Before a court may dismiss any portion 14 of a complaint for failure to state a claim upon which relief may be granted, the court 15 must provide the plaintiff with a statement of the deficiencies in the complaint and 16 an opportunity to amend or otherwise address the problems, unless to do so would 17 be futile.8 Futility exists when “the allegation of other facts consistent with the 18 challenged pleading could not possibly cure the deficiency[.]” 9 19 II. Discussion 20 Plaintiff alleges due process violations pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against 21 three child support specialists with the State of Alaska’s Child Support Services 22 5 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B); see also 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(a), (b). 23 6 Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678 (2009) (citing Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 570 (2007)). In making this determination, a court may consider “materials that 24 are submitted with and attached to the Complaint.” United States v. Corinthian Colleges, 655 F.3d 984, 999 (9th Cir. 2011) (citing Lee v. L.A., 250 F.3d 668, 688 (9th Cir. 2001)). 25 7 See Hebbe v. Pliler, 627 F.3d 338, 342 (9th Cir. 2010) (citing Bretz v. Kelman, 773 F.2d 26 1026, 1027 n.1 (9th Cir. 1985) (en banc)). 8 See Gordon v. City of Oakland, 627 F.3d 1092, 1094 (9th Cir. 2010) (citing Albrecht v. 27 Lund, 845 F.2d 193, 195 (9th Cir. 1988)). 9 See Schreiber Distributing Co. v. Serv-Well Furniture Co., 806 F.2d 1393, 1401 (9th Cir. 28 1986). 1 Division. Plaintiff’s Amended Complaint does not fully satisfy Rule 8 of Federal Civil

2 Procedure pleading requirements as it relates to his demand for relief, nor does it

3 fully meet the elemental pleading requirements of a civil rights action under § 1983,

4 specifically as it relates to the capacity in which Defendants are sued and the relief

5 Plaintiff seeks. Accordingly, the Court dis misses the Amended Complaint, but grants 6 leave to amend in accordance with the guidance provided in this order. 7 A. Amended Complaint 8 Plaintiff brings suit against Child Support Specialists Chelsea Gorup, Viola 9 Hartley, and Paula Baker.10 Plaintiff sues Defendants in their individual and official 10 capacities.11 Broadly, Plaintiff alleges that the implementation of his child support 11 obligations violates his Fourteenth Amendment due process rights.12 12 In Claim One, Plaintiff alleges that from July 21, 2011, to July 1, 2022, 13 Defendant Gorup, “along with an unknown justice,” violated his right to due 14 process.13 Plaintiff alleges that “an invalid court order stemming from a secret 15 hearing without any notice” imposed child support obligations on him pursuant to 16 Alaska Statute 11.51.120(d).14 Broadly, Plaintiff alleges that these child support 17 obligations have been implemented “at random and not even used to the care of the 18 children alleged”; “left my wife and I destitute and homeless”; imposed claims or 19 liens on property; and “taken emergency relief money.”15 20 In Claim Two, Plaintiff alleges that from May 23, 2006, to July 1, 2022, 21 Defendant Hartley, “along with an unknown justice,” violated his right to due 22 process.16 Plaintiff alleges that “[o]ver $40,000.00 [in child support has been] 23 collected and $0 has been paid to my son and his mother causing [irreparable] injury 24 10 Docket 5 at 2. 25 11 Id. 26 12 Id. at 3–5. 13 Id. at 3. 27 14 Id. 15 Id. 28 16 Id. at 4. 1 to a father son dynamic.”17 Plaintiff further alleges that the “agency” has placed

2 liens on taxes, accounts, and his inherited lands, and that “[Defendant Hartley] has

3 even allowed the collection of money not even owed . . . [and] has been collecting in

4 part of California, Texas and Nevada based on the same ex parte proceeding

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Lane v. Gorup, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lane-v-gorup-akd-2022.