Marsh v. Bank of Sierra, Inc.

District Court, E.D. California·Decided July 28, 2022·No. 1:22-cv-00508·Unknown

Opinion

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 10 11 TERRANCE MARSH, Case No. 1:22-cv-00508-JLT-BAK (SKO) 12 Plaintiff, SECOND SCREENING ORDER 13 v. ORDER FINDING PLAINTIFF’S FIRST AMENDED COMPLAINT FAILS TO STATE 14 BANK OF SIERRA, INC., et al., A COGNIZABLE FEDERAL CLAIM AND GRANTING LEAVE TO AMEND ADA 15 Defendants. CLAIM 16 (Doc. 9) 18 ORDER DENYING MOTION FOR RECONSIDERATION OF REQUEST TO 20 (Doc. 10) 21 22 23 Plaintiff Terrance Marsh is proceeding pro se and in forma pauperis in this action. Plaintiff 24 filed his complaint on April 29, 2022. (Doc. 1). On May 13, 2022, the undersigned screened the 25 complaint and found that it stated one cognizable claim. (See Doc. 8.) Plaintiff was granted thirty 26 days leave to to file an amended complaint curing the pleading deficiencies identified in the order. 27 (See id.) On May 31, 2022, Plaintiff filed an amended complaint, along with a motion for 28 reconsideration of his previously denied request to file electronically. (Docs. 9 & 10.) 1 After screening Plaintiff’s amended complaint, the Court finds that despite the explicit 2 recitation of the deficiencies of the original complaint, Plaintiff has failed to state a claim under the 3 Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”). In addition, the amended complaint no longer pleads a 4 cognizable claim, and Plaintiff has added an additional claim for violation of Title VII of the Civil 5 Rights Act of 1964, which is not sufficiently pleaded.1 Because he may be able to correct the 6 deficiencies in his pleading for his ADA claim, Plaintiff is granted one final opportunity to amend 7 his allegations as to that claim. Plaintiff is once again provided the pleading requirements and legal 8 standards under which his claim in a second amended complaint will be analyzed. 9 Plaintiff’s motion for reconsideration shall be denied for the reasons set forth below. 11 In cases where the plaintiff is proceeding in forma pauperis, the Court is required to screen 12 each case and shall dismiss the case at any time if the Court determines that the allegation of poverty 13 is untrue, or that the action or appeal is frivolous or malicious, fails to state a claim upon which 14 relief may be granted, or seeks monetary relief against a defendant who is immune from such relief. 15 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2). See also Calhoun v. Stahl, 254 F.3d 845 (9th Cir. 2001) (dismissal required 16 of in forma pauperis proceedings which seek monetary relief from immune defendants); Cato v. 17 United States, 70 F.3d 1103, 1106 (9th Cir. 1995) (district court has discretion to dismiss in forma 18 pauperis complaint under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)); Barren v. Harrington, 152 F.3d 1193 (9th Cir. 19 1998) (affirming sua sponte dismissal for failure to state a claim). If the Court determines that a 20 complaint fails to state a claim, leave to amend may be granted to the extent that the deficiencies 21 of the complaint can be cured by amendment. Lopez v. Smith, 203 F.3d 1122, 1130 (9th Cir. 2000) 22 (en banc). 23 In determining whether a complaint fails to state a claim, the Court uses the same pleading 24 standard used under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 8(a). A complaint must contain “a short and 25 plain statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief. . . .” Fed. R. Civ. P. 26 8(a)(2). Detailed factual allegations are not required, but “[t]hreadbare recitals of the elements of 27 1 The caption of the First Amended Complaint lists a claim under for “violation of Plaintiff’s rights under the 14th 28 Amendment” (see Doc. 9 at 1), however, no such claim is alleged or pleaded therein. 1 a cause of action, supported by mere conclusory statements, do not suffice.” Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 2 U.S. 662, 678 (2009) (citing Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 555 (2007)). A 3 complaint may be dismissed as a matter of law for failure to state a claim for two reasons: (1) lack 4 of a cognizable legal theory; or (2) insufficient facts under a cognizable legal theory. See Balistreri 5 v. Pacifica Police Dep’t, 901 F.2d 696, 699 (9th Cir. 1990). Plaintiff must allege a minimum factual 6 and legal basis for each claim that is sufficient to give each defendant fair notice of what the 7 plaintiff’s claims are and the grounds upon which they rest. See, e.g., Brazil v. U.S. Dep’t of the 8 Navy, 66 F.3d 193, 199 (9th Cir. 1995); McKeever v. Block, 932 F.2d 795, 798 (9th Cir. 1991). 9 In reviewing a pro se complaint, the Court is to liberally construe the pleadings and accept 10 as true all factual allegations contained in the complaint. Erickson v. Pardus, 551 U.S. 89, 94 11 (2007). Although a court must accept as true all factual allegations contained in a complaint, a 12 court need not accept a plaintiff’s legal conclusions as true. Iqbal, 556 U.S. at 678. “[A] complaint 13 [that] pleads facts that are ‘merely consistent with’ a defendant’s liability . . . ‘stops short of the 14 line between possibility and plausibility of entitlement to relief.’” Id. (quoting Twombly, 550 U.S. 15 at 557). 17 Plaintiff alleges that on or about October 29, 2019, he attempted to deposit a check into his 18 personal checking account at the outside teller window of Defendant Bank of Sierra. (Doc. 9 at 5.) 19 Plaintiff alleges he that he has “service-connected disabilities” and was denied the “benefit of using 20 handicap services” at the Defendant Bank of Sierra’s drive-up window because of his race. (Id. at 21 3.) “Bank supervisor” Defendant Margaret Droese started asking questions about Plaintiff’s 22 personal medical history. (Id.) When Plaintiff asked Ms. Droese why she was treating him so 23 poorly, she responded, “your people have been passing bad checks.” (Id.) Plaintiff took the check 24 and left the “hostile environment” created by the bank staff. (Id.) 25 Plaintiff alleges the “financial service manager,” Defendant Karen Mitchell, called him the 26 next day. (Doc. 9 at 3.) According to Plaintiff, Ms. Mitchell “verbally assaulted and admit[ted] 27 retaliating against” him for complaining about Ms. Droese’s “hostile” and “racist” behavior. (Id.) 28 Ms. Mitchell stated that under no circumstances will she allow Plaintiff to deposit or cash his check 1 even though he was an account holder at the Bank of Sierra at that time. (Id. at 3–4.) According 2 to Plaintiff, Ms. Mitchell went on to state that “they did not want our kind there,” and then 3 “slamm[ed] the phone down loudly” causing Plaintiff’s ears to ring. (Id.) 4 Plaintiff asserts claims for racial discrimination, retaliation, and “coercion” in violation of 5 Title VI, and a violation of the ADA for “non accessibility to use handicapped privileges.” (Doc.

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