Oelker v. Zuchowski

CourtDistrict Court, D. Nevada
DecidedDecember 18, 2023
Docket2:23-cv-01696
StatusUnknown

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

Bluebook
Oelker v. Zuchowski, (D. Nev. 2023).

Opinion

2 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 3 DISTRICT OF NEVADA 4 * * * 5 Jeromy Oelker, Case No. 2:23-cv-01696-APG-DJA 6 Plaintiff, 7 Order v. and 8 Report and Recommendation Dr. Steven J. Zuchowski and Lakes Crossing 9 Center, Sparks, NV,

10 Defendants.

11 12 Under 28 U.S.C. § 1915 Plaintiff is proceeding in this action pro se and has requested 13 authority to proceed in forma pauperis. (ECF No. 1). Plaintiff also submitted a complaint. (ECF 14 No. 1-1). Because the Court finds that Plaintiff’s application is complete, it grants his application 15 to proceed in forma pauperis. Because the Court finds that Plaintiff’s complaint successfully 16 states some claims, but fails to successfully state others, it recommends dismissing certain of his 17 claims without prejudice and without leave to amend, others without prejudice and with leave to 18 amend, and allowing others to proceed. 19 I. In forma pauperis application. 20 Plaintiff filed the affidavit required by § 1915(a). (ECF No. 1). Plaintiff has shown an 21 inability to prepay fees and costs or give security for them. Accordingly, the request to proceed 22 in forma pauperis will be granted under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a). The Court will now review 23 Plaintiff’s complaint. 24 II. Screening the complaint. 25 A. Legal standard. 26 Upon granting an application to proceed in forma pauperis, courts additionally screen the 27 complaint under § 1915(e). Federal courts are given the authority to dismiss a case if the action is 1 monetary relief from a defendant who is immune from such relief. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2). 2 When a court dismisses a complaint under § 1915, the plaintiff should be given leave to amend 3 the complaint with directions as to curing its deficiencies, unless it is clear from the face of the 4 complaint that the deficiencies could not be cured by amendment. See Cato v. United States, 70 5 F.3d 1103, 1106 (9th Cir. 1995). 6 Rule 12(b)(6) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure provides for dismissal of a 7 complaint for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted. Review under Rule 8 12(b)(6) is essentially a ruling on a question of law. See Chappel v. Lab. Corp. of Am., 232 F.3d 9 719, 723 (9th Cir. 2000). A properly pled complaint must provide a short and plain statement of 10 the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief. Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a)(2); Bell Atlantic Corp. 11 v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 555 (2007). Although Rule 8 does not require detailed factual 12 allegations, it demands “more than labels and conclusions” or a “formulaic recitation of the 13 elements of a cause of action.” Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678 (2009) (citing Papasan v. 14 Allain, 478 U.S. 265, 286 (1986)). The court must accept as true all well-pled factual allegations 15 contained in the complaint, but the same requirement does not apply to legal conclusions. Iqbal, 16 556 U.S. at 679. Mere recitals of the elements of a cause of action, supported only by conclusory 17 allegations, do not suffice. Id. at 678. Where the claims in the complaint have not crossed the 18 line from conceivable to plausible, the complaint should be dismissed. Twombly, 550 U.S. at 570. 19 Allegations of a pro se complaint are held to less stringent standards than formal pleadings 20 drafted by lawyers. Hebbe v. Pliler, 627 F.3d 338, 342 & n.7 (9th Cir. 2010) (finding that liberal 21 construction of pro se pleadings is required after Twombly and Iqbal). 22 Federal courts are courts of limited jurisdiction and possess only that power authorized by 23 the Constitution and statute. See Rasul v. Bush, 542 U.S. 466, 489 (2004). Under 28 U.S.C. 24 § 1331, federal courts have original jurisdiction over “all civil actions arising under the 25 Constitution, laws, or treaties of the United States.” Cases “arise under” federal law either when 26 federal law creates the cause of action or where the vindication of a right under state law 27 necessarily turns on the construction of federal law. Republican Party of Guam v. Gutierrez, 277 1 “well-pleaded complaint rule,” which provides that “federal jurisdiction exists only when a 2 federal question is presented on the face of the plaintiff’s properly pleaded complaint.” 3 Caterpillar, Inc. v. Williams, 482 U.S. 386, 392 (1987). Under 28 U.S.C. § 1332(a), federal 4 district courts have original jurisdiction over civil actions in diversity cases “where the matter in 5 controversy exceeds the sum or value of $75,000” and where the matter is between “citizens of 6 different states.” Generally speaking, diversity jurisdiction exists only where there is “complete 7 diversity” among the parties; each of the plaintiffs must be a citizen of a different state than each 8 of the defendants. Caterpillar Inc. v. Lewis, 519 U.S. 61, 68 (1996). 9 B. Plaintiff’s allegations. 10 Plaintiff sues two Defendants: (1) Dr. Steven J. Zuchowski in his personal capacity; and 11 (2) Lakes Crossing Center, Sparks, NV.1 Plaintiff asserts that the Court has federal question 12 jurisdiction over his claims. Plaintiff alleges claims for medical malpractice, assault, battery, 13 intentional infliction of emotional distress, “terroristic threats,” cruel and unusual punishment, 14 conspiracy, and violation of his First, Fourth, Fifth, Eighth, and Fourteenth amendment rights.2 15 Plaintiff alleges that he was transported to Lakes Crossing in connection with a Nevada 16 state criminal case to undergo a competency evaluation.3 Plaintiff alleges that Dr. Zuchowski 17 interviewed him and that, during the interview, Plaintiff invoked his Fifth Amendment right to 18 remain silent. Dr. Zuchowski asserted that if Plaintiff did not cooperate, Dr. Zuchowski would 19 detain him indefinitely. Dr. Zuchowski also denied Plaintiff’s requests to be recorded. Plaintiff 20 then told Dr. Zuchowski that he was a victim and that the courts were depriving him of his rights. 21 Plaintiff alleges that Dr. Zuchowski “did not seem interested” and then placed Plaintiff in solitary 22 23 1 Lake’s Crossing Center is a psychiatric facility providing comprehensive forensic mental health services. It is run by the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services Division of Public 24 and Behavioral Health. See Lakes Crossing Center for Mentally Disordered Offenders Overview, NEVADA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES NEVADA DIVISION OF PUBLIC AND 25 BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, https://dpbh.nv.gov/About/Overview/Lake_s_Crossing_Center_Overview/ (last visited December 14, 2023). 26 2 “Terroristic threats” is not a recognized cause of action. The Court thus does not address this 27 cause of action. 1 confinement for five days. Plaintiff asserts that this was a violation of his First Amendment rights 2 because, after Plaintiff told Dr.

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