Sanders v. Williams

• Court: District Court, S.D. Illinois
• Decided: January 24, 2025
• Docket: 3:23-cv-02834
• Status: Unknown

Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS

ERIC SANDERS, ) ) Plaintiff, ) ) vs. ) Case No. 3:23-cv-02834-GCS ) RUSSELL L. WILLIAMS, and ROGER ) SULLIVAN, ) ) Defendants. )

MEMORANDUM & ORDER

SISON, Magistrate Judge: On July 31, 2024, Defendants filed a Motion for Summary Judgment on the Issue of Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies. (Doc. 23). Defendants initially failed to file the supporting Notice, which informs Plaintiff of the consequences of failing to respond to their Motion within thirty days. However, on August 15, 2024, the Court directed Defendants to file the supporting Notice. (Doc. 25). The Notice was filed shortly thereafter on August 20, 2024. (Doc. 26). Still, Plaintiff failed to file a response by the August 31, 2024 deadline. On October 29, 2024, the Court sua sponte extended Plaintiff’s time to respond to the pending Motion for Summary Judgment to November 26, 2024. (Doc. 27). Plaintiff also failed to file a response by this deadline. Accordingly, the Court issued a Show Cause Order for Plaintiff

Page 1 of 5 on December 4, 2024, directing Plaintiff to show cause in writing why he failed to respond to Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment. (Doc. 29). Plaintiff had until January 6,

2025, to file a response to the Show Cause Order. Id. As of today’s date, Plaintiff has failed to file a response to the Show Cause Order. Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 41(b) provides that “[i]f the plaintiff fails to prosecute or to comply with these rules or a court order, a defendant may move to dismiss the action or any claim against it.” In dismissing a case for lack of prosecution, the Seventh Circuit has indicated that a district court commits legal error “when it

dismisses a suit ‘immediately after the first problem, without exploring other options or saying why they would not be fruitful.’” Sroga v. Huberman, 722 F.3d 980, 982 (7th Cir. 2013) (quoting Johnson v. Chicago Bd. of Educ., 718 F.3d 731, 732-733 (7th Cir. 2013)). The Seventh Circuit has suggested that in addition to warning the plaintiff, the court must consider essential factors such as “the frequency and egregiousness of the plaintiff’s

failure to comply with other deadlines, the effect of the delay on the court’s calendar, and the prejudice resulting to the defendants.” Id. (citing Kruger v. Apfel, 214 F.3d 784, 786-787 (7th Cir. 2000)). Here, Plaintiff has failed to respond to the Defendants’ Summary Judgment on the Issue of Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies. (Doc. 23). The Court provided Plaintiff

with an extension of time to do so. (Doc. 27). Plaintiff also failed to respond to the Court’s Show Cause Order. (Doc. 29). The Court has approximately 141 cases on its docket, and

Page 2 of 5 if the Court permits this case to drag on further waiting for Plaintiff to respond, it will detrimentally impact the efficient and timely handling of its other cases. Accordingly, the

Court DISMISSES this action pursuant to Rule 41(b). See FED. R. CIV. PROC. 41(b); see generally James v. McDonald’s Corp., 417 F.3d 672, 681 (7th Cir. 2005). The case is CLOSED, and the Clerk of Court is DIRECTED to enter judgment accordingly. In an abundance of caution, and noting Plaintiff’s pro se status, the Court informs Plaintiff as follows. Plaintiff has two means of contesting this order: he may either request this Court to review this order, or he may appeal the order to the Seventh Circuit Court

of Appeals. If Plaintiff chooses to request this Court to review the order, he should file a motion to alter or amend the judgment under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 59(e). Plaintiff must file the motion within twenty-eight (28) days of the entry of judgment; the deadline cannot be extended. See FED. R. CIV. PROC. 59(e); 6(b)(2). The motion must also comply with Rule

7(b)(1) and state with sufficient particularity the reason(s) that the Court should reconsider the judgment. See Elustra v. Mineo, 595 F.3d 699, 707 (7th Cir. 2010); Talano v. Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation, Inc., 273 F.3d 757, 760 (7th Cir. 2001). See also Blue v. Hartford Life & Acc. Ins. Co., 698 F.3d 587, 598 (7th Cir. 2012) (stating that a party must establish either manifest error of law or fact, or that newly discovered evidence precluded

entry of judgment to prevail on a Rule 59(e) motion) (citation and internal quotation marks omitted).

Page 3 of 5 So long as the Rule 59(e) motion is in proper form and timely submitted, the 30- day clock for filing a notice of appeal will be tolled. See FED. R. APP. PROC. 4(a)(4). The

clock will start anew once the undersigned rules on the Rule 59(e) motion. See FED. R. APP. PROC. 4(a)(1)(A), (a)(4), (a)(4)(B)(ii). However, if the Rule 59(e) motion is filed outside the 28-day deadline or “completely devoid of substance,” the motion will not toll the time for filing a notice of appeal; it will expire 30 days from the entry of judgment. Carlson v. CSX Transp., Inc., 758 F.3d 819, 826 (7th Cir. 2014); Martinez v. Trainor, 556 F.2d 818, 819– 820 (7th Cir. 1977). Again, this deadline can be extended only on a written motion by

Plaintiff showing excusable neglect or good cause. In contrast, if Plaintiff chooses to go straight to the Seventh Circuit, he must file a notice of appeal from the entry of judgment or order appealed from within 30 days. See FED. R. APP. PROC. 4(a)(1)(A) (emphasis added). The deadline can be extended for a short time only if Plaintiff files a motion showing excusable neglect or good cause for missing

the deadline and asking for an extension of time. See FED. R. APP. PROC. 4(a)(5)(A), (C). See also Sherman v. Quinn, 668 F.3d 421, 424 (7th Cir. 2012) (explaining the good cause and excusable neglect standards); Abuelyaman v. Illinois State University, 667 F.3d 800, 807 (7th Cir. 2011) (explaining the excusable neglect standard). Plaintiff may appeal to the Seventh Circuit by filing a notice of appeal in this Court.

See FED. R. APP. PROC. 3(a). The current cost of filing an appeal with the Seventh Circuit is $605.00. The filing fee is due at the time the notice of appeal is filed. See FED. R. APP.

Page 4 of 5 Proc. 3(e). If Plaintiff cannot afford to pay the entire filing fee up front, he must file a motion for leave to appeal in forma pauperis (“IFP motion”). See FED. R. APP. PROC. 24(a)(1). The IFP motion must set forth the issues Plaintiff plans to present on appeal. See FED. R. App. Proc. 24(a)(1)(C). IT IS SO ORDERED. Digitally signed by ro dge Sison Path bad C.. » ma Jueg DATED: January 24, 2025. peggy 2025.01.24 13:10:07 -06'00' GILBERT C. SISON United States Magistrate Judge

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