Vandiver v. Martin

304 F. Supp. 2d 934, 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2118, 2004 WL 291941
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Michigan
DecidedFebruary 12, 2004
Docket2:03-cv-70778
StatusPublished
Cited by229 cases

This text of 304 F. Supp. 2d 934 (Vandiver v. Martin) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Michigan primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Vandiver v. Martin, 304 F. Supp. 2d 934, 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2118, 2004 WL 291941 (E.D. Mich. 2004).

Opinion

ORDER ADOPTING MAGISTRATE JUDGE’S REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

CLELAND, District Judge.

This case was referred to United States Magistrate Judge Donald A. Scheer pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1)(B). There are two pending motions to dismiss in this case, one filed by Defendants Bill Martin, Jann Epp, Betty Glaspen, and another filed by Defendant Correctional Medical Services [Dkt. ## 24 & 25]. Magistrate Judge Scheer issued a report and recommendation on December 16, 2003. His report recommends dismissing the complaint against Defendants Debruyn and King for Plaintiffs failure to properly serve Defendants within 120 days after the filing of the complaint under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 4(m). (12/16/03 R & R at 1.) The report also recommends granting both motions to dismiss for failure to exhaust pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1997e(a). (Id. at 1.)

Plaintiff filed timely objections to the magistrate judge’s report and recommendation, and Defendants have not filed responses to his objections. For the reasons set forth below, the court will adopt the magistrate judge’s report and recommendation. It will dismiss, without prejudice, the complaint against Defendants Debruyn and King for failure to effect service under Fed.R.Civ.P. 4(m) and it will grant the two pending motions to dismiss based on Plaintiffs failure to exhaust administrative remedies.

I. BACKGROUND

Plaintiff is a prisoner in the custody of the Michigan Department of Corrections and is currently incarcerated at the E.C. Brooks Correctional Facility. Plaintiff filed this action under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, on February 27, 2003, against Defendants, who are, or were, all employed by the Michigan Department of Corrections. Plaintiff claims that Defendants were indifferent to his serious medical needs regarding his feet and footwear while he was incarcerated at the Southern Michigan Correctional Facility in February 2001. Plaintiff alleges that Defendants’ deliberate indifference toward his health resulted in his increased injury and suffering in violation of the Eight Amendment of the United States Constitution. Plaintiff seeks damages, a declaratory judgement, and injunctive relief against Defendants.

On February 26, 2003, Magistrate Judge Paul J. Komives granted Plaintiffs motion to proceed in forma pauperis [Dkt. #2], In the same order, Magistrate Judge Ko-mives ordered the U.S. Marshal to serve a copy of the complaint and summons on Defendants, including Defendants De-bruyn and King. The U.S. Marshal Service mailed copies of the summons and complaint to Defendants Debruyn and King on February 27, 2003 [Dkt. # 4], On March 10, 2003, both summonses were returned to the U.S. Marshal unexecuted because Defendants Debruyn and King no longer worked at the Michigan Department of Corrections [Dkt. ## 5 & 6]. There is no evidence that Plaintiff took any action regarding service of process on Defendants Debruyn or King, from March 10, 2003 until July 14, 2003. However, on July 15, 2003, Plaintiff requested that the clerk enter a default against Defendants Debruyn and King, despite the fact that these Defendants had not been served [Dkt. # 32]. Three days later, Plaintiffs request for an entry of default against Defendants De-bruyn and King was denied because these Defendants were never served [Dkt. # 33]. During the five months following the court’s denial of Plaintiffs request for entry of default, from July 18, 2003, through *937 December 16, 2003, Plaintiff apparently took no action regarding service of process on Debruyn and King. Plaintiff offers no evidence of any attempts to ensure proper service of Defendants Debruyn and King, despite notice that they had not been served.

II. STANDARDS

A. Service of Process Under Rule 4(m) of Federal Rules of Civil Procedure

Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 4(m) governs the time limit for service of process on a defendant. Its relevant language provides:

If service of the summons and complaint is not made upon a defendant within 120 days after the filing of the complaint, the court, upon motion or on its own initiative after notice to the plaintiff, shall dismiss the action without prejudice as to that defendant or direct that service be effected within a specified time; provided that if the plaintiff shows good cause for the failure, the court shall extend the time for service for an appropriate period.

Fed.R.Civ.P. 4(m).

B. Failure to Exhaust Administrative Remedies under 42 U.S.C. § 1997(e)

Under 42 U.S.C. § 1997e(a), “[n]o action may be brought with respect to prison conditions under section 1983 of this title, or any other federal law, by a prisoner confined in any jail, prison, or other correctional facility until such administrative remedies as are available are exhausted.” 42 U.S.C. § 1997e(a). As long as the prison system has an administrative process that will review a prisoner’s complaint, the prisoner must exhaust his prison remedies. Wyatt v. Leonard, 193 F.3d 876, 878 (6th Cir.1999). To comply with the exhaustion requirement, a prisoner must file a grievance against the person or persons he ultimately seeks to sue. Curry v. Scott, 249 F.3d 493, 505 (6th Cir.2001).

C.Review of Magistrate Judge’s Report and Recommendations

The filing of timely objections requires the court to “make a de novo determination of those portions of the report or specified findings or recommendations to which objection is made.” 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1). See United States v. Raddatz, 447 U.S. 667, 100 S.Ct. 2406, 65 L.Ed.2d 424 (1980); United States v. Walters, 638 F.2d 947 (6th Cir.1981). This de novo

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Bluebook (online)
304 F. Supp. 2d 934, 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2118, 2004 WL 291941, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/vandiver-v-martin-mied-2004.