Wells v. Gray

17 F. Supp. 3d 27, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 21489, 2014 WL 656459

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

Reggie B. Walton, United States District Judge

This matter is before the Court on its •initial review of the plaintiffs pro se complaint and application for leave to proceed in forma pauperis. The Court will grant the in forma pauperis application and dismiss the case because the complaint fails to meet the minimal pleading requirements of Rule 8(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.

Pro se litigants must comply with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Jarrell v. Tisch, 656 F.Supp. 237, 239 (D.D.C.1987). Rule 8(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure requires complaints to contain “(1) a short and plain statement of the grounds for the court’s jurisdiction [and] (2) a short and plain statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 8(a); see Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678-79, 129 S.Ct. 1937, 173 L.Ed.2d 868 (2009); Ciralsky v. CIA, 355 F.3d 661, 668-71 (D.C.Cir.2004). The Rule 8 standard ensures that defendants receive fair notice of the claim being asserted so that they can prepare a responsive answer and an adequate defense and determine whether the doctrine of res judicata applies. Brown v. Califano, 75 F.R.D. 497, 498 (D.D.C.1977).

The plaintiff is a resident of Washington, D.C. who purports to sue Mayor Vincent Gray. The one-page complaint consists of a demand for a jury trial and for relief in the form of “Impeachment[,] No re-election[,] Canidate [sic] Octavia Wells.” In addition, the complaint contains the following inexplicable statement: “Same-Sex Marriages & Taxzation [sic] w/o Representation,” and the plaintiffs offer to “accept his Salary & Commissions as pay.” The complaint fails to provide any notice of a claim or basis for federal court jurisdiction. Hence, this case will be dismissed. 1

1 . A separate Order accompanies this Memorandum Opinion.