Williams v. New York City Department of Corrections

219 F.R.D. 78, 2003 WL 22928860
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. New York
DecidedDecember 12, 2003
DocketNo. 98 Civ. 3378(RPP)
StatusPublished
Cited by44 cases

This text of 219 F.R.D. 78 (Williams v. New York City Department of Corrections) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Williams v. New York City Department of Corrections, 219 F.R.D. 78, 2003 WL 22928860 (S.D.N.Y. 2003).

Opinion

OPINION AND ORDER

ROBERT P. PATTERSON, JR., District Judge.

This Court dismissed pro se Plaintiff Rosalind P. Williams’ action for failure to comply with discovery orders on June 12, 2002, pursuant to Rule 37(b)(2)(C) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Plaintiff now seeks [80]*80reconsideration of the Court’s order dismissing her case under Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 59(e) and 60(b). For the reasons stated below, Plaintiffs motion for reconsideration is denied.

I. Background

Plaintiff filed her complaint on May 13, 1998, alleging that her former employer, the New York City Department of Corrections, discriminated against her in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990(ADA), 42 U.S.C. § 12112. The action arises from her employment as a legal coordinator at a Riker’s Island unit in the Bronx, New York. (Complaint ¶¶ 15, 19-20.) Defendant filed an answer on December 1, 1998. Plaintiffs application to proceed in forma pauperis and to include her name in the list for pro bono counsel maintained by the Pro Se Office was granted on March 18, 1999. (Memo-endorsement on Motion Requesting Counsel, Mar. 18, 1999 (No. 8) 1.) On July 9, 1999, Plaintiff failed to appear for a conference. At that time, a warning was issued to Plaintiff: “[T]he court is inclined to dismiss the case without prejudice unless adequate grounds for a nonappearanee by the plaintiff are received by July 20.” (Memo-endorsement on Transcript, July 9, 1999, at 2 (No. 9).) In a letter dated July 16, 1999, Plaintiff requested that her ease not be dismissed and cited poor health as her reason for not attending the conference.

Defendant served the first request for documents on June 22, 1999, but by September of that year Plaintiff had not answered. (Transcript, Sept. 10, 1999, at 2.) The Court then issued its first clear warning to Plaintiff regarding discovery: “the case will be dismissed unless plaintiff shows good cause for her failure to prosecute the matter.” (Id.) A Court Order issued the same day warned, “this action will be dismissed on September 24,1999, unless plaintiff shows good cause on or before that date for her failure to proceed with this action, including her failure to respond to defendant’s discovery requests.” (Court Order, Sept. 10, 1999 (No. 10).) Plaintiff excused herself by explaining that she had been unsuccessfully seeking counsel throughout that year, that she had not received the discovery requests, and that her disabilities prevented her from “fully articulating, writing or typing to prosecute [her] complaint.” (Letter addressed to Judge Patterson from Rosalind Williams, Sept. 24, 1999.) The Court ordered Defendant to reserve the discovery requests by October 8, 1999; Plaintiff had to provide answers by November 10, 1999. (Memo-endorsement on letter addressed to Judge Patterson from Rosalind Williams, Sept. 27, 1999 (No. 11).) In addition, another warning was issued: “No further delays in this case will be permitted.” (Id.)

On January 7, 2000, Plaintiff asked the Court to suspend the case for a year due to her inability to secure representation and the many medical and mobility difficulties she suffers due to her disabilities. (Letter addressed to Judge Patterson from Rosalind Williams, Jan. 7, 2000 (No. 12).) The Court granted a suspension until September 2000. (Id.) On November 15, 2000, Plaintiff was again ordered to respond to Defendant’s discovery requests and interrogatories by January 16, 2001. (Court Order, Nov. 15, 2000 (No. 14).) In a letter dated February 13, 2001, Plaintiff asked this Court not to dismiss her case. (Letter addressed to Judge Patterson from Rosalind Williams, Feb. 13, 2000 (No. 15).) On March 22, 2001, she was again ordered to respond to Defendant’s request for production of documents, medical releases and answers to interrogatories by May 22, 2001. (Memo-endorsement on letter addressed to Judge Patterson from Rosalind Williams, Mar. 22, 2001 (No. 17).) Because Plaintiff claimed she did not have copies of Defendant’s request for documents and interrogatories, the Court ordered re-service — for a second time — by May 29, 2001. (Memo-endorsement on letter addressed to Judge Patterson, May 18, 2001 (No. 20).) Plaintiff was required to provide answers by August 21, 2001.

On August 21, 2001, Plaintiff wrote a letter to the Court explaining that she had made all preparations for defendant’s discovery requests, but that she had not been able to [81]*81contact Corporation Counsel. (Letter addressed to Judge Patterson from Rosalind Williams, Aug. 21, 2001 (No. 21).) On August 22, 2001, the Court granted Plaintiffs application for a motion for leave to file an amended complaint and once again extended her time to respond to Defendant’s requests for documents to September 15, 2001. (Memo-endorsement on letter addressed to Judge Patterson from Rosalind Williams, Aug. 21, 2001 (No. 21).) After September 11, 2001, access to the area where both this Court and Corporation Counsel’s office is located was obstructed and Plaintiff requested and was granted time extensions from this Court. On November 21, 2001, the Court granted a time extension to January 8, 2002, because Plaintiff had been hospitalized. (Court Order, Nov. 20, 2001 (No. 24).) On January 9, 2002, the Court granted an additional time extension for filing of a motion for leave to file an amended complaint and compliance with discovery orders to February 1, 2002. (Court Order, Jan. 9, 2002 (No. 26).) Another warning was issued at the time: “Should Plaintiff fail to file the motion by that date, this case may be dismissed for lack of prosecution.” (Id.)

On February 15, 2002, Plaintiff claimed that another hospitalization and the disrepair of her wheel chair/scooter had prevented her from complying with the Court orders. (Document sent by facsimile to Judge Patterson from Rosalind Williams, Feb. 15, 2002 (No. 28).) The Court granted another time extension to April 22, 2002. (Court Order, Feb. 21, 2002 (No. 27).) It also issued another clear warning regarding discovery: “No further extensions will be granted. This action will be dismissed for failure to respond to discovery requests and for failure to prosecute if Plaintiff does not comply with this Order.” (Id.)

On April 22, 2002, the Court denied Plaintiff’s request to produce documents to the Court and ordered Plaintiff to produce documents to the Corporation Counsel’s Office, at 100 Church Street, New York, New York, 10007. (Court Order, Apr. 22, 2002 (No. 29).) The Court granted another time extension for the production of documents to May 6, 2002. (Id.) According to Defendant, Plaintiff sent some incomplete medical releases and a written response to document requests “replete with improper objections” via overnight mail on April 22, 2002. (Letter addressed to Judge Patterson from Def. Counsel, Apr. 24, 2002 (No. 33).) According to Counsel, “[n]ot a single document was produced.” (Id.) Defendant requested that Plaintiffs action be dismissed under Rule 37(d) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure for failing to provide answers to interrogatories and document requests. (Id.)

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Bluebook (online)
219 F.R.D. 78, 2003 WL 22928860, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/williams-v-new-york-city-department-of-corrections-nysd-2003.