Opinion

(PC) Gaines v. Brown

Court
District Court, E.D. California
Filed
Jul 20, 2021
Cited by
0 cases
Authority
More cited than 17.7%

The opinion

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8 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

9 EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

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11 MARY LEE GAINES, No. 1:16-cv-01666-NONE-BAM (PC)

12 Plaintiff,

13 v. ORDER ADOPTING FINDINGS AND

RECOMMENDATIONS RECOMMENDING

14 BROWN, et al., DISMISSAL OF ACTION, WITH

PREJUDICE, FOR FAILURE TO

15 Defendants. PROSECUTE AND FAILURE TO OBEY

COURT ORDER

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(Doc. No. 102)

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18 Plaintiff Mary Lee Gaines is a state prisoner proceeding pro se and in forma pauperis in

19 this civil rights action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. This action proceeds on plaintiff’s first

20 amended complaint against defendants Mirelez and Hoehing for deliberate indifference to

21 medical needs in violation of the Eighth Amendment.

22 On December 16, 2020, defendants filed a motion for summary judgment. Fed. R. Civ. P.

23 56. (Doc. No. 92.) Plaintiff was provided with notice of the requirements for opposing a motion

24 for summary judgment. Woods v. Carey, 684 F.3d 934 (9th Cir. 2012); Rand v. Rowland, 154

25 F.3d 952, 957 (9th Cir. 1988); Klingele v. Eikenberry, 849 F.2d 409, 411–12 (9th Cir. 1988).

26 (Doc. No. 92-1.) Plaintiff was granted three extensions of time to file her opposition. (Doc. Nos.

27 95, 97, 99.) In the order granting plaintiff’s third extension of time, the assigned magistrate judge

28 warned plaintiff that any further requests for extension of this deadline would be subject to a

1 narrow interpretation of what constitutes good cause. (Doc. No. 99 at 2.) Specifically, the

2 magistrate judge indicated that plaintiff would be required to “describe what attempts she has

3 made to access the law library at her institution of confinement, the result of those attempts, how

4 many times she has successfully accessed the law library, and what specific further research or

5 other acts must be accomplished using law library services before her opposition can be

6 completed and submitted to the Court.” (Id.)

7 On April 26, 2021, plaintiff filed a motion for a fourth extension of time to file her

8 opposition. (Doc. No. 100.) Defendants filed an opposition on May 12, 2021. (Doc. No. 101.)

9 Plaintiff did not file a reply.

10 On June 8, 2021, the magistrate judge issued an order denying plaintiff’s fourth extension

11 of time and findings and recommendations recommending dismissal of this action, with

12 prejudice, for failure to prosecute and failure to obey a court order. (Doc. No. 102.) Those

13 findings and recommendations were served on the parties and contained notice that any

14 objections thereto were to be filed within fourteen (14) days after service. (Id.) Plaintiff filed

15 objections on June 24, 2021. (Doc. No. 103.)

16 In her objections, plaintiff argues that she should have been granted a fourth extension of

17 time to file her opposition to defendants’ summary judgment motion because she is incarcerated

18 in a state prison and has not had access to the prison law library for over a year, since February

19 2019. (Id.) Plaintiff does not address defendants’ contention that she has not requested law

20 library access or PLU status for at least the last sixty days prior to filing her fourth request for

21 extension of time. (See Doc. No. 101-1.)

22 In accordance with the provisions of 28 U.S.C. § 636 (b)(1)(C), the court has conducted a

23 de novo review of this case. Having carefully reviewed the entire file, including plaintiff’s

24 objections, the court finds the findings and recommendations to be supported by the record and

25 by proper analysis.

26 Accordingly,

27 1. The findings and recommendations issued on June 8, 2021, (Doc. No. 102), are

28 adopted in full;

1 2. This action is dismissed, with prejudice, for failure to prosecute and failure to obey a

2 court order; and

3 3. The Clerk of the Court is directed to assign a district judge to this case for the purpose

4 of closing the case, terminate all pending motions, and close this case.

5 | IT IS SO ORDERED. a "

6 Li. wh F

Dated: _ July 20, 2021 wea rE =

7 UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

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This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.

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