Opinion

Coulter v. Butler

Court
District Court, W.D. Oklahoma
Filed
Aug 6, 2025
Cited by
0 cases
Authority
More cited than 38.6%

The opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

WESTERN DISTRICT OF OKLAHOMA

ALICIA D. COULTER, )

)

Plaintiff, )

)

v. ) No. CIV-24-835-R

)

JAREK BUTLER, )

ASHLEIGH MELTON, and )

CITY OF NORMAN, et al., )

)

Defendants. )

ORDER

Plaintiff Alicia Coulter, proceeding pro se and in forma pauperis, filed a Voluntary

Motion to Dismiss Without Prejudice [Doc. No. 49]. The Court previously granted the

Motions to Dismiss filed by Defendants City of Norman, Jarek Butler, and Ashleigh Melton

[Doc. No. 48]. Plaintiff’s Amended Complaint [Doc. No. 38] asserts claims against

additional defendants, although those defendants are yet to be served. Accordingly, the

Court interprets Plaintiff’s Motion as seeking voluntary dismissal of those remaining

claims, and finds such request appropriate.1

Rule 41(a)(2) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure “governs voluntary dismissals

after the opposing party has filed an answer or motion for summary judgment.” Clark v.

Tansy, 13 F.3d 1407, 1411 (10th Cir. 1993). “Dismissal under Rule 41(a)(2) is within the

sound discretion of the court.” Id. “‘[T]he district court normally should grant such a

1 As a pro se litigant, Plaintiff’s filings are construed liberally. See Sullivan v. Graham, No.

23-3153, 23-3154, 2025 WL 1983231, at *1 n.1 (10th Cir. July 17, 2025) (citing Garrett v.

Selby Connor Maddux & Janer, 425 F.3d 836, 840 (10th Cir. 2005)).

dismissal,’ absent ‘legal prejudice’ to the defendant.” Graviee v. Tibbs, No. CIV-24-221-D,

2024 WL 4511217, at *1 (W.D. Okla. Sep. 18, 2024) (quoting Brown v. Baeke, 413 F.3d

1121, 1123 (10th Cir. 2005), report and recommendation adopted, Gravlee v. Okla., No.

CIV-24-221-D, 2024 WL 4508965 (W.D. Okla. Oct. 16, 2024).

Here, because the served Defendants are already dismissed from the action pursuant

to Doc. No. 48, and the remaining defendants have not been served, the Court finds no

potential for legal prejudice.

Accordingly, Plaintiff's Motion is GRANTED.

IT IS SO ORDERED this 6" day of August, 2025.

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

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