Opinion

Selden v. Bennett

Court
District Court, District of Columbia
Filed
Jun 1, 2011
Status
Published
On the bench
Judge Ellen S. Huvelle
Nature of suit
Civil
Cited by
0 cases
Authority
More cited than 31.4%

The opinion

FILED

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FoR THE Dlsmicr oF COLUMBIA JUN - 1 2911

Clork, U.S. Dlsutct & Bankruptcy

courts for the Dlstrlct of columbia

Glenn Lee Selden, )

)

Plaintiff, )

)

v. ) Civil Action No. ll-0733 (UNA)

)

Terryn H. Bennett el al., )

)

Defendants. )

MEMORANDUM OPINION

This matter is before the Court on its initial review of plaintiff’ s 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. l987). Rule 8(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure requires

complaints to contain "(l) 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. S(a); see Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 129 S.Ct. 1937, 1950 (2009); Cz'ralslcy v. CIA, 355

F.3d 661, 668-71 (D.C. Cir. 2004). 'l`he 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. Callfano, 75

F.R.D. 497, 498 (D.D.C. 1977).

Plaintiff is a Florida prisoner confined in Daytona Beach, Florida. He has submitted a

complaint against various defendants, including the a State’s Attorney and the Governor of

Florida, and what the Court has construed as an amended complaint, both of which are wholly

incomprehensible. A separate Order of dismissal accompanies this Memorandum Opinion.

/ g/L/- /v'r/o/A

zb nitjed States Distric(]udge

Date: May , 2011

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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