The opinion
FILED
JAN 19 2010
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
Clerk, U.S. District and
FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Bankruptcy Courts
Anthony J. Howard, )
)
Plaintiff, )
)
v. )
)
Civil Action No. 10 0090
United States Police Department, )
)
Defendant. )
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. 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, 129 S.Ct. 1937, 1950 (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).
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Plaintiff, a resident of the District of Columbia, claims only that he "was arrested in 2009
[and] searched without permission." He seeks "a Hundred Ton dollar bill a day from the
department of Bureau of Printing and Treasure." The named defendant, "United States Police
Department," is not a known entity, but even if plaintiff had named a proper defendant, he has
not stated sufficient facts to provide adequate notice of a claim or the basis for federal court
jurisdiction. A separate order of dismissal accompanies this Memorandum Opinion.
-ti
Date: January l3.-, 2010
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