The opinion
FILED
DEC 3 U2009
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT Clerk, u.s. District and
FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Bankruptcy Courts
)
Jerome Julius Brown, Sr., )
)
Plaintiff, )
v.
)
) Civil Action No.
09 2438
)
Charles County Sheriff et aI., )
)
Defendants. )
)
MEMORANDUM OPINION
Plaintiff, proceeding pro se, has filed a complaint and an application to proceed in forma
pauperis. The application will be granted, and the complaint will be dismissed.
Complaints filed by pro se litigants are held to less stringent standards than are formal
pleadings drafted by lawyers. See Haines v. Kerner, 404 U.S. 519, 520 (1972). Nonetheless,pro
se plaintiffs must comply with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Jarrell v. Tisch, 656 F.
Supp. 237,239 (D.D.C. 1987). Rule 8 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure states the
minimum requirements for complaints. Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a). Rule 8(a) requires that a complaint
contain a short and plain statement of the grounds upon which federal jurisdiction rests, a short
and plain statement showing that the plaintiff is entitled to relief, and a demand for judgment for
the relief sought. The minimum requirements Rule 8 imposes are designed to provide defendants
with sufficient notice of the claim or claims being asserted in order to allow defendants to
prepare a responsive answer and an adequate defense, and to determine whether the doctrine of
res judicata applies. Brown v. Califano, 75 F.R.D. 497, 498 (D.D.C. 1977). Further, compliance
with Rule 8(a)'s requirements should provide a court with sufficient information to determine
whether it has jurisdiction over the claims.
The complaint indicates that the plaintiff, who appears to be a Maryland citizen, is suing
defendants who also appear to be Maryland citizens. It identifies no cause of action. As such,
the Court cannot discern a basis for jurisdiction. Furthermore, the complaint does not provide
sufficient notice to the defendants of the intended claims so that they may prepare a proper
defense. Accordingly, the complaint will be dismissed for failure to comply with the
requirements of Rule 8.
Plaintiff is advised that if he persists in filing such complaints this Court may restrict his
ability to proceed in forma pauperis.
United States District Judge