The opinion
FILED
• I -
OCT 302009
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 2U35
Prince George's County Police )
Services et at., )
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Defendants. )
)
MEMORANDUM OPINION
This matter is before the Court on its initial review of plaintiffs pro se complaint and
application for leave to proceed in forma pauperis. The Court will grant the informa 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 Upper Marlboro, Maryland, sues police officers in Palmer Park,
Maryland, for $100,000. The complaint consists of one page and a stack of unexplained
attachments. The allegations are incomprehensible and, thus, fail to provide any notice of a
claim and the basis of federal court jurisdiction. A separate order of dismissal accompanies this
Memorandum Opinion.
C2~~.
United States District Judge
Date: October .....L.!-, 2009
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