The opinion
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FILED
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
APR 2 1 2009
FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA NANCY MAYER WHITTINGTON. CLERK
U.S. DISTRICT COURT
Jerome Julius Brown, Sr., et al., )
)
Plaintiff(s), )
)
v. ) Civil Action No. 09 0720
)
Brooks Norris, Supervisor, )
Corespondence and Constituent Services, )
Office of the Governor et al., )
)
Defendant(s). )
MEMORANDUM OPINION
Before the Court is the pro se complaint and an application to proceed in forma pauperis.
The Court will grant the application to proceed in forma pauperis and dismiss the complaint
without prejudice.
Rule 8(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure requires that a complaint contain a short
and plain statement ofthe grounds upon which the court's jurisdiction depends, a short and plain
statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief, and a demand for jUdgment
for the relief the pleader seeks. Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a). The purpose of the minimum standard of
Rule 8 is to give fair notice to the defendants of the claim being asserted, sufficient to prepare a
responsive answer, to prepare 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).
The Complaint fails to meet the requirements of Rule 8(a). The complaint does not make
clear whether there is one plaintiff or multiple plaintiffs. It does not indicate what the defendants
did to cause injury to the plaintiff(s) or what reliefthe plaintiff(s) seek. Most importantly, the
complaint does not set forth a short and plain statement regarding this Court's jurisdiction over
this matter, and the court cannot discern any basis for its jurisdiction on the face of this
complaint. Accordingly, the Court will dismiss the complaint without prejudice. An appropriate
order accompanies this memorandum opinion.
Uni d States District Judge
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