Burgess v. Oliver

United States District Court for the Southern District of Alabama

Burgess v. Oliver

Trial Court Opinion

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF ALABAMA SOUTHERN DIVISION

RUSSELL L. BURGESS, ) ) Petitioner, ) ) vs. ) CIV. ACT. NO. 1:20-cv-206-TFM-MU ) TREY OLIVER, et al., ) ) Respondents. )

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

On April 24, 2020, the Magistrate Judge entered a report and recommendation which recommends this action be dismissed without prejudice for failure to prosecute and to comply with the court’s orders as well as because the case is moot. See Doc. 6. No objections were filed. Fed. R. Civ. P. 41(b) authorizes dismissal of a complaint for failure to prosecute or failure to comply with a court order or the federal rules. Gratton v. Great Am. Commc’ns,

178 F.3d 1373

, 1374 (11th Cir. 1999). Further, such a dismissal may be done on motion of the defendant or sua sponte as an inherent power of the court. Betty K Agencies, Ltd. v. M/V Monada,

432 F.3d 1333, 1337

(11th Cir. 2005). “[D]ismissal upon disregard of an order, especially where the litigant has been forewarned, generally is not an abuse of discretion.” Vil, 715 F. App’x at 915 (quoting Moon v. Newsome,

863 F.2d 835, 837

(11th Cir. 1989)). “[E]ven a non-lawyer should realize the peril to [his] case, when [he] . . . ignores numerous notices” and fails to comply with court orders. Anthony v. Marion Cty. Gen. Hosp.,

617 F.2d 1164, 1169

(5th Cir. 1980); see also Moon v. Newsome,

863 F.2d at 837

(As a general rule, where a litigant has been forewarned, dismissal for failure to obey a court order is not an abuse of discretion.). Therefore, the Court finds it appropriate to exercise its “inherent power” to “dismiss [Plaintiff’s claims] sua sponte for lack of prosecution.” Link v. Wabash R.R. Co.,

370 U.S. 626, 630

,

82 S. Ct. 1386

,

8 L. Ed. 2d 734

(1962); see also Betty K Agencies, Ltd.,

432 F.3d at 1337

(describing the judicial power to dismiss sua sponte for failure to comply with court orders). Since the filing of his Petition on April 6, 2020 as well as a letter from the same date, there

has been no additional action by the Plaintiff despite the April 7, 2020 order for him to complete the Court’s 2241 Petition and pay the filing fee or a motion to proceed in forma pauperis. See Docs. 1, 3, 4. Further, Plaintiff also did not notify the Court of his change in address as required and mail has been returned as undeliverable. See Docs. 5, 7, 8. Accordingly, after due and proper consideration of all portions of this file deemed relevant to the issues raised, and there having been no objections filed, the Report and Recommendation of the Magistrate Judge is ADOPTED and this action is DISMISSED without prejudice for failure to prosecute and obey the Court’s order as well as because the action is moot due to Petitioner being released from the Mobile County Metro Jail. DONE and ORDERED this 5th day of June, 2020.

/s/Terry F. Moorer TERRY F. MOORER UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Reference

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