Boss v. Allison

District Court, D. Nevada

Boss v. Allison

Trial Court Opinion

2

3 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

4 DISTRICT OF NEVADA

5 * * *

6 TERRIL BOSS, Case No. 3:19-cv-00222-MMD-WGC

7 Plaintiff, ORDER v. 8

9 ALLISON, et al.,

10 Defendants.

11

12 Pro Se Plaintiff Terril Boss, a former inmate of the Nevada Department of 13 Corrections (“NDOC”), began this action with a civil rights complaint filed pursuant to 42

14 U.S.C. § 1983

. On April 15, 2020, this Court issued an order denying the application to 15 proceed in forma pauperis for prisoners as moot because Plaintiff was no longer 16 incarcerated. (ECF No. 4 at 1.) The Court ordered Plaintiff to file a fully complete 17 application to proceed in forma pauperis for non-prisoners or pay the full filing fee of $400 18 within 30 days from the date of that order. (Id.) The 30-day period has now expired, and 19 Plaintiff has not filed an application to proceed in forma pauperis for non-prisoners, paid 20 the full filing fee, or otherwise responded to the Court’s order. 21 District courts have the inherent power to control their dockets and “[i]n the exercise 22 of that power, they may impose sanctions including, where appropriate . . . dismissal” of a 23 case. Thompson v. Hous. Auth. of City of Los Angeles,

782 F.2d 829, 831

(9th Cir. 1986). 24 A court may dismiss an action, with prejudice, based on a party’s failure to prosecute an 25 action, failure to obey a court order, or failure to comply with local rules. See Ghazali v. 26 Moran,

46 F.3d 52, 53-54

(9th Cir. 1995) (affirming dismissal for noncompliance with local 27 rule); Ferdik v. Bonzelet,

963 F.2d 1258, 1260-61

(9th Cir. 1992) (affirming dismissal for 28 failure to comply with an order requiring amendment of complaint); Carey v. King, 856 2 requiring pro se plaintiffs to keep court apprised of address); Malone v. U.S. Postal 3 Service,

833 F.2d 128, 130

(9th Cir. 1987) (affirming dismissal for failure to comply with 4 court order); Henderson v. Duncan,

779 F.2d 1421, 1424

(9th Cir. 1986) (affirming 5 dismissal for lack of prosecution and failure to comply with local rules). 6 In determining whether to dismiss an action for lack of prosecution, failure to obey 7 a court order, or failure to comply with local rules, the court must consider several factors: 8 (1) the public’s interest in expeditious resolution of litigation; (2) the court’s need to 9 manage its docket; (3) the risk of prejudice to the defendants; (4) the public policy favoring 10 disposition of cases on their merits; and (5) the availability of less drastic alternatives. See 11 Thompson,

782 F.2d at 831

; Henderson,

779 F.2d at 1423-24

; Malone,

833 F.2d at 130

; 12 Ferdik,

963 F.2d at 1260-61

; Ghazali,

46 F.3d at 53

. 13 Here, the Court finds that the first two factors, the public’s interest in expeditiously 14 resolving this litigation and the Court’s interest in managing the docket, weigh in favor of 15 dismissal. The third factor, risk of prejudice to Defendants, also weighs in favor of 16 dismissal, since a presumption of injury arises from the occurrence of unreasonable delay 17 in filing a pleading ordered by the court or prosecuting an action. See Anderson v. Air 18 West,

542 F.2d 522, 524

(9th Cir. 1976). The fourth factor—public policy favoring 19 disposition of cases on their merits—is greatly outweighed by the factors in favor of 20 dismissal discussed herein. Finally, a court’s warning to a party that his failure to obey the 21 court’s order will result in dismissal satisfies the “consideration of alternatives” 22 requirement. Ferdik,

963 F.2d at 1262

; Malone,

833 F.2d at 132-33

; Henderson,

779 F.2d 23 at 1424

. The Court’s order requiring Plaintiff to file an application to proceed in forma 24 pauperis for non-prisoners or pay the full filing fee within 30 days expressly stated: “It is 25 further ordered that, if Plaintiff fails to timely file an application to proceed in forma pauperis 26 for non-prisoners or pay the full filing fee of $400, the Court will dismiss this case with 27 prejudice.” (ECF No. 4 at 5.) Thus, Plaintiff had adequate warning that dismissal would 28 result from his noncompliance with the Court’s order to file an application to proceed in 1 || forma pauperis for non-prisoners or pay the full filing fee within 30 days. 2 It is therefore ordered that this action is dismissed with prejudice based on □□□□□□□□□□□ 3 || failure to file an application to proceed in forma pauperis for non-prisoners or pay the full 4 || filing fee in compliance with this Court’s April 15, 2020, order. 5 It is further ordered that the Clerk of Court shall enter judgment accordingly. 6 DATED THIS 3% day of June 2020. 7 —~. 8 ASR 9 MIRANDA M. DU 10 CHIEF UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

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Reference

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