Morton v. Gaines
Morton v. Gaines
Trial Court Opinion
1 2 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DISTRICT OF NEVADA 3
4 5 Paris Morton, Case No. 2:23-cv-00243-CDS-NJK
6 Plaintiff
Order Adopting Magistrate Judge’s Report 7 v. & Recommendation and Closing Case
8 Kiseana Gaines, [ECF No. 10]
9 Defendant
10 11 Pro se plaintiff Paris Morton initiated this action by filing an application to proceed in 12 forma pauperis (IFP) and a complaint alleging various copyright claims against defendant 13 Kiseana Gaines. See generally, ECF No. 1. United States Magistrate Judge Nancy J. Koppe granted 14 Morton’s IFP application (ECF No. 6) and dismissed her initial complaint without prejudice but 15 with leave to file an amended complaint curing various deficiencies (such as the missing element 16 that copyright claims must contain an allegation that Morton registered the copyright prior to 17 filing the case). Order, ECF No. 8. Morton timely filed an amended complaint; however, it 18 alleges only state-law claims. See generally, ECF No. 9. Following Morton’s failure to allege any 19 facts demonstrating a basis for subject-matter jurisdiction in this court, Judge Koppe issued a 20 report and recommendation (R&R) that this case be dismissed. R&R, ECF No. 10. Under this 21 district’s local rules, the deadline for Morton to object to the R&R was August 8, 2023. See LR IB 22 3-2(a) (stating that parties wishing to object to an R&R must file objections within fourteen 23 days). To date, Morton has neither objected to the R&R nor has she requested more time to do 24 so. Accordingly, with no objection filed, I adopt Magistrate Judge Koppe’s R&R in its entirety. 25 “[N]o review is required of a magistrate judge’s report and recommendation unless 26 objections are filed.” Schmidt v. Johnstone,
263 F. Supp. 2d 1219, 1226(D. Ariz. 2003); see also Thomas v. Arn,
474 U.S. 140, 150(1985); United States v. Reyna-Tapia,
328 F.3d 1114, 1121(9th Cir. 2003). I nonetheless reviewed Judge Koppe’s R&R de novo and agree with her findings; the complaint is bereft of any details or allegations that would support this court’s exercise of jurisdiction over 4|| the matter. Because Morton fails to meet her jurisdictional burden, this court cannot exercise 5}| “judicial [p]ower” over her case. U.S. Const. Art. III, § 2. Thus, for the reasons stated above, I find 6]| that the R@R is not clearly erroneous or contrary to law. 7 Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 15 states that “the court should freely give leave [to amend pleadings] when justice so requires.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 15(a)(2). “Unless it is absolutely clear 9} that no amendment can cure the defect... a pro se litigant is entitled to notice of the complaint’s deficiencies and an opportunity to amend prior to dismissal of the action.” Garity v. APWU Nat'l Labor Org.,
828 F.3d 848, 854(9th Cir. 2016) (quoting Lucas v. Dep’t of Corr.,
66 F.3d 245, 248(9th Cir. 1995)). Here, I find that no amendment can cure the defects in Morton’s pleading, given that she has already been afforded an opportunity to amend and the amended 14] complaint only sets forth state-law claims for relief, and the amount of alleged damages is 15]| significantly below the amount-in-controversy requirement. Thus, amendment would thus be 16]| futile. 17 Conclusion 18 IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that Magistrate Judge Koppe’s Report and Recommendation [ECF No. 10] is ADOPTED in its entirety. This case is dismissed with 20]| prejudice. The Clerk of Court is instructed to enter judgment accordingly and CLOSE THIS CASE. 22 DATED: August 18, 2023 / } 23 Lf 54 Bm 35 Unite States District Judge 26
Reference
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