Kenan v. John and Jim Doe

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK JAMES KENAN, Plaintiff, 25-CV-0098 (LTS) -against- ORDER DIRECTING SIGNATURE JOHN AND JIM DOE, CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS; JOHN DOE, RIKERS ISLAND CORRECTIONAL OFFICER, Defendant.

LAURA TAYLOR SWAIN, Chief United States District Judge: Plaintiff brings this action pro se.1 Plaintiff submitted the complaint without a signature.

Rule 11(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure provides that “[e]very pleading, written motion, and other paper must be signed by at least one attorney of record in the attorney’s name – or by a party personally if the party is unrepresented.” See also Local Civil Rule 11.1(a). The Supreme Court has interpreted Rule 11(a) to require “as it did in John Hancock’s day, a name handwritten (or a mark handplaced).” Becker v. Montgomery, 532 U.S. 757, 764 (2001).

Plaintiff is directed to submit the signature page of the complaint with an original signature to the Court within 30 days of the date of this order. A copy of the signature page is attached to this order.

No summons shall issue at this time. If Plaintiff complies with this order, the case shall be processed in accordance with the procedures of the Clerk’s Office. If Plaintiff fails to comply with this order within the time allowed, the action will be dismissed.

1 Plaintiff originally filed this action in the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York. See Kenan v. Doe, No. 9:24-CV-1451 (N.D.N.Y. Jan. 2, 2025). By order dated January 2, 2025, the Northern District transferred this action to the court. (ECF 3.)

The Court certifies under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(3) that any appeal from this order would not be taken in good faith, and therefore in forma pauperis status is denied for the purpose of an appeal. Cf. Coppedge v. United States, 369 U.S. 438, 444–45 (1962) (holding that appellant demonstrates good faith when seeking review of a nonfrivolous issue).

SO ORDERED.

Dated: January 14, 2025 New York, New York /s/ Laura Taylor Swain LAURA TAYLOR SWAIN Chief United States District Judge