Elijah Decole Woods v. Clemens Unit

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS BEAUMONT DIVISION ELIJAH DECOLE WOODS § VS. § CIVIL ACTION NO. 1:26-CV-55 CLEMENS UNIT § MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER Plaintiff Elijah Decole Woods, a prisoner in the custody of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Correctional Institutions Division (TDCJ-CID), proceeding pro se, filed this civil rights action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against the Clemens Unit.

Discussion When, as in this case, jurisdiction is not founded solely on diversity of citizenship, 28 U.S.C. § 1391 provides that venue is proper only in the judicial district where the defendants reside or in which the claim arose. However, under 28 U.S.C. § 1404(a), for the convenience of parties and witnesses and in the interest of justice, a district court may transfer any civil action to any other district where it could have been brought. Such a transfer may be done sua sponte and is reviewable only for an abuse of discretion. Mills v. Beech Aircraft Corp., 886 F.2d 758, 761 (5th Cir. 1989).

Plaintiff’s Complaint concerns events that took place at the Clemens Unit in Brazoria County, which is located in the Galveston Division of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas. The court has considered the circumstances and has determined that the interests of justice would be served if the complaint were transferred to the district in which the claims arose. Therefore, this action should be transferred to the Southern District of Texas. It is accordingly ORDERED that this civil rights action is TRANSFERRED to the Galveston Division of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas.

SIGNED this the 2nd day of March, 2026.

Christine L Stetson UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE