U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, 2017

Johnny Andoe v. Donald Trump

Johnny Andoe v. Donald Trump
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit · Decided July 18, 2017 · Canby, Kozinski, Hawkins
694 F. App'x 524

Johnny Andoe v. Donald Trump

Opinion

MEMORANDUM ****

Johnny R. Andoe, an Idaho state prisoner, appeals pro se from the district court’s judgment dismissing his action brought under Bivens v. Six Unknown Named Agents of Federal Bureau of Narcotics, 403 U.S. 388, 91 S.Ct. 1999, 29 L.Ed.2d 619 (1971), challenging the constitutionality, of various federal and state laws. We have jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1291. We review de novo. Hamilton v. Brown, 630 F.3d 889, 892 (9th Cir. 2011) (dismissal under 28 U.S.C. § 1915A); Barren v. Harrington, 152 F.3d 1193, 1194 (9th Cir. 1998) (order) (dismissal under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B)(ii)). We reverse and remand.

The district court dismissed Andoe’s action on the basis that it was barred by Heck v. Humphrey, 512 U.S. 477, 114 S.Ct. 2364, 129 L.Ed.2d 383 (1994). However, we note that none of the statutes cited in the complaint are relevant to An-doe’s criminal conviction or term of confinement. Thus, success on the merits of Andoe’s constitutional challenge would not necessarily imply the invalidity of his conviction or sentence. See id. at 487, 114 S.Ct. 2364 (explaining that if “& judgment *525 in favor of the plaintiff would necessarily imply the invalidity of his conviction or sentence ... the complaint must be dismissed unless the plaintiff can demonstrate that the conviction or sentence has already been invalidated”)- We reverse the judgment, and remand for the district court to consider the merits of Andoe’s claims in the first instance, and to determine whether leave to amend would be appropriate. See Lucas v. Dep’t of Corr., 66 F.3d 245, 248 (9th Cir. 1995) (“[A] pro se litigant is entitled to notice of the complaint’s deficiencies and an opportunity to amend prior to dismissal of the action.”).

REVERSED and REMANDED.

****

This disposition is not appropriate for publication and is not precedent except as provided by Ninth Circuit Rule 36-3.

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