Moorman v. Ciba-Geigy Corporation ( 2012 )

FILED
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT APR 2 3 2012
FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA us 0 .
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Clinton Moorman, )
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Plaintiff, )
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V. ) Civil Action No. 12 0632
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Ciba-Geigy Corp., )
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Defendant. )
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MEMORANDUM OPINION
This matter is before the Court on its initial review of plaintiffs pro se complaint and
application for leave to proceed in forma pauperis. The Court will grant the in forma pauperis
application and dismiss the case because the complaint fails to meet the minimal pleading
requirements ofRule 8(a) ofthe Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
Prose litigants must comply with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Jarrell v. Tisch,
656 F. Supp. 237,239 (D.D.C. 1987). Rule 8(a) ofthe Federal Rules ofCivil Procedure requires
complaints to contain"( 1) a short and plain statement of the grounds for the court's jurisdiction
[and] (2) a short and plain statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief."
Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a); see Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 129 S.Ct. 1937, 1950 (2009); Ciralsky v. CIA, 355
F.3d 661,668-71 (D.C. Cir. 2004). The Rule 8 standard ensures that defendants receive fair
notice of the claim being asserted so that they can prepare a responsive answer and an adequate
defense and determine whether the doctrine of res judicata applies. Brown v. Califano, 75
F.R.D. 497,498 (D.D.C. 1977).
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Plaintiff is a resident of Orlando, Florida, suing a corporation. The complaint consists
mostly of incoherent scribble and disjointed phrases, but plaintiff accuses defendant of attempted
murder, "conspiracy to racial [sic] profile, discriminate and defraud me of my civil rights,"
invasion of privacy, and numerous other misdeeds. Compl. at 15-16. The complaint is devoid of
supporting facts and, therefore, fails to provide adequate notice of a claim. Furthermore, the
basis of federal court jurisdiction is neither stated nor discerned. A separate Order of dismissal
accompanies this Memorandum Opinion.
---q:,
Date: April _i!L_, 2012
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