Harris v. US State Military ( 2011 )

FILED
SEP 1§ 2011
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT cC/erk, u.s. District & Bankruptcy
FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA ourts for the District of Columbia
VERONICA HARRIS, )
)
Plaintiff, )
)
v. ) Civil Action No. i1
)
U.S. MILITARY, et a!., )
)
Defendants. )
MEMORANDUM OPINION
This matter comes before the court on review of plaintiff s application to proceed in
forma pauperis and pro se civil complaint. The court will grant the application, and dismiss the
complaint.
The Court has reviewed plaintiff s complaint, keeping in mind that complaints filed by
pro se litigants are held to less stringent standards than those applied to formal pleadings drafted
by lawyers. See Haines v. Kerner, 404 U.S. 519, 520 (1972). Even pro se litigants, however,
must comply with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Jarrell v. Tisch, 656 F. Supp. 237, 239
(D.D.C. 1987). Rule 8(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure requires that a complaint
contain a short and plain statement of the grounds upon which the court's jurisdiction depends, a
short and plain statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief, and a demand
for judgment for the relief the pleader seeks. Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a). The purpose of the minimum
standard of Rule 8 is to give fair notice to the defendants of the claim being asserted, sufficient to
prepare a responsive answer, to prepare an adequate defense and to determine whether the
1
3
doctrine of res judicata applies. Brown v. Califano, 75 F.R.D. 497, 498 (D.D.C. 1977).
Plaintiff alleges that she has been "threaten[ed] and assau1t[ed] by P.G. Police office[rs,] .
. . hazed by U.S. State Military," and subjected to tear gas coming "through air vents when
staying at [her] grandmother['s] house." Compl. at 1. She neither states a claim showing her
entitlement to relief nor demands any particular relief. As drafted, the complaint fails to give fair
notice to the defendants of the claims asserted against them. The complaint fails to comply with
Rule 8(a), and, therefore, it will be dismissed.
An Order consistent with this Memorandum Opinion is issued separately.
2