Jane Doe v. Dolan ( 2024 )

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK JANE DOE, 23-CV-10521 (LTS) Plaintiff, ORDER DIRECTING ORIGINAL -against- SIGNATURE, PAYMENT OF FEES OR IFP APPLICATION, AND MOTION TO JAMES DOLAN, et al., PROCEED ANONYMOUSLY Defendants. LAURA TAYLOR SWAIN, Chief United States District Judge: Plaintiff brings this action pro se. 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). In addition, to proceed with a civil action in this Court, a plaintiff must either pay $402.00 in fees – a $350.00 filing fee plus a $52.00 administrative fee – or, to request to proceed in forma pauperis (“IFP”), that is, without prepayment of the filing fees, submit a signed IFP application.1 See 28 U.S.C. §§ 1914, 1915. Plaintiff submitted the complaint without an original signature and without the filing fees or an IFP application. Plaintiff also filed this action as Jane Doe, without including her true name. The Court therefore construes the action as also including a request to proceed anonymously. The Court cannot, however, rule on Plaintiff’s request to proceed anonymously 1 Plaintiff filed this action prior to December 1, 2023, when the administrative fee increased to $55.00. without a motion in Plaintiff’s true name stating the reasons for the need to proceed anonymously, her signature on the complaint, and a completed and signed IFP application or payment of the fees. By order dated December 28, 2023, the Court directed Plaintiff to: (1) resubmit the signature page of the complaint with an original signature; (2) either pay the $402.00 in fees or submit a completed and signed IFP application; and (3) submit a motion to proceed anonymously. (ECF No. 2.) The Court advised Plaintiff that all submissions must be completed using her true name. (Id.) In response to the Court’s order, Plaintiff submitted the signature page of her complaint, signed by “Jane Doe,” (ECF No. 3), an IFP application that is unsigned, (ECF No. 4), and a motion to proceed anonymously that does not state Plaintiff’s reasons for the need to proceed anonymously, but the motion appears to provide a version of her true name, (ECF No. 5.)2 Plaintiff’s submissions do not comply with the Court’s December 28, 2023 order, which advised Plaintiff that if she failed to comply with the order within the time allowed, the action would be dismissed. In an abundance of caution, the Court grants Plaintiff an additional thirty days to comply. Within thirty days of the date of this order, Plaintiff is directed to resubmit to the court the signature page of the complaint with an original signature, using Plaintiff’s true name. Plaintiff is further directed to either pay the $402.00 in fees or submit a completed and signed amended IFP application. If Plaintiff submits an amended IFP application and a motion to proceed anonymously, these submissions must be completed and signed using Plaintiff’s true name, and 2 Plaintiff’s motion is captioned for the Supreme Court of the State of New York. they should be labeled with docket number 23-CV-10521 (LTS).3 A copy of the signature page of the complaint, a motion guide and form, and an amended IFP application are 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. 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 IFP 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: July 2, 2024 New York, New York /s/ Laura Taylor Swain LAURA TAYLOR SWAIN Chief United States District Judge 3 Access to documents revealing Plaintiff’s true name will be limited to court view only. The relief sought is $50 million or an amount to be determined at trial, for inter alia physical injury, economic and compensatory damages, punitive damages, attorney's fees and costs, pain suffering, harassment, sexual assault and professional losses together with any such other and further relief as this Court deems just and proper Venue is proper as a substantial part of the events and omissions giving rise to Plaintiffs claims too place in New York County. Plaintiff designates NEW YORK COUNTY as the place of trial by jury Filed on November 24, 2023 in New York, NY FILED in NEW YORK SUPREME COURT in NYC 500 Pearl St, New York, NY 10007 on November 24, 2023 Respectfully submitted by Plaintiff, Pro Se (Address Withheld from Public) See attachment “| Stef \\ United States District Court A .| Southern District of New York This guide is intended to be a summary of basic procedures for motion practice. The statements in this guide do not constitute legal advice and may not be cited as legal authority. This guide does not take the place of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, this court’s Local Civil Rules, or the individual rules of practice and orders of the judges of this court. Parties using this guide remain responsible for complying with all applicable rules of procedure. Introduction to Motions What is a motion? e A motion is a formal way for a party to ask the court to do something. Generally, any time a party wants the court to do something in a case, that party must make a motion. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 7(b). Some types of motions — the types most often made in cases involving litigants without lawyers — are discussed in this packet. What is a dispositive motion? e A “dispositive” motion means that if the court grants the motion, judgment will be entered with respect to certain claims or defenses, or even with respect to the entire case. Dispositive motions include motions to dismiss and motions for summary judgment. e Other types of motions, such as a motion to amend the complaint or a motion for an extension of time, are “nondispositive,” which means that the decision on the motion will not ordinarily result in judgment or dismissal of any part of the case. What are the steps for making a motion? e Motions must be made in writing, except for those made during a hearing or a trial. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 7(b). o First, the party who makes the motion (called the “moving party” or “movant”) files the motion, explaining what the moving party wants the court to do and why the court should do it. o Second, the opposing party files papers opposing the motion, explaining why the court should not grant the motion. 500 PEARL STREET | NEw York, NY 10007 300 QUARROPAS STREET | WHITE PLAINS, NY 10601 United States District Court, S.D.N.Y. Wed) Motions Page 2 o Third, the moving party may file reply papers responding to the arguments made in the opposition papers. At that point, neither side may file any more documents related to the motion without permission from the court. Will there be oral argument on the motion? e After all of the motion papers are filed, the court will typically decide the motion based solely on the arguments in the papers. In some cases, the court may schedule a conference where each side appears in the courtroom and states their arguments in person (this is called “oral argument”). e Ineither case, the court may decide the motion either in a written decision or by announcing the decision in the courtroom during a conference. How do I file and serve motion papers? e Unless you have applied for and received permission to file your documents electronically, you should mail or deliver all papers to the Pro Se Intake Unit. The Clerk’s Office will scan and docket your papers, and if the other parties have lawyers, they will be served with your papers electronically. e If any other parties do not have lawyers, you must serve those parties with paper copies of your documents. When will the court decide the motion? e Given how many cases each judge is assigned, it may take a while before the court decides a motion. Making a Motion How do I make a motion? e First, you must determine the legal basis for bringing the motion. Some of the most common types of motions brought by plaintiffs without lawyers are motions for extensions of time, motions to compel compliance with discovery requests, and motions to amend a complaint. e Second, you must check the Local Civil Rules and the judge’s individual rules of practice to determine whether you are required to request a conference or take some other step before making your motion. If, for example, you would like to make a motion concerning a discovery issue, you must first write a letter to the judge. See Local Civil Rule 37.2. In some cases, a formal motion is not required, and you may make a motion simply by writing a letter. e Third, you must draft your motion papers, which are described next. United States District Court, S.D.N.Y. WEY) Motions Page 3 What documents do I need to file to make a motion? e Under Local Civil Rule 7.1, unless the court makes an exception, all motions must include the following motion papers:! o Notice of Motion: This notice (usually just one page) specifies (1) the rules or statutes under which the party is bringing the motion, and (2) what the party is asking the court to do. A Notice of Motion form is attached to this guide. o Memorandum of Law: The memorandum of law describes the cases, other authorities, and arguments that support the party’s position. This is often referred to as a “brief.” o Declaration: A declaration (sometimes called an “affirmation”) is a statement made under penalty of perjury that contains factual information relevant to the motion. The declaration may also include attached exhibits. A declaration is only required if factual information is necessary for the court to decide the motion. e All motion papers must include a caption, the docket number, and the initials of the district judge and any magistrate judge before whom the case is pending, and have the name, address, telephone number, and email address (if available) of each person signing it clearly printed or typed below the signature. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 7, 10, 11; Local Civil Rule 11.1. Motion papers should also include a title next to or below the caption; for example, “Notice of Motion for Extension of Time” or “Declaration in Support of Motion to Dismiss.” (Local Civil Rule 11.1 describes other formatting requirements for typewritten motions.) e Certain types of motions may be made by letter. Check the Local Civil Rules and the individual rules of practice of the judge. e If you are the one who made the motion, you are entitled to file a reply, responding to arguments that the other side made in its opposition papers. Unless the judge set a different schedule or includes different deadlines in his or her individual rules of practice, a reply is generally due seven days after the opposition is served. Your reply should consist of a memorandum of law or declaration (or both). ! The Clerk of Court will not refuse to accept your papers simply because they do not exactly comply with these rules. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 5(d). United States District Court, S.D.N.Y. WEY) Motions Page 4 Opposing Motions How much time do I have to oppose a motion? e Unless otherwise ordered by the judge or specified in the judge’s individual rules of practice, opposition to most motions must be filed within 14 calendar days after you are served with the motion papers. Check Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 6 and Local Civil Rule 6.1, as well as the judge’s individual rules of practice, if you are unsure how much time you have to respond to a motion. e If you need additional time to meet a motion deadline, you should ask the party who made the motion for an extension of time. If that party agrees, you and that party can submit the agreement to the court to get its approval of the proposed schedule. If that party does not agree, you may write a letter to the judge asking for an extension of time. What documents do I need to file to oppose a motion? e Unless the court makes an exception, you will need to file a memorandum of law to oppose a motion. In your memorandum of law, you will describe the cases, other authorities, and arguments that support your position that the motion should not be granted. e If factual information is necessary for the court to decide the motion (if, for example, the defendant has moved for summary judgment), you may also need to submit one or more declarations. You may attach additional evidence as exhibits to the declarations. e After you file your opposition, the party who made the motion may file a reply. You cannot “oppose” or respond to reply papers without permission from the court. Motions to Dismiss (Rule 12) e Ina motion to dismiss, the defendant argues that, even if everything you allege in your complaint is true, there are legal defects that require the court to dismiss your complaint (for example, the allegations in your complaint do not state a constitutional violation). See Rules 12(b) and 12(c) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. e The defendant may move to dismiss before filing an answer (under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)) or after (under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(c)). United States District Court, S.D.N.Y. Wed) Motions Page 5 e Ifyou need to add facts to your complaint to oppose the motion to dismiss, you should describe the additional facts in a proposed amended complaint and submit that document with your memorandum of law. Motions for Summary Judgment (Rule 56) e motion for summary judgment, a party (usually, but not always, a defendant) argues that the court should decide the case without a trial, because the undisputed facts show that the other party is not entitled to a verdict in that other party’s favor. See Rule 56 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. e With some exceptions, motions for summary judgment are normally made after discovery has concluded. e To successfully oppose a motion for summary judgment, you need to present the evidence, through declarations or exhibits, that demonstrates that there are disputes over important facts and therefore a trial is needed. e In addition to the other documents required to make a motion, a party’s motion for summary judgment must include a statement in the form required by Local Civil Rule 56.1 (a 56.1 statement). e Inthe 56.1 statement, the moving party must list, in individually numbered paragraphs, important facts that the party argues are not in dispute. e To oppose a motion for summary judgment, in addition to a memorandum of law, you must submit your own statement responding to the other party’s 56.1 statement. o paragraphs numbered to correspond with the other party’s 56.1 statement, you must state whether you agree or disagree with each factual statement. o If you agree with the statement, you may just write “agree” as to the particular numbered paragraph. o Ifyou disagree with the statement, you must identify evidence that supports your version of the facts. You may cite to your own sworn statement (such as a declaration made under penalty of perjury), deposition testimony, witness affidavits, or other documents as evidence to demonstrate that there is a dispute concerning that statement of fact. All of this evidence must be submitted to the court. You may do this by filing a declaration signed under penalty of perjury, to which each piece of evidence is attached as a separate exhibit. o For example, if the defendant states: “1. The light was green when defendant entered the intersection,” the plaintiff can either write: “1. Agree.” or something like: “1. Disagree. The light was red when the defendant entered the intersection. See Police Accident Report, attached to plaintiff's declaration as Exhibit A.” United States District Court, S.D.N.Y. WEY) Motions Page 6 e Ifyou do not respond to the other party’s 56.1 statement, or if you do not respond to a particular paragraph, the court may consider the opposing party’s factual statement to be true. e If you believe that you need access to additional information to oppose the motion, you must file a declaration stating what information you need and why you need it to oppose the motion. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(d). Usually, filing such a declaration is appropriate only if the motion was made before discovery ended. UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK Write the full name of each plaintiff or petitioner. Case No. CV -against- NOTICE OF MOTION Write the full name of each defendant or respondent. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that plaintiff or defendant name of party who is making the motion requests that the Court: Briefly describe what you want the court to do. You should also include the Federal Rule(s) of Civil Procedure or the statute under which you are making the motion, if you know. In support of this motion, I submit the following documents (check all that apply): ☐ a memorandum of law ☐ my own declaration, affirmation, or affidavit ☐ the following additional documents: Dated Signature Name Prison Identification # (if incarcerated) Address City State Zip Code Telephone Number (if available) E-mail Address (if available) UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK Fill in above the full name of each plaintiff or petitioner. Case No. CV -against- Fill in above the full name of each defendant or respondent. DECLARATION Briefly explain above the purpose of the declaration, for example, “in Opposition to Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment.” I, , declare under penalty of perjury that the following facts are true and correct: In the space below, describe any facts that are relevant to the motion or that respond to a court order. You may also refer to and attach any relevant documents. Attach additional pages and documents if necessary. Executed on (date) Signature Name Prison Identification # (if incarcerated) Address City State Zip Code Telephone Number (if available) E-mail Address (if available) UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK (full name of the plaintiff or petitioner applying (each person must submit a separate application)) CV ( ) ( ) -against- (Provide docket number, if available; if filing this with your complaint, you will not yet have a docket number.) (full name(s) of the defendant(s)/respondent(s)) AMENDED APPLICATION TO PROCEED WITHOUT PREPAYING FEES OR COSTS I am a plaintiff/petitioner in this case and declare that I am unable to pay the costs of these proceedings and I believe that I am entitled to the relief requested in this action. In support of this application to proceed in forma pauperis (IFP) (without prepaying fees or costs), I declare that the responses below are true: 1. Are you incarcerated? Yes No (If “No,” go to Question 2.) I am being held at: Do you receive any payment from this institution? Yes No Monthly amount: If I am a prisoner, see 28 U.S.C. § 1915(h), I have attached to this document a “Prisoner Authorization” directing the facility where I am incarcerated to deduct the filing fee from my account in installments and to send to the Court certified copies of my account statements for the past six months. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(2), (b). I understand that this means that I will be required to pay the full filing fee. 2. Are you presently employed? Yes No If “yes,” my employer’s name and address are: Gross monthly pay or wages: If “no,” what was your last date of employment? Gross monthly wages at the time: 3. In addition to your income stated above (which you should not repeat here), have you or anyone else living at the same residence as you received more than $200 in the past 12 months from any of the following sources? Check all that apply. (a) Business, profession, or other self-employment Yes No (b) Rent payments, interest, or dividends Yes No (c) Pension, annuity, or life insurance payments Yes No (d) Disability or worker’s compensation payments Yes No (e) Gifts or inheritances Yes No (f) Any other public benefits (unemployment, social security, Yes No food stamps, veteran’s, etc.) (g) Any other sources Yes No If you answered “Yes” to any question above, describe below or on separate pages each source of money and state the amount that you received and what you expect to receive in the future. If you answered “No” to all of the questions above, explain how you are paying your expenses: 4. How much money do you have in cash or in a checking, savings, or inmate account? 5. Do you own any automobile, real estate, stock, bond, security, trust, jewelry, art work, or other financial instrument or thing of value, including any item of value held in someone else’s name? If so, describe the property and its approximate value: 6. Do you have any housing, transportation, utilities, or loan payments, or other regular monthly expenses? If so, describe and provide the amount of the monthly expense: 7. List all people who are dependent on you for support, your relationship with each person, and how much you contribute to their support (only provide initials for minors under 18): 8. Do you have any debts or financial obligations not described above? If so, describe the amounts owed and to whom they are payable: Declaration: I declare under penalty of perjury that the above information is true. I understand that a false statement may result in a dismissal of my claims. Dated Signature Name (Last, First, MI) Prison Identification # (if incarcerated) Address City State Zip Code Telephone Number E-mail Address (if available)