Connor v. People of the City

FILED
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
OCT - 6 2010
FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Clerk, U.S. District & Bankruptc¥
Courts for the District of ColumbIa
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Chelo D. Connor, )
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Plaintiff, )
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v. )
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Civil Action No.
10 1711
People of the City, )
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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 of Rule 8(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
Pro se 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) of the Federal Rules of Civil 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).
Plaintiff, who apparently is homeless, has submitted a lengthy un-paginated narrative that
identifies no particular defendant and states no cognizable claim. A separate Order of dismissal
accompanies this Memorandum Opinion.
f2/Lu J !I~
United States District Judge
Date: _-----''--/--==---_, 2010
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