(PC) Silva v. Perez, et al., No. 1:2014cv01462 - Document 9 (E.D. Cal. 2014)

Court Description: FINDINGS and RECOMMENDATIONS recommending that this Action be DISMISSED Without Prejudice for Failure to Obey a Court Order, Failure to File Application to Proceed In Forma Pauperis and Failure to Pay Filing Fee re 1 Prisoner Civil Rights Complaint signed by Magistrate Judge Michael J. Seng on 12/19/2014. Referred to Judge Ishii. Objections to F&R due within fourteen (14) days. (Jessen, A)

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 9 EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 10 11 LOUIS ADOLFO SILVA, 12 Plaintiff, 13 14 15 v. SGT. PEREZ, et al., Defendants. 16 CASE NO. 1:14-cv-01462-MJS (PC) FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATION TO DISMISS ACTION WITHOUT PREJUDICE FOR FAILURE TO OBEY A COURT ORDER, FAILURE TO FILE APPLICATION TO PROCEED IN FORMA PAUPERIS, AND FAILURE TO PAY FILING FEE (ECF No. 6) 17 FOURTEEN (14) DAY OBJECTION DEADLINE 18 19 20 21 Plaintiff is a state prisoner proceeding pro se in a civil rights action brought pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. 22 On September 23, 2014, the Court ordered Plaintiff to submit a completed and 23 signed application to proceed in forma pauperis, or in the alternative to pay the $400.00 24 filing fee for this action within forty-five days. (ECF No. 3.) The deadline passed without 25 Plaintiff filing an application to proceed in forma pauperis, paying the $400 filing fee, or 26 seeking an extension of time to do so. On November 24, 2014, the Court ordered 27 Plaintiff to show cause why the action should not be dismissed for failure to obey the 28 Court’s order. (ECF No. 6.) Plaintiff did not respond to the order to show cause. 1 Local Rule 110 provides that “failure of counsel or of a party to comply with these 2 Rules or with any order of the Court may be grounds for imposition by the Court of any 3 and all sanctions . . . within the inherent power of the Court.” District courts have the 4 inherent power to control their dockets and “in the exercise of that power, they may 5 impose sanctions including, where appropriate . . . dismissal of a case.” Thompson v. 6 Housing Auth., 782 F.2d 829, 831 (9th Cir. 1986). A court may dismiss an action based 7 on a party’s failure to prosecute, failure to obey a court order, or failure to comply with 8 local rules. See, e.g., Ghazali v. Moran, 46 F.3d 52, 53-54 (9th Cir. 1995) (dismissal for 9 noncompliance with local rule); Ferdik v. Bonzelet, 963 F.2d 1258, 1260-61 (9th Cir. 10 1992) (dismissal for failure to comply with an order requiring amendment of a complaint); 11 Carey v. King, 856 F.2d 1439, 1440-41 (9th Cir. 1988) (dismissal for failure to comply 12 with local rule requiring pro se plaintiffs to keep court apprised of address); Malone v. 13 U.S. Postal Service, 833 F.2d 128, 130 (9th Cir. 1987) (dismissal for failure to comply 14 with a court order); Henderson v. Duncan, 779 F.2d 1421, 1424 (9th Cir. 1986) 15 (dismissal for lack of prosecution and failure to comply with local rules). 16 In determining whether to dismiss an action for lack of prosecution, failure to obey 17 a court order, or failure to comply with local rules, the Court must consider several 18 factors: (1) the public’s interest in expeditious resolution of litigation, (2) the Court’s need 19 to manage its docket, (3) the risk of prejudice to the defendants, (4) the public policy 20 favoring disposition of cases on their merits, and (5) the availability of less drastic 21 alternatives. Thompson, 782 F.2d at 831; Henderson, 779 F.2d at 1423-24; Malone, 833 22 F.2d at 130; Ferdik, 963 F.2d at 1260-61; Ghazali, 46 F.3d at 53. 23 In the instant case, the public’s interest in expeditiously resolving this litigation 24 and the Court’s interest in managing its docket weigh in favor of dismissal. The third 25 factor, risk of prejudice to Defendants, also weighs in favor of dismissal, since a 26 presumption of injury arises from the occurrence of unreasonable delay in prosecuting 27 this action. Anderson v. Air West, 542 F.2d 522, 524 (9th Cir. 1976). The fourth factor – 28 public policy favoring disposition of cases on their merits – is greatly outweighed by the 2 1 factors in favor of dismissal discussed herein. Finally, as for the availability of lesser 2 sanctions, at this stage in the proceedings there is little available which would constitute 3 a satisfactory lesser sanction while preserving scarce Court resources. Plaintiff has not 4 paid the filing fee for this action and is likely unable to pay, making monetary sanctions 5 of little use. 6 Plaintiff has failed to comply with the Court’s order that he file an application to 7 proceed in forma pauperis or pay the applicable filing fee. Accordingly, it is HEREBY 8 RECOMMENDED THAT this action be DISMISSED without prejudice. 9 These findings and recommendation are submitted to the United States District 10 Judge assigned to the case, pursuant to the provisions of 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1). Within 11 fourteen (14) days after being served with these Findings and Recommendations, any 12 party may file written objections with the Court and serve a copy on all parties. Such a 13 document should be captioned “Objections to Magistrate Judge’s Findings and 14 Recommendations.” Any reply to the objections shall be served and filed within fourteen 15 (14) days after service of the objections. The parties are advised that failure to file 16 objections within the specified time may result in the waiver of rights on appeal. 17 Wilkerson v. Wheeler, __ F.3d __, __, No. 11-17911, 2014 WL 6435497, at *3 (9th Cir. 18 Nov. 18, 2014) (citing Baxter v. Sullivan, 923 F.2d 1391, 1394 (9th Cir. 1991)). 19 20 21 IT IS SO ORDERED. Dated: December 19, 2014 /s/ 22 Michael J. Seng UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE 23 24 25 26 27 28 3

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