FEREBEE v. UNITED STATES POST OFFICE, No. 1:2021cv02095 - Document 3 (D.D.C. 2021)
Court Description: MEMORANDUM OPINION. Signed by Judge Emmet G. Sullivan on 08/24/2021. (znmg)
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FEREBEE v. UNITED STATES POST OFFICE Doc. 3 Case 1:21-cv-02095-UNA Document 3 Filed 08/24/21 Page 1 of 3 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA RENEE FEREBEE, Plaintiff, v. UNITED STATES POST OFFICE OF WASHINGTON, D.C., Defendant. ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) FILED AUG. 24, 2021 Clerk, U.S. District & Bankruptcy Court for the District of Columbia Civil Action No. 1:21-cv-02095 (UNA) MEMORANDUM OPINION This matter is before the court on its initial review of plaintiff’s pro se complaint, ECF No. 1, and application for leave to proceed in forma pauperis, ECF No. 2. 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, 556 U.S. 662, 678-79 (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). “A confused and rambling narrative of charges and conclusions . . . does not Dockets.Justia.com Case 1:21-cv-02095-UNA Document 3 Filed 08/24/21 Page 2 of 3 comply with the requirements of Rule 8.” Cheeks v. Fort Myer Constr. Corp., 71 F. Supp. 3d 163, 169 (D.D.C. 2014) (citation and internal quotation marks omitted). Plaintiff, Renee Ferebee, [sic] “the original child of her heavenly, emperious[,]” sues “the United States Post Office of Washington D.C. 20003” and seeks “500 trillion dollars” in damages and other injunctive relief. She also purports to be an “attorney” but provides no identifying information to support this contention. She alleges that various employees at the United States Post Office, located at 600 Pennsylvania Avenue SE, unfairly refused to process her certified mailings. She believes that said employees made unfair assumptions about her competency and literacy, which seemingly escalated into a mutual altercation and denial of services. She believes that this incident was motivated by unspecified discrimination and a broad overarching conspiracy to violate her civil rights, resulting in defamation of her character and obstruction of justice. The remainder of the complaint contains a vague discussion regarding plaintiff’s belief that society as a whole is “inhumane” and “selfish” and plaintiff’s efforts to spread “her wealth” to the District of Columbia “and around the world[.]” The wide-ranging allegations comprising the complaint fail to provide adequate notice of a claim. The complaint also fails to set forth allegations with respect to this court’s jurisdiction over plaintiff’s entitlement to relief or a valid basis for an award of damages as pled. As drafted, the complaint fails to meet the minimum pleading standard set forth in Rule 8(a). Furthermore, plaintiff fails to adequately plead the deprivation of a protected right. The mere suggestion of a federal question is not sufficient to establish the jurisdiction of federal courts.” Johnson v. Robinson, 576 F.3d 522, 522 (D.C. Cir. 2009) (citing Bilal v. Kaplan, 904 F.2d 14, 15 (8th Cir. 1990) (per curiam)). Case 1:21-cv-02095-UNA Document 3 Filed 08/24/21 Page 3 of 3 For all of these reasons, this case is dismissed without prejudice. A separate order accompanies this memorandum opinion. Date: August 24, 2021 /s/______________________ EMMET G. SULLIVAN United States District Judge
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