Smallwood v. United States of America, No. 1:2014cv00115 - Document 4 (N.D. Ohio 2014)

Court Description: Memorandum Opinion and Order dismissing this action under section 1915A. Further, the court certifies, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(3), that an appeal from this decision could not be taken in good faith. Judge Dan A. Polster(C,KA)

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Smallwood v. United States of America Doc. 4 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT NORTHERN DISTRICT OF OHIO ROBERT SMALLWOOD, Plaintiff, v. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Defendants. ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) CASE NO. 1:14 CV 115 JUDGE DAN AARON POLSTER MEMORANDUM OF OPINION AND ORDER On January 17, 2014, plaintiff pro se Robert Smallwood, an inmate at Federal Correctional Institution at Victorsville, filed this civil rights action against the United States of America. The complaint challenges plaintiff’s conviction in this court - for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance1 - on the ground that the court lacked jurisdiction over his prosecution. For the reasons stated below, this action is dismissed pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915A. A district court is expressly required to dismiss any civil action filed by a prisoner seeking relief from a governmental officer or entity, as soon as possible after docketing, if the court concludes that the complaint fails to state a claim upon which relief may be granted, or if the plaintiff seeks monetary relief from a defendant who is immune from such relief. 28 U.S.C. §1915A; Siller v. Dean, No. 99-5323, 2000 WL 145167 , at *2 (6th Cir. Feb. 1, 2000). Principles requiring generous construction of pro se pleadings are not without limits. 1 See U.S. v. Smallwood, N.D. Ohio Case No. 1:05 CR 327. Dockets.Justia.com Beaudett v. City of Hampton, 775 F.2d 1274, 1277 (4th Cir. 1985). A complaint must contain either direct or inferential allegations respecting all the material elements of some viable legal theory to satisfy federal notice pleading requirements. See Schied v. Fanny Farmer Candy Shops, Inc., 859 F.2d 434, 437 (6th Cir. 1988). District courts are not required to conjure up questions never squarely presented to them or to construct full blown claims from sentence fragments. Beaudette, 775 F.2d at 1278. To do so would "require ...[the courts] to explore exhaustively all potential claims of a pro se plaintiff, ... [and] would...transform the district court from its legitimate advisory role to the improper role of an advocate seeking out the strongest arguments and most successful strategies for a party." Id. Even liberally construed, the complaint does not contain allegations reasonably suggesting plaintiff might have a valid federal claim. See, Lillard v. Shelby County Bd. of Educ,, 76 F.3d 716 (6th Cir. 1996)(court not required to accept summary allegations or unwarranted legal conclusions in determining whether complaint states a claim for relief). The Supreme Court has held that, when a prisoner challenges "the very fact or duration of his physical imprisonment, ... his sole federal remedy is a writ of habeas corpus." Preiser v. Rodriguez, 411 U.S. 475, 501 (1973). Further, absent allegations that criminal proceedings terminated in plaintiff's favor or that a conviction stemming from the asserted violation of his rights was reversed, expunged by executive order, declared invalid by a state tribunal, or called into question by a federal court's issuance of a writ of habeas corpus, he may not recover damages for his claim. Heck v. Humphrey, 512 U.S. 477, 487 (1994). Accordingly, this action is dismissed under section 1915A. Further, the court certifies, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(3), that an appeal from this decision could not be taken in good faith. IT IS SO ORDERED. /s/Dan Aaron Polster 3/12/14 DAN AARON POLSTER UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE 2

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