Opinion
Civil Action No. 18-736 (UNA)
09-13-2018
Kerrith Duvall, Plaintiff, v. United States of America et al., Defendants.
MEMORANDUM OPINION
This matter is before the Court on its initial review of plaintiff Kerrith Duvall's motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis and pro se complaint. 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).
This action against the United States and the State of Oklahoma is captioned: "Multiple-Jurisdictional Civil Action For Enforcement of Rights; Declaratory and Injunctive Relief; for Violations of United Nations Resolutions, International Law, Human Rights, and Refusal to Protect Federal Rights" [Dkt. # 1]. The complaint, such as it is, consists of random statements and an inexplicable list of federal statutes. Because the complaint sorely fails to provide notice of a claim, it will be dismissed. A separate order accompanies this Memorandum Opinion.
/s/_________
CHRISTOPHER R. COOPER
United States District Judge Date: September 13, 2018