Opinion
No. CIV S-09-0436 DAD P.
March 18, 2009
ORDER
Plaintiff, a state prisoner proceeding pro se, has filed a civil rights action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983, together with a request to proceed in forma pauperis. In light of 1996 amendments to 28 U.S.C. § 1915, this court will not rule on plaintiff's request to proceed in forma pauperis.
The federal venue statute requires that a civil action, other than one based on diversity jurisdiction, be brought only in "(1) a judicial district where any defendant resides, if all defendants reside in the same State, (2) a judicial district in which a substantial part of the events or omissions giving rise to the claim occurred, or a substantial part of property that is the subject of the action is situated, or (3) a judicial district in which any defendant may be found, if there is no district in which the action may otherwise be brought." 28 U.S.C. § 1391(b).
In this case, plaintiff complains about conditions of confinement at California State Prison, Corcoran, which is located in Kings County. Kings County is in an area embraced by the Fresno Division of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California.
Pursuant to Local Rule 3-120(f), a civil action which has not been commenced in the proper division of a court may, on the court's own motion, be transferred to the proper division of the court. Therefore, this action will be transferred to the Fresno Division of the court. This court will not rule on plaintiff's request to proceed in forma pauperis.
Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:
1. This court has not ruled on plaintiff's request to proceed in forma pauperis; and
2. This action is transferred to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California sitting in Fresno; and
3. All future filings shall reference the new Fresno case number assigned and shall be filed at:
United States District Court
Eastern District of California
2500 Tulare Street
Fresno, CA 93721