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`UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
`SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF INDIANA
`TERRE HAUTE DIVISION
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`JAMES A. SMITH,
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`Plaintiff,
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`v.
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`Defendants.
`
`No. 2:19-cv-00257-JPH-MJD
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`RICHARD BROWN Warden Wabash Valley
`Correctional Facility,
`FRANK LITTLEJOHN Assistant Warden Wabash
`Valley Correctional Facility,
`JERRY SNYDER SCV Unit Team Manager,
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`
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`
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`ENTRY ON MOTION TO AMEND COMPLAINT
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`Plaintiff James A. Smith is an inmate at Wabash Valley Correctional Facility. Counsel has
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`appeared on the plaintiff’s behalf and seeks leave to amend the complaint. The motion for leave to
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`amend, dkt. [39], is GRANTED.
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`The amended complaint must be screened pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(c). The amended
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`complaint names 15 defendants. Mr. Smith alleges that he was confined in long-term segregation
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`without due process and under unconstitutional conditions. He alleges violations of his Fourth,
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`Fifth, Eighth, and Fourteenth Amendment rights. He also brings state law tort claims. These claims
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`shall proceed as presented. This screening Entry, however, does not preclude the defendants from
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`filing a motion to dismiss challenging the legal sufficiency of any claims in the amended
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`complaint.
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`The Court dismisses all claims brought against John Doe defendants because “it is
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`pointless to include lists of anonymous defendants in federal court; this type of placeholder does
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`not open the door to relation back under Fed .R. Civ. P. 15, nor can it otherwise help the plaintiff.”
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`1
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`Case 2:19-cv-00257-JPH-MJD Document 40 Filed 04/21/20 Page 2 of 2 PageID #: 296
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`Wudtke v. Davel, 128 F.3d 1057, 1060 (7th Cir. 1997) (internal citations omitted). If Mr. Smith
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`learns the identity of additional defendants in the future, he may file a second motion for leave to
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`amend his complaint.
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`Mr. Smith shall re-file the amended complaint and issue process to the defendants not
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`already served.
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`SO ORDERED.
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`Distribution:
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`Jeffrey R. Cardella
`LAW OFFICE OF JEFF CARDELLA LLC
`jeffcardella@cardellalawoffice.com
`
`Thomas Joseph Flynn
`INDIANA ATTORNEY GENERAL
`tom.flynn@atg.in.gov
`
`Joshua Robert Lowry
`INDIANA ATTORNEY GENERAL
`joshua.lowry@atg.in.gov
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`
`
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`2
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`Date: 4/21/2020
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