FILED
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
SEP 2 1 2012
FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Clerk, u.s. District &Bankruptc~
Courts for the Distritt of Columbta
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Ellenie Tsige, )
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Plaintiff, )
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v. )
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Civil Action No. 12 1568
KIPP DC PCS-Will, )
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Defendant. )
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MEMORANDUM OPINION
This matter is before the Court on plaintiffs prose complaint and application to proceed
in forma pauperis. The Court will grant plaintiffs application and dismiss the complaint for lack
of subject matter jurisdiction.
The subject matter jurisdiction of the federal district courts is limited and is set forth
generally at 28 U.S.C. §§ 1331 and 1332. Under those statutes, federal jurisdiction is available
only when a "federal question" is presented or the parties are of diverse citizenship and the
amount in controversy exceeds $75,000. A party seeking relief in the district court must at least
plead facts that bring the suit within the court's jurisdiction. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a). Failure to
plead such facts warrants dismissal ofthe action. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(h)(3).
Plaintiff is a District of Columbia resident suing a school in the District for decisions
made about her son. She seeks an "investigation as well [as] justification." Compl. at 4. The
complaint neither presents a federal question nor provides a basis for diversity jurisdiction.
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Presumably, plaintiffs recourse lies in the Superior Court ofthe District of Columbia. A
separate Order of dismissal accompanies this Memorandum Opinion.
DATE: September _1]_, 2012
2/L~ j hJ L)(()Lc_
United States District Judge
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