FILED
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT JUN- 7 2012
FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Clerk, U.S. District & B
Courts for the Oist . ankruptcy
net ot Columbia
LEONA COSBY, )
)
Plaintiff, )
)
V. ) Civil Action No. 12 0926
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PEOPLE'S CANCEL OF THE COURT, )
)
Defendant. )
MEMORANDUM OPINION
This matter comes before the court on review of the plaintiffs application to proceed in
forma pauperis and pro se civil complaint. The court will grant the application, and dismiss the
complaint.
The Court has reviewed the plaintiffs complaint, keeping in mind that complaints filed by
pro se litigants are held to less stringent standards than those applied to formal pleadings drafted
by lawyers. See Haines v. Kerner, 404 U.S. 519, 520 (1972). Even prose litigants, however,
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 that a complaint
contain a short and plain statement of the grounds upon which the court's jurisdiction depends, a
short and plain statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief, and a demand
for judgment for the relief the pleader seeks. Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a). The purpose of the minimum
standard of Rule 8 is to give fair notice to the defendant of the claim being asserted, sufficient to
prepare a responsive answer, to prepare an adequate defense and to determine whether the doctrine
of res judicata applies. Brown v. Califano, 75 F.R.D. 497,498 (D.D.C. 1977).
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In its entirety, the complaint states:
The people in this area have been doing things to me that are not
good standard hitting me in the face and head, taking things from
me, money, clothes, [harassing] just about even night. I was unable
to go in to there [sic] stores with my cart. I was told not to come
back in the store. Some is in the room behind the bathroom taking
picture wild [sic] using the bathroom. I was also cut my body.
Compl. Plaintiff demands "one Trillion" dollars. !d. What few factual allegations the plaintiff
includes in her pleading are far too vague to establish an entitlement to the monetary damages she
demands. As drafted, the complaint fails to comply with Rule 8(a), and it will be dismissed.
An Order consistent with this Memorandum Opinion is issued separately.
United States District Judge
DATE:
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