FltED
FE"), ..
t ~ "')11
'0.11
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT Clerk. U.S. District 6: Bankruptc~
FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Courts for the District of Columbia
ANTONIO COLBERT, )
)
Plaintiff, )
)
v. ) Civil Action No.
)
u.s. POSTAL SERVICE, )
)
Defendant. )
MEMORANDUM OPINION
This matter is before the Court upon consideration ofplaintiffs application to proceed in
forma pauperis and his pro se complaint. The application will be granted, and the complaint
will be dismissed.
Plaintiff alleges that "postal staff ... made [his] life a living hell" by withholding his
mail. CompI. at 2. Notwithstanding his efforts to resolve "these issues of misconduct," staff
"jerked [plaintiff] around." Ed. Plaintiff demands damages totaling $10 million for "these
federal infractions," staffs "malicious attempt on [his] character," and "obstruction of justice."
ld.
The Court has reviewed plaintiff's 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 pro se 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 defendants 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).
Plaintiffs complaint does not contain a short and plain statement ofthe grounds upon
which the Court's jurisdiction depends or a claim that plaintiff is entitled to the relief he seeks.
For these reasons, the complaint will be dismissed for' An
Order consistent with this Memorandum Opi .
United States District Judge
To date, plaintiff has filed thirty civil actions in this court, none of which have
survived initial screening. If plaintiff continues to file cases in this district, the Court may
impose restrictions on his ability to proceed in forma pauperis.
Colbert v. U. S. Postal Services
Combined Opinion