Moore v. U.S. Department of Justice

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF CO_LUMBIA Surf Moore, ) ) ‘r Plaintiff, ) l ) Case: 1:17-cv-00324 V. ) , Assigned To ; Unassigned ) § Assign. Date : 2/23/2017 U_S_ Justice Dep>t eta].’ ) ix Descrlption: Pro Se Gen. Civil (F-DECK) ) '_ Defendants. ) ) MEMORANDUM OPINION This matter is before the Court on its initial review of plaintiffs pro se complaint and application for leave to proceed in forma pauperis. The Court will grant the in forma pauperis application and dismiss the case because the complaint fails to meet the minimal pleading requirements of Rule 8(a) Of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Pro se litigants must comply with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Jarrell v. Tz'sch, 656 F. Supp. 237, 239 (D.D.C. 1987). Rule 8(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure requires complaints to contain “(l) a short and plain statement of the grounds for the court’s jurisdiction [and] (2) a short and plain statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief.” Fed. R. Civ. P. S(a); see Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678_-79 (2009); Ciralsky v. CIA, 355 F.3d 661, 668-71 (D.C. Cir. 2004). The Rule 8 standard ensures that defendants receive fair notice of the claim being asserted so that they can prepare a responsive answer and an adequate defense and determine Whether the doctrine of res judicata applies. Brown v. Califano, 75 F.R.D. 497, 498 (D.D.C. 1977). “Once again, plaintiff, a resident of Jackson, Mississippi, purports to sue the United States Department of Justice and a construction company in Chicago, lllinois.” Moore v. Justice Dep ’t., No. 14-1386, 2014 WL 4057158, at *1 (D.D.C. Aug. 12, 2014). This time, he seeks money damages exceeding $lOO million. See Compl. at 2 (renumbered); Moore, supra (noting that plaintif “seel