BARBARA A. McAULIFFE, Magistrate Judge.
Plaintiff Tony Edinbyrd ("Plaintiff") is a state prisoner proceeding pro se and in forma pauperis in this civil rights action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. This action proceeds on Plaintiff's third amended complaint against Defendants Rocha and Lazano for failure to protect Plaintiff from violence at the hand of other prisoners in violation of the Eighth Amendment. For the reasons that follow, the Court recommends that this action be dismissed, with prejudice.
On August 2, 2017, Defendants filed a motion for summary judgment. Fed. R. Civ. P. 56. (ECF No. 25.) Plaintiff was provided with notice of the requirements for opposing a motion for summary judgment.
On September 11, 2017, the Court ordered Plaintiff to file an opposition or statement of non-opposition to the motion for summary judgment within thirty (30) days of service of that order. (ECF No. 27.) Plaintiff was warned that "the failure to comply with this order will result in dismissal of this action, with prejudice, for failure to prosecute and failure to obey a court order." (
Local Rule 110 provides that "[f]ailure . . . of a party to comply with these Rules or with any order of the Court may be grounds for imposition by the Court of any and all sanctions . . . within the inherent power of the Court." District courts have the inherent power to control their dockets and "[i]n the exercise of that power they may impose sanctions including, where appropriate, . . . dismissal."
In determining whether to dismiss an action, the Court must consider several factors: (1) the public's interest in expeditions resolution of litigation; (2) the Court's need to manage its docket; (3) the risk of prejudice to the defendants; (4) the public policy favoring disposition of cases on their merits; and (5) the availability of less drastic sanctions.
Here, the action has been pending for more than two years, and Plaintiff has been served with Defendants' motion for summary judgment for two months without any response or opposition. Plaintiff is obligated to comply with the Local Rules and was informed by Defendants of the need to oppose a motion for summary judgment. Despite Plaintiff's duty to comply with all applicable rules and Defendants' notice, Plaintiff did not file a timely opposition. Plaintiff remained incommunicative after being issued another order by this Court to respond to the pending motion. The Court cannot effectively manage its docket if a party ceases litigating the case. Thus, both the first and second factors weigh in favor of dismissal of this action.
The third factor, risk of prejudice to defendant, also weighs in favor of dismissal, because a presumption of injury arises from the occurrence of unreasonable delay in prosecuting an action.
Finally, the Court's warning to a party that failure to obey the Court's order will result in dismissal satisfies the "considerations of the alternatives requirement."
In summary, Plaintiff is no longer prosecuting this action, and the Court cannot afford to expend resources resolving unopposed dispositive motions in a case which Plaintiff is no longer prosecuting.
Accordingly, the Court finds that dismissal is the appropriate sanction and HEREBY RECOMMENDS that this action be dismissed, with prejudice, for failure to prosecute and for failure to obey a court order.
These Findings and Recommendations will be submitted to the United States District Judge assigned to the case, pursuant to the provisions of Title 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1). Within