GEORGE Z. SINGAL, District Judge.
Before the Court are Plaintiff Alla Iosifovna Shuper's Applications to Proceed In Forma Pauperis (ECF Nos. 6, 13 & 17). The Court hereby GRANTS Plaintiff leave to proceed in forma pauperis in this action.
Also before the Court are the Motion for Reconsideration (ECF No. 5) and the Motion to Amend the Motion for Reconsideration (ECF No. 7). Both of these Motions pertain to the Court's proceed in forma pauperis in each of her docketed cases. (
Plaintiff Shuper has also filed an Appeal to the Chief Judge (ECF No. 8). To the extent that Plaintiff Shuper is appealing the Court's November 18, 2014 Order to the Chief Judge, there is no such right to appeal to the Chief Judge, and it is therefore DENIED. As with the Motion for Reconsideration and the Motion to Amend the Motion for Reconsideration, pro se Plaintiff Shuper's Appeal to the Chief Judge was filed in each of her then twenty-four cases.
Plaintiff Shuper has also filed a Motion to Accept the Change in Pro Se Filing, thereby requesting that she be permitted to file documents manually rather than electronically (ECF No. 10). The Court GRANTS the Motion, which has also been filed in each of her cases.
Upon the Court's review of the Complaint, the Court concludes that the case must be dismissed in accordance with 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2). Through the handwritten Complaint, Plaintiff Shuper attempts to bring a case against Dr. Hoffman, Registered Nurse Erica, Security Officer Dana and Mercy Hospital. The Complaint alleges that on the evening of November 7, 2014, at the Mercy Hospital Emergency Room, Dr. Hoffman directed Nurse Erica to give Plaintiff Shuper 2 mg of Clonazepam.
Plaintiff Shuper asserts that the actions described in the Complaint constitute a violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1983, the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Maine Human Rights Act. (Compl. ¶ 10.) For relief, the Complaint requests money damages in the amount of $100,000 from each of Registered Nurse Erica, Security Officer Dana and Mercy Hospital, and $200,000 from Dr. Hoffman.
Liberally construing the Complaint, the Court cannot see any claim against the named Defendants. First, to the extent that Plaintiff Shuper asserts a claim for violations of 42 U.S.C. § 1983, in order to be held liable under § 1983, a defendant must be a state actor.
The Complaint also fails to state a claim for a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act ("ADA"). "As an initial step in making out any ADA claim, the Plaintiff must establish that [s]he is a person with a `disability.'"
Title III of the ADA applies to places of "public accommodation" and provides that "[n]o individual shall be discriminated against on the basis of disability in the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations of any place of public accommodation[.]" 42 U.S.C. § 12182(a). An individual cannot use the ADA to challenge medical treatment decisions, which form the basis of the Complaint in this case.
The Complaint also fails to state a claim for violations of the Maine Human Rights Act ("MHRA") because the Court's analysis of the ADA claim applies with equal force to a MHRA claim.
To the extent that the Complaint could be construed to assert any state-based tort claims, the Court declines to exercise supplemental jurisdiction over those claims.
In accordance with 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2), the Court readily finds the present Complaint fails to state any cognizable claim. Therefore, the Complaint must be DISMISSED.
Plaintiff Shuper has filed a Motion to Amend the Complaint in this case (ECF No. 3). The Motion to Amend references her Second Amended Complaint filed in a different, unrelated case and the subject matter of that lawsuit.
Defendants Marc Hoffman, MD, Erica Ross, RN, Dana Dodge and Mercy Hospital filed a motion to dismiss the Complaint and for a further order prohibiting Ms. Shuper from commencing further pro se actions absent a finding of merit by a judicial officer. (Defs.' Mot. To Dismiss Or To Stay And To Restrict Further Filings By Plaintiff Shuper (ECF No. 18) ("Motion to Dismiss").) For the reasons discussed above, the Motion to Dismiss is GRANTED. The request for a further order prohibiting Ms. Shuper from commencing further pro se actions is DENIED. The Court notes that Ms. Shuper has been issued a Cok warning with regard to her recent pro se filings.
Finally, before the Court is Plaintiff Shuper's Motion for Leave to Appeal In Forma Pauperis (ECF No. 12). Through Plaintiff Shuper's Motion, she asks this Court to excuse her from paying the filing fees in connection with her November 28, 2014 Notice of Appeal (ECF No. 11). The Court believes that Plaintiff Shuper's November 28, 2014 Notice of Appeal is premature and improper given the procedural posture of her case. As a result, the Court concludes that the present appeal is not taken in good faith as required under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(3) & F.R.A.P. 24(a)(2) & (4). For this reason, the Court DENIES the Motion for Leave to Appeal In Forma Pauperis (ECF No. 12).
The Clerk is directed to DISMISS this action and mail a copy of this Order to Plaintiff Shuper. Additionally, the Court certifies that any appeal from this Order would not be taken in good faith pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(3).
SO ORDERED.