DUSTIN B. PEAD, Magistrate Judge.
This case is before Magistrate Judge Dustin Pead pursuant to a 28 U.S.C. § 636 (b)(1)(B) referral from District Court Judge Robert Shelby (doc. 15).
On February 5, 2015, Plaintiff Greg Anderson ("Mr. Anderson") filed his pro se "Verified Complaint For Declaratory Judgment, Injunctive Relief And Denial Of Due Process" against Defendants Governor Gary Herbert, Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes, the Third District Court and the Eighth District Court (collectively "Defendants") (doc. 1). In response, Defendants filed the currently pending motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim on which relief may be granted (doc. 8)
The following facts are taken from the complaint and viewed in a light most favorable to Mr. Anderson. Jordan-Arapahoe, LLP v. Bd. of County Comm'rs, 633 F.3d 1022, 1025 (10
The allegations set forth in Mr. Anderson's complaint can be divided into two main events: (1) allegations relevant to eviction proceedings brought by Daniel Kitchen against Mr. Anderson (doc. 1, ¶¶ 5-42); and (2) allegations regarding a partnership agreement dispute between Mr. Anderson, Daniel Kitchen and Matthew Kitchen (collectively, the "Kitchens") (doc. 1, ¶¶ 43-88). Each event is addressed herein.
On June 13, 2005, Mr. Anderson agreed to purchase a home from Daniel Kitchen for $105,000 (doc. 1, ¶¶ 7-10). Although a formal purchase agreement was never signed, Mr. Anderson moved into the home and proceeded to make improvements (replacing the roof, installing bathrooms and a kitchen) that increased the value of the home (doc. 1, ¶ 15, ¶¶ 20-21). On September 5, 2008, Mr. Kitchen filed a lawsuit in the Eight District Court, District of Utah, seeking to evict Mr. Anderson from the home (doc. 1, ¶ 24, see also doc. 8-1; Kitchen v. Anderson, Case No. 080800143). In that case, Eighth District Court Judge John R. Anderson ("Judge Anderson") denied Mr. Anderson's motion to dismiss and granted an eviction order against him requiring that possession of the home be given to Daniel Kitchen (doc. 1, ¶ 31, ¶ 40-41, doc. 8-1, doc. 8-2).
On September 5, 2005, Mr. Anderson and the Kitchens agreed to enter into a partnership agreement to rent manufactured homes (doc. 1, ¶ 45).
Based upon these two distinct events, Mr. Anderson asserts a cause of action against the Kitchens' attorneys for "Fraud Upon The Court Law" (doc. 1, ¶¶ 289-295), and a cause of action against "lawyers and judges" for "Deny [sic] Of Due Process" (doc. 1, ¶ 316). Mr. Anderson requests relief related thereto in the form of a declaratory judgment on the issues of res judicata, eviction, judicial proceeding privilege as well as "any other issue that defendants in the state cases may claim as the state trial proceeds" (doc. 1, ¶¶ 303-304), and for unspecified injunctive relief (doc. 1, ¶¶ 309-314).
Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6) authorizes the court to dismiss a complaint if it "fail[s] to state a claim upon which relief can be granted." Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6).
When reviewing a motion under Rule 12(b), "all well-pleaded factual allegations, as distinguished from conclusory allegations, are accepted as true and viewed in a light most favorable to the plaintiff as the nonmoving party." Mglej v. Garfield County, 2013 U.S. Dist. 90438 *3 (D. Utah July 1, 2014) (citing GFF Corp. v. Associated Wholesale Grocers, 130 F.3d 1381, 1384 (10
Upon review, the court concludes that dismissal of Mr. Anderson's complaint is appropriate for failure to state a claim against the named Defendants sufficient to meet the requirements of Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 8.
Rule 8 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure requires a pleading contain "a short and plain statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief." Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a)(2); see also DUCivR 3-5 (the complaint "should state the basis for the court's jurisdiction, the basis for the plaintiff's claim or cause for action, and the demand for relief."). In order to state a viable federal claim the "complaint must explain what each defendant did to him or her; when the defendant did it; how the defendant's action harmed him or her; and, what specific legal right the plaintiff believes the defendant violated." Nasious v. Two Unknown B.I.C.E. Agents, 492 F.3d 1158, 1163 (10
Here, Mr. Anderson's "Verified Complaint" names Utah Governor Gary Herbert ("Governor Herbert"), Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes ("Attorney General Reyes"), the Third District Court and the Eighth District Court as Defendants (doc. 1). Despite being named as Defendants, the factual allegations asserted against these parties are exceedingly spare. Defendant Governor Herbert and Defendant Attorney General Reyes are only mentioned once in the entire sixty three page complaint.
It is not the function of this court to incorporate or "supply additional factual allegations [in order] to round out a plaintiff's complaint or construct a legal theory on plaintiff's behalf." Whitney v New Mexico, 113 F.3d 1170, 1173-74 (10
As a pro se litigant, the court is required to construe Mr. Anderson's pleadings liberally. See Riddle v Mondragon, 83 F.3d 1197, 1202 (10
In accordance with this practice, the Court hereby grants Mr. Anderson fifteen (15) days from the date of this Order to file an amended pleading addressing the deficiencies of his complaint. Failure to do so shall result in a recommendation to the District Court of immediate dismissal for failure to state a claim.