Lamb v. United States Postal Service
- Jesse Furman
- 1:24-cv-09441
- U.S. District Court · Southern District of New York
- 3
In Lamb v. United States Postal Service, Judge Furman ordered service of the complaint and substituted Louis DeJoy as defendant.
Addys Lamb and the defendants identified for service, including Louis DeJoy, Postmaster General, the Attorney General of the United States, and the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York.
What happened
In Lamb v. United States Postal Service, Addys Lamb, representing themself, sued under federal laws barring workplace discrimination based on race, age, and disability. The court had previously allowed Lamb to proceed without paying filing fees in advance.
The court directed the Clerk of Court to issue a summons and send the necessary papers to the U.S. Marshals Service so the Marshals could serve the defendant. The court also extended the service deadline to 90 days after the summons is issued and substituted Louis DeJoy, the Postmaster General, for the United States Postal Service as the defendant.
Judge Jesse M. Furman issued the order of service on February 10, 2025. The order did not decide whether Lamb’s discrimination claims are valid; it addressed service, filing requirements, and related instructions.
The detailed version
- Lamb v. United States Postal Service · No. 1:24-cv-09441
- Jesse Furman
- Feb. 10, 2025
Background
Addys Lamb brings this case without a lawyer under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. The opinion states that Lamb is proceeding without prepayment of fees based on an earlier December 16, 2024 order.
Service of the complaint
Because Lamb was allowed to proceed without prepaying fees, the court explained that Lamb could rely on the court and the U.S. Marshals Service to serve the defendant. The Clerk of Court was instructed to issue a summons, complete a U.S. Marshals Service Process Receipt and Return form, and provide the Marshals Service with the paperwork needed for service.
The court extended the time for service to 90 days after the summons is issued because Lamb could not have served the summons and complaint before the court reviewed the complaint and ordered issuance of the summons. If service is not completed within that period, the opinion says Lamb should request an extension of time. Lamb must also notify the court in writing of any address change, and the court stated that it may dismiss the action if Lamb fails to do so.
Substitution of defendant
Although Lamb named the United States Postal Service as the defendant, the Clerk of Court was directed to substitute Louis DeJoy, Postmaster General, as the defendant. The order also listed the Attorney General of the United States and the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York for service purposes.
Other instructions and disposition
The Clerk of Court was directed to mail Lamb an information package and a copy of the order. The court also provided information about a private legal clinic that assists people proceeding without lawyers.
Judge Jesse M. Furman issued an order of service. The opinion did not decide the merits of Lamb’s Title VII, age-discrimination, or disability-discrimination claims. It addressed service of process and related administrative instructions.
Read the full 3-page opinion on CourtListener, the free public archive maintained by the Free Law Project.