Jones v. Superintendent John Doe
- Cathy Seibel
- 7:24-cv-05549
- U.S. District Court · Southern District of New York
- 4
In Jones v. Capra, Judge Seibel ordered the Clerk and U.S. Marshals Service to arrange service on Cushman and Vereen.
Ronell Jones, Michael Capra, Heather Cushman, and Hope Vereen; the Clerk of Court and the U.S. Marshals Service were directed to take steps to serve Cushman and Vereen.
What happened
Ronell Jones v. Michael Capra, Heather Cushman, and Hope Vereen concerns Jones’s civil-rights lawsuit under federal law. Jones, who is incarcerated and representing himself, amended his complaint after the New York State Attorney General identified Heather Cushman and Hope Vereen as two previously unnamed defendants.
The court instructed the Clerk to issue summonses, complete service forms, and send the necessary papers to the U.S. Marshals Service so the Marshals can serve Cushman and Vereen. The court set the service period at 90 days after the summonses are issued and said Jones should request more time if service is not completed.
Judge Cathy Seibel did not decide whether Jones’s claims are valid. The order addressed only service of the amended complaint and also warned Jones to notify the court if his address changes.
The detailed version
- Jones v. Superintendent John Doe · No. 7:24-cv-05549
- Cathy Seibel
- Mar. 5, 2025
Background
Ronell Jones filed a civil-rights complaint under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 while representing himself and was allowed to proceed without paying filing fees in advance. He originally sued several unnamed defendants. The court later identified the unnamed superintendent as Michael Capra and arranged for Capra to be served.
The court also ordered the New York State Attorney General to identify the corrections officers Jones wanted to sue and provide addresses where they could be served. The Attorney General identified C.O. Heather Cushman and Sgt. Hope Vereen. After receiving an extension of time, Jones filed an amended complaint naming them.
Court’s Action
Because Jones was allowed to proceed without prepaying fees, the court explained that he could rely on the court and the U.S. Marshals Service to serve process. The Clerk was instructed to complete a U.S. Marshals Service Process Receipt and Return form for Cushman and Vereen, issue summonses for them, and deliver the necessary documents to the Marshals Service.
The court stated that the amended complaint should be served within 90 days after the summonses are issued. If service is not completed within that period, Jones should request an extension. The court also required Jones to notify it in writing of any address change and warned that the case may be dismissed if he fails to do so.
Disposition and Significance
Judge Cathy Seibel entered an order directing the Clerk and the U.S. Marshals Service to arrange service on Cushman and Vereen. The order did not decide the merits of Jones’s civil-rights claims or determine whether any defendant violated his rights. It was a procedural order concerning service of process.
Read the full 4-page opinion on CourtListener, the free public archive maintained by the Free Law Project.