Middleton v. Lantz
- Edgardo Ramos
- 1:24-cv-08216
- U.S. District Court · Southern District of New York
- 3
In Middleton v. NYC Health and Hospitals Lincoln Emergency Room, Judge Ramos ordered the Marshals Service to serve Middleton’s amended complaint.
Natalia Middleton and NYC Health + Hospitals, named in the complaint as NYC Health and Hospitals Lincoln Emergency Room; the Clerk of Court and U.S. Marshals Service were directed to facilitate service.
What happened
Natalia Middleton, representing herself, filed an amended complaint against NYC Health and Hospitals Lincoln Emergency Room. She brings constitutional and state-law claims and had permission to proceed without paying court fees in advance.
Because Middleton was proceeding without prepaying fees, the court directed the Clerk of Court to issue a summons and prepare the paperwork needed for the U.S. Marshals Service to serve the defendant. The court extended the service deadline to 90 days after the summons is issued.
Judge Edgardo Ramos also directed the Clerk to mail Middleton an information package. The order requires Middleton to notify the court of any address change and explains that she may request more time if service is not completed within the 90-day period; it does not decide the merits of her claims.
The detailed version
- Middleton v. Lantz · No. 1:24-cv-08216
- Edgardo Ramos
- May 2, 2025
Background
Natalia Middleton is appearing without a lawyer. She filed an amended complaint on April 28, 2025, asserting claims under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 for alleged violations of her constitutional rights, along with state-law claims. The court had previously granted her permission to proceed without prepaying filing fees.
Service of process
Because Middleton was allowed to proceed without prepaying fees, the court stated that she was entitled to assistance from the court and the U.S. Marshals Service in serving the defendant. The court identified the defendant as New York City Health + Hospitals, named in the complaint as “NYC Health and Hospitals Lincoln Emergency Room.”
The Clerk of Court was instructed to complete a U.S. Marshals Service Process Receipt and Return form, issue a summons, and provide the Marshals Service with the documents needed to serve the defendant at the listed address: 50 Water Street, 17th Floor, New York, New York 10004.
The court extended the time for service until 90 days after the summons is issued. If the amended complaint is not served within that period, Middleton was told to request an extension of time. The court also stated that Middleton must notify it in writing if her address changes and that the action may be dismissed if she fails to do so.
Disposition
Judge Edgardo Ramos entered an order directing the Clerk to mail Middleton an information package, issue the summons, complete the service form, and deliver the necessary documents to the Marshals Service. The order concerns service of the lawsuit and does not rule on whether Middleton’s claims are legally or factually valid.
Read the full 3-page opinion on CourtListener, the free public archive maintained by the Free Law Project.