Perez Perez v. New York State Department of Transporation
- Ronnie Abrams
- 1:25-cv-03178
- U.S. District Court · Southern District of New York
- 2
In Perez Perez v. New York State Department of Transportation, Judge Abrams ordered the pro se petitioner to sign his complaint within 30 days.
The order directly affects Victor Manuel Perez Perez, who must sign and resubmit his complaint for the case to proceed; the named respondents are not required to answer at this stage.
What happened
In Perez Perez v. New York State Department of Transportation, Victor Manuel Perez Perez filed a complaint without a lawyer, but the complaint was not signed.
The court ordered him to sign and submit the complaint within 30 days. The court said no summons or answer would be issued yet, and warned that failing to comply would result in dismissal without prejudice.
Judge Ronnie Abrams issued the order on May 5, 2025, directing the Clerk of Court to mail a copy to the petitioner.
The detailed version
- Perez Perez v. New York State Department of Transporation · No. 1:25-cv-03178
- Ronnie Abrams
- May 5, 2025
Background
Victor Manuel Perez Perez brought this action without a lawyer. The complaint he submitted was unsigned.
Court’s reasoning
Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 11(a) requires every pleading, written motion, and other paper to be signed. When a person is not represented by a lawyer, that person must sign personally. The court cited the Supreme Court’s explanation that the rule requires a handwritten name or a mark placed by hand.
Order
The court directed the petitioner to sign and submit the complaint within 30 days of the order. No summons or answer was to issue at that time. If the petitioner complied, the Clerk’s Office would process the case under its procedures. If he did not comply within the allowed time, the action would be dismissed without prejudice. The court also provided information about a clinic for people representing themselves, noting that the clinic is not part of or operated by the court. Judge Ronnie Abrams directed the Clerk of Court to mail the order to the petitioner.
Read the full 2-page opinion on CourtListener, the free public archive maintained by the Free Law Project.