Obah v. Humanitarian Emergency Response & Relief Center
- Ronnie Abrams
- 1:25-cv-03170
- U.S. District Court · Southern District of New York
- 3
In Obah v. Humanitarian Emergency Response & Relief Center, Judge Abrams ordered service of the complaint through the Marshals Service.
Patrick Obah, HERRC, the Clerk of Court, and the United States Marshals Service. The order requires the Clerk and Marshals Service to take steps to serve HERRC and requires Obah to monitor his address and seek an extension if service is not completed within the stated period.
What happened
In Obah v. Humanitarian Emergency Response & Relief Center, Patrick Obah, representing himself, brought employment-discrimination and retaliation claims under federal, state, and city laws. He seeks damages from HERRC.
The court had already allowed Obah to proceed without paying filing fees in advance. Because of that status, the court said he could receive help from the court and the United States Marshals Service in serving HERRC.
Judge Ronnie Abrams ordered the Clerk of Court to issue a summons, prepare the service paperwork, and provide the necessary documents to the Marshals Service. The order did not decide whether Obah’s claims have merit.
The detailed version
- Obah v. Humanitarian Emergency Response & Relief Center · No. 1:25-cv-03170
- Ronnie Abrams
- May 15, 2025
Background
Patrick Obah, who is appearing without a lawyer, asserts employment-discrimination and retaliation claims against the Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Center (HERRC). The claims arise under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. § 1981, and the New York State and New York City Human Rights Laws. He seeks damages.
In an earlier order dated April 23, 2025, the court granted Obah permission to proceed without prepaying filing fees. The opinion states that this status allows him to rely on assistance from the court and the United States Marshals Service (USMS) to serve HERRC.
Court’s Action
The court directed the Clerk of Court to issue a summons for HERRC, complete a USMS Process Receipt and Return form with HERRC’s service address, and deliver the summons, complaint, and other necessary documents to the USMS so it can serve HERRC.
The court stated that service must occur within 90 days after the summons is issued. If service does not occur within that period, Obah should ask for an extension of time. The court also required Obah to notify it in writing if his address changes and stated that the action may be dismissed if he fails to do so.
Disposition and Effect
Judge Ronnie Abrams entered an order directing service. The order concerns the mechanics of starting notice to HERRC; it does not decide the merits of Obah’s discrimination or retaliation claims. The Clerk was also directed to mail Obah an information package.
Read the full 3-page opinion on CourtListener, the free public archive maintained by the Free Law Project.