Ahmad v. The City of New York
- Rochon
- 1:25-cv-04251
- U.S. District Court · Southern District of New York
- 2
In Ahmad v. City of New York, Judge Rochon ordered service steps and identification of a Jane Doe officer; the merits remain unresolved.
Rasheed Ahmad; the City of New York; Isamar Alonzo Ramos; Barbara Ordonez; Catherine Chon; the unidentified Jane Doe New York City Police Department officer; and the New York City Law Department, which must assist in identifying and providing service information for the Jane Doe officer.
What happened
Rasheed Ahmad, representing himself, sued the City of New York, three named New York City Police Department employees, and a Jane Doe officer under a federal civil-rights law. He alleges that the defendants violated his rights at the 47th Precinct in Bronx County, New York.
Judge Rochon asked the City and two named officers to waive formal service of the lawsuit. She also ordered the New York City Law Department to identify the Jane Doe officer, provide the officer’s badge number and service address, and give that information to Ahmad and the court within 60 days.
Within 30 days after receiving the information, Ahmad must file an amended complaint naming the officer. Judge Jennifer L. Rochon stated that the court will screen that amended complaint if it is filed; this order did not decide whether Ahmad’s claims have merit.
The detailed version
- Ahmad v. The City of New York · No. 1:25-cv-04251
- Rochon
- June 27, 2025
Background
Rasheed Ahmad brings this action without a lawyer under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, a federal law allowing claims for violations of constitutional or other federal rights by persons acting under state law. He alleges that the defendants violated his rights at the 47th Precinct in Bronx County, New York. The defendants named in the caption are the City of New York; New York City Police Department Officers Isamar Alonzo Ramos and Barbara Ordonez; New York City Police Department Sergeant Catherine Chon; and a Jane Doe New York City Police Department officer.
The court had previously granted Ahmad permission to proceed without paying filing fees in advance. This order concerns service of the lawsuit and identification of the unnamed defendant; it does not decide the merits of Ahmad’s claims.
Order
The court requested that the City of New York, Isamar Alonzo Ramos, and Barbara Ordonez waive service of summons. The Clerk of Court must electronically notify the New York City Police Department and the New York City Law Department of the order.
Because Ahmad provided enough information to allow the New York City Police Department to identify the Jane Doe officer, the court directed the New York City Law Department, as the New York City Police Department’s attorney and agent, to determine the officer’s identity, badge number, and address for service. The Law Department must provide that information to Ahmad and the court within 60 days of the order’s date. If the officer is a former New York City Police Department employee or official, the Law Department must instead provide an address where the person can be served and note that electronic waiver service cannot be requested under the applicable electronic-service agreement.
After receiving the information, Ahmad must file an amended complaint naming the Jane Doe officer within 30 days. The amended complaint will replace the original complaint rather than add to it. The court will screen the amended complaint and, if necessary, issue an order asking the newly identified defendant to waive service.
Disposition
Judge Jennifer L. Rochon entered an order directing these service and identification steps. The order did not resolve any claim, dismiss any defendant, or determine whether the alleged rights violations occurred.
Read the full 2-page opinion on CourtListener, the free public archive maintained by the Free Law Project.