Coffer v. Dugan
- Lee
- 5:25-cv-03251
- U.S. District Court · Northern District of California
- 1
In Coffer v. Dugan, Judge Lee dismissed Coffer’s civil-rights case without prejudice after Coffer voluntarily sought dismissal.
The dismissal ended Jonathan Christopher Coffer’s civil-rights lawsuit against Sierra Promise Dugan without prejudice.
What happened
Jonathan Christopher Coffer, a state prisoner representing himself, sued Sierra Promise Dugan in a civil-rights case. Coffer filed a motion seeking voluntary dismissal on August 28, 2025.
The court found that Coffer’s request met the requirements for voluntary dismissal under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 41(a)(1). It dismissed the case without prejudice, meaning the dismissal did not bar refiling.
Judge Lee ordered the dismissal on October 9, 2025.
The detailed version
- Coffer v. Dugan · No. 5:25-cv-03251
- Lee
- Oct. 9, 2025
Background
Jonathan Christopher Coffer, identified as a state prisoner proceeding without a lawyer, filed a civil-rights lawsuit against Sierra Promise Dugan. On August 28, 2025, Coffer moved for voluntary dismissal.
Ruling
The court explained that Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 41(a)(1)(A) generally gives a plaintiff an absolute right to dismiss an action before the opposing party serves an answer or a motion for summary judgment. The court determined that Coffer’s notice of dismissal met the rule’s requirements.
The court therefore dismissed the case without prejudice. The order stated that the dismissal was without prejudice and granted Coffer’s request for voluntary dismissal.
Read the full 1-page opinion on CourtListener, the free public archive maintained by the Free Law Project.