Beebe v. Bey
- Laura Swain
- 1:25-cv-10023
- U.S. District Court · Southern District of New York
- 4
In Zabar R. Beebe v. Alief Bey, Chief Judge Swain ordered an updated address within 30 days or warned the case would be dismissed without prejudice.
The plaintiff, Zabar R. Beebe also known as Ralief Bradford, must provide a current address or seek to withdraw the complaint; otherwise, the action will be dismissed without prejudice. The case has not proceeded to issuance of a summons.
What happened
In Zabar R. Beebe also known as Ralief Bradford v. Alief Bey, the plaintiff was representing himself and had been incarcerated at Attica Correctional Facility when he filed the case. Two court mailings were returned as undeliverable, including one that indicated he refused delivery.
The court ordered the plaintiff to submit a signed notice with his current contact information within 30 days. Instead, he may ask to withdraw the complaint without prejudice. The court said no summons would issue and no further action would be taken until he responds; if he does not comply, the case will be dismissed without prejudice to refiling.
Chief United States District Judge Laura Taylor Swain issued the order on July 20, 2026. She also denied permission to proceed without paying filing fees on any appeal, after certifying that an appeal would not be taken in good faith.
The detailed version
- Beebe v. Bey · No. 1:25-cv-10023
- Laura Swain
- July 20, 2026
Background
Zabar R. Beebe, also known as Ralief Bradford, filed this action while incarcerated at Attica Correctional Facility and is proceeding without a lawyer. The clerk’s office received notices on January 5 and January 23, 2026, that court filings could not be delivered to him. One notice stated that he refused delivery.
Court’s Analysis
Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 11(a) requires an unrepresented party’s filings to include the signer’s address, email address, and telephone number. A standing order in the Southern District of New York also requires self-represented parties to keep their service address current. Based on the returned mailings, the court directed Beebe to provide an updated address.
Order
The court directed Beebe to sign and submit the attached Notice of Change of Address with his current contact information within 30 days of the order. As an alternative, he may move to withdraw his complaint under Rule 41(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, without prejudice.
The court stated that no further action would be taken and no summons would issue at that time. If Beebe complies, the case will be processed under the Clerk’s Office procedures. If he does not comply within the allowed time, the action will be dismissed without prejudice to refiling. The Clerk was directed to mail the order to his last known address and make it available on the electronic docket.
Judge Laura Taylor Swain also certified under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(3) that an appeal from the order would not be taken in good faith and denied permission to proceed without paying filing fees for purposes of an appeal. The order did not decide the underlying claims.
Read the full 4-page opinion on CourtListener, the free public archive maintained by the Free Law Project.