Williams v. The City of New York

Background

Alexander Williams Jr., who was detained at the Manhattan Detention Complex, filed this lawsuit without a lawyer under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, a federal law that permits certain civil-rights claims against state or local actors. He sought money damages and injunctive relief. The defendants named in the complaint were the City of New York; Assistant Deputy Warden Elyn Rivera; Correction Captain John Hernandez; Debra Mayers; Ira Gornish; Teresa Cuadra; Hester Moulton; Bessie Flores-Clemente; Justin Wilson; Laura Hunt; Carolyn Dickie; and “Correctional Health Services.”

The court had previously granted Williams permission to proceed without prepaying filing fees. The court explained that prisoners who receive that permission still must pay the full filing fee over time. It also stated that it must dismiss claims that are frivolous, malicious, fail to state a claim, seek money from an immune defendant, or fall outside the court’s subject-matter jurisdiction. The order did not conduct a merits determination of Williams’s claims.

Rulings

The court requested that the City of New York, Rivera, and Hernandez waive service of the summons. It dismissed Williams’s claims against Correctional Health Services. Because the complaint’s allegations concerned medical care and examinations at the Manhattan Detention Complex, and because the court found that Williams clearly intended to sue the entities providing that care, it construed the complaint as asserting claims against NYC Health + Hospitals and Physician Affiliate Group of New York, P.C., instead. The court directed the Clerk of Court to amend the caption to add those entities; the amendment was without prejudice to any defenses they might assert.

The court ordered the Clerk of Court to issue summonses and prepare service paperwork for NYC Health + Hospitals, Physician Affiliate Group of New York, P.C., Ira Gornish, Teresa Cuadra, Hester Moulton, Bessie Flores-Clemente, Justin Wilson, Laura Hunt, and Carolyn Dickie. Because Williams was proceeding without prepaying fees, the U.S. Marshals Service was to serve those defendants. The time for service was extended to 90 days after the summonses were issued.

The court did not order service on Debra Mayers at that time. The order states that Mayers was an employee of NYC Health + Hospitals who was on military leave, likely active military duty, and might be entitled to a stay under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. The court stated that it would revisit the issue later and that the case could proceed without Mayers having been served. Finally, the court certified that an appeal from the order would not be taken in good faith and denied permission to proceed without prepaying fees for purposes of an appeal.

Effect of the Order

The case continued against the defendants identified for service, with NYC Health + Hospitals and Physician Affiliate Group of New York, P.C. replacing Correctional Health Services in the caption. This order addressed screening, party identification, service, and appeal-fee status; it did not decide whether Williams would ultimately prevail on his underlying claims.