Dickerson v. City of New York
- Laura Swain
- 1:20-cv-03893
- U.S. District Court · Southern District of New York
- 2
In Dickerson v. City of New York, Judge Aaron ordered the Marshals Service to serve defendants for the permission-approved unrepresented plaintiff.
Issac Dickerson, who was proceeding without a lawyer and had permission to proceed without paying the filing fee, and the City of New York and the other defendants who were to be served by the U.S. Marshals Service.
What happened
Issac Dickerson sued the City of New York and other defendants. The opinion does not describe the underlying claims. Because Dickerson was allowed to proceed without paying the filing fee, he could rely on the court and the U.S. Marshals Service to serve the defendants.
The court instructed the Clerk of Court to prepare service forms, issue summonses, and give the necessary paperwork to the Marshals Service. Dickerson was told to notify the court if his address changes, and that the case could be dismissed if he fails to do so. The order also provided information about filing by email and a legal clinic for people without lawyers.
Judge Stewart D. Aaron issued the order of service on June 16, 2020. The order addressed service and related filing information; it did not decide the underlying claims.
The detailed version
- Dickerson v. City of New York · No. 1:20-cv-03893
- Laura Swain
- June 16, 2020
Background
Issac Dickerson brought this action against the City of New York and other defendants. The order does not identify or resolve the underlying claims. It states that Dickerson had been granted permission to proceed without paying the filing fee.
Service of Process
Because Dickerson was proceeding without paying the filing fee, the court explained that he was entitled to rely on the court and the U.S. Marshals Service to serve the defendants. The Clerk of Court was instructed to complete a separate U.S. Marshals Service Process Receipt and Return form for each defendant, issue summonses, and deliver the paperwork needed for service to the Marshals Service.
Additional Instructions
Dickerson was required to notify the court in writing if his address changed. The order stated that the court may dismiss the action if he failed to provide that notice. It also encouraged people proceeding without lawyers to submit filings by email during the health crisis and provided information about a legal clinic operated by the New York Legal Assistance Group. The order clarified that the clinic was a private organization and was not part of the court.
Disposition
Judge Stewart D. Aaron entered an order of service. The order did not rule on the merits of Dickerson’s claims.
Read the full 2-page opinion on CourtListener, the free public archive maintained by the Free Law Project.