Legall v. The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York
- Analisa Torres
- 1:24-cv-02339
- U.S. District Court · Southern District of New York
- 3
In Legall v. Trustees of Columbia University, Judge Torres ordered service of Semoy Legall’s complaint after allowing her to proceed without paying fees.
Semoy Legall and the Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York; the order moves Legall’s case toward formal service on Columbia.
What happened
In Legall v. The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York, Semoy Legall, representing herself, brings employment-discrimination claims under federal, New York State, and New York City laws. The court also understood the complaint as possibly raising claims under the Family and Medical Leave Act.
The court had previously allowed Legall to proceed without paying filing fees. Because of that decision, the court directed the Clerk of Court and the United States Marshals Service to issue the summons and serve the complaint on Columbia.
Judge Analisa Torres ordered the Clerk to send Legall an information package, prepare the service paperwork, and deliver it to the Marshals Service. The court said service should occur within 90 days after the summons is issued and required Legall to notify the court if her address changes.
The detailed version
- Legall v. The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York · No. 1:24-cv-02339
- Analisa Torres
- May 1, 2024
Background
Semoy Legall, who is representing herself, sued her former employer, the Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York (referred to in the opinion as Columbia). She asserts employment-discrimination claims under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the New York State and New York City Human Rights Laws. The court also understood the complaint as possibly asserting claims under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993.
The court had previously allowed Legall to proceed without prepaying filing fees. A person granted that status may rely on the court and the United States Marshals Service to serve the defendants.
What the Court Ordered
The court directed the Clerk of Court to complete a United States Marshals Service Process Receipt and Return form for Columbia, issue a summons, and provide the Marshals Service with the documents needed to serve Columbia with the summons and complaint.
This order addressed service of process—the formal delivery of the lawsuit documents to the defendant. It did not decide whether Legall’s discrimination or leave-related claims have merit.
Service Deadline and Address Requirement
The court stated that the complaint should be served within 90 days after the summons is issued. If service does not occur within that period, Legall should ask for more time. The court also required her to notify the court in writing if her address changes and stated that the action could be dismissed if she fails to do so.
Disposition
Judge Analisa Torres directed the Clerk of Court to mail Legall an information package, issue the summons, complete the service form with Columbia’s service address, and deliver the necessary documents to the Marshals Service. The order does not state a ruling on the underlying claims.
Read the full 3-page opinion on CourtListener, the free public archive maintained by the Free Law Project.