(PC) Sayles v. Amaya et al

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
WALTER SAYLES,
Plaintiff,
v.
AMAYA, et al.,
Defendants.
Case No. 2:26-cv-0003-JDP (P)
ORDER
Plaintiff, a state prisoner proceeding without counsel, has filed a civil rights action
pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983.
The federal venue statute requires that a civil action, other than one based on diversity
jurisdiction, be brought only in “(1) a judicial district where any defendant resides, if all
defendants are residents of the State in which the district is located, (2) a judicial district in which
a substantial part of the events or omissions giving rise to the claim occurred, or a substantial part
of the property that is the subject of the action is situated, or (3) if there is no district in which an
action may otherwise be brought as provided in this section, any judicial district in which any
defendant is subject to the court’s personal jurisdiction with respect to such action.” 28 U.S.C.
§ 1391(b).
In this case, the complaint does not reflect that any of defendants reside in this district,
and plaintiff’s claims arose in San Diego County, which is in the Southern District of California.
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See 28 U.S.C. § 84(a). Thus, this action should have been filed in the United States District Court
for the Southern District of California. In the interest of justice, a federal court may transfer a
complaint filed in the wrong district to the correct district. See 28 U.S.C. § 1406(a); Starnes v.
McGuire, 512 F.2d 918, 932 (D.C. Cir. 1974).
Accordingly, it is hereby ORDERED that this matter is transferred to the United States
District Court for the Southern District of California.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
Dated: January 8, 2026
JEREMY D. PETERSON
UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE
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