DEMETRIOUS D. JOHNSON
v.
LEE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE ET AL.
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The court held that the plaintiff's complaint must be dismissed without prejudice due to multiple deficiencies.
[1] A complaint must comply with Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 10 by stating claims or defenses in numbered paragraphs, each limited to a single set of circumstances.
[2] Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 20(a)(2) permits joinder of claims only if they arise out of the same transaction or occurrence.
Previewing 2 of 5 headnotes on this case. FLexlaw’s editorially structured points of law — every proposition, pinpointed — are reserved for members.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence“A plaintiff may set forth only related claims in one civil rights complaint.”
Establishes that multiple unrelated claims cannot be joined in a single civil rights action.
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceThe plaintiff, a pretrial detainee, filed a complaint seeking monetary damages against several jail officials. The complaint failed to comply with Fed…
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Before the Court is Plaintiff Demetrious D. Johnson's Complaint (Doc. 1). Johnson is a pretrial detainee in Lee County Jail, and he seeks monetary damages against several jail officials. The Court granted him leave to proceed in forma pauperis, so it must review the complaint to determine whether it is frivolous or malicious, fails to state a claim, or seeks monetary damages from anyone immune from such relief. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2).
Johnson must correct certain deficiencies in his complaint before the Court can conduct a meaningful review. First, the Complaint does not comply with Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 10, which requires a party to "state its claims or defenses in numbered paragraphs, each limited as far as practicable to a single set of circumstances." This rule is important. It enables defendants to respond to each factual claim, which alerts the court and the parties to the factual claims that are in dispute. To proceed with this action, Johnson must organize his factual allegations into separate, numbered paragraphs as required by Rule 10.
Second, the complaint asserts at least six unrelated claims against separate defendants. Johnson's claims cannot be joined together in a single action because they did not arise out of the same transaction or occurrence. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 20(a)(2). “A plaintiff may set forth only related claims in one civil rights complaint.” Rosado v. Nichols, 2:18-CV-195-JES-MRM, 2017 WL 1476255, at *6 (M.D. Fla. 2017). As the Seventh Circuit observed, "multiple claims against a single party are fine, but Claim A against Defendant
To continue this action, Johnson must file an amended complaint that states his factual allegations in separate, numbered paragraphs. Johnson's claims against the defendants appear to arise from at least six separate incidents, so he can only pursue one in this action. To pursue more than one unrelated claim, Johnson must file separate complaints.
Accordingly, it is now ORDERED:
Plaintiff Demetrious D. Johnson's Complaint (Doc. 1) is DISMISSED without prejudice. The Clerk is DIRECTED to send Johnson a civil-rights complaint form. Johnson may file an amended complaint within 21 days of this Order. Otherwise, the Court will enter judgment and close this case.
DONE and ORDERED in Fort Myers, Florida on January 9, 2026.
SHERI POLSTER CHAPPELL UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
SA: FTMP-1 Copies: All Parties of Record