Salahuddin v. Milligan, 83 Civ. 0215 (JES).

Decision Date19 September 1984
Docket NumberNo. 83 Civ. 0215 (JES).,83 Civ. 0215 (JES).
Citation592 F. Supp. 660
PartiesRichard A. SALAHUDDIN, Plaintiff, v. L.M. MILLIGAN, et al., Defendants.
CourtU.S. District Court — Southern District of New York

Richard Akbar Salahuddin, a/k/a Richard Brown, pro se plaintiff.

Robert Abrams, Atty. Gen. of State of N.Y., New York City, for defendants; Joyce M. Andren, Asst. Atty. Gen., New York City, of counsel.

OPINION AND ORDER

SPRIZZO, District Judge.

The above-captioned action is before the Court on defendants' motion for judgment on the pleadings pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(c), on the ground that the action is barred by the statute of limitations.

Plaintiff sued defendants, corrections officers at Greenhaven Correctional Facility and the facility itself, pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 for violations of his constitutional rights. The alleged violations occurred in July 1979, the latest date being July 10, 1979. Plaintiff had his complaint notarized at Clinton Correctional Facility on or about July 2, 1982 and allegedly mailed it from Clinton Correctional Facility to the Pro Se Office of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, on or about July 5, 1982. The complaint was received by the Pro Se Office on July 14, 1982. Chief Judge Motley granted plaintiff's application to proceed in forma pauperis by Order dated January 6, 1983, and plaintiff's complaint was filed with the court that same day.

Both plaintiff and defendants recognize that the applicable statute of limitations in actions brought pursuant to section 1983 is the most comparable state statute of limitations, Board of Regents v. Tomanio, 446 U.S. 478, 483-84, 100 S.Ct. 1790, 1794-95, 64 L.Ed.2d 440 (1980), and that in this circuit the three year statute of limitations of N.Y.Civ.Prac. Law § 214(2) governs, see Pauk v. Board of Trustees, 654 F.2d 856, 861 (2d Cir.1981), cert. denied, 455 U.S. 1000, 102 S.Ct. 1631, 71 L.Ed.2d 866 (1982); Tennant v. Martin, 82 Civ. 4267 (HFW) (S.D.N.Y. April 14, 1983).

Defendants argue that since the complaint was filed on January 6, 1983, the action is time-barred. However, where, as here, plaintiff acts pro se and sends his complaint to the court, and the complaint is not filed until a later date due to consideration of plaintiff's application to proceed in forma pauperis, the action is deemed commenced for purposes of the statute of limitations upon receipt by the court of plaintiff's complaint, and not when it is filed. E.g., Rosenberg v. Martin, 478 F.2d 520, 522 & n. 1a (2d Cir.1973), cert. denied, 414 U.S. 872, 94 S.Ct. 102, 38...

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  • Byrne v. Cleveland Clinic
    • United States
    • U.S. District Court — Eastern District of Pennsylvania
    • 5 Febrero 2010
    ...request to proceed in forma pauperis." McDowell v. Del. State Police, 88 F.3d 188, 191 (3d Cir.1996). See Salahuddin v. Milligan, 592 F.Supp. 660, 661 (S.D.N.Y.1984), aff'd without op., 767 F.2d 908 (2d Cir. 1985) (stating that where a plaintiff "is pro se and sends his complaint to the cou......
  • Salahuddin v. Harris
    • United States
    • U.S. District Court — Southern District of New York
    • 3 Abril 1987
    ...of the statute of limitations upon receipt by the court of plaintiff's complaint, and not when it is filed." Salahuddin v. Milligan, 592 F.Supp. 660, 661 (S.D.N.Y. 1984), aff'd without op., 767 F.2d 908 (2d Cir. 1985); see also Rosenberg v. Martin, 478 F.2d 520, 522 n. 1a (2d Cir.) (Friendl......
  • Nielsen v. Flower Hosp.
    • United States
    • U.S. District Court — Southern District of New York
    • 14 Julio 1986
    ...F.2d 520, 522 n. 1a (2d Cir.), cert. denied, 414 U.S. 872, 94 S.Ct. 102, 38 L.Ed.2d 90 (1973) (§ 1983 complaint); Salahuddin v. Milligan, 592 F.Supp. 660, 661 (S.D.N.Y.1984), aff'd mem., 767 F.2d 908 (2d Cir.1985) The complaint that was ultimately filed with the Clerk of the Court in this a......
  • Laurensau v. Pluck
    • United States
    • U.S. District Court — Western District of Pennsylvania
    • 5 Septiembre 2013
    ...F.3d 188, 191 (3d Cir. 1996). See Byrne v. Cleveland Clinic, 684 F. Supp. 2d 641, 656-57 (E.D. Pa. 2010), quoting Salahuddin v. Milligan, 592 F. Supp. 660, 661 (S.D.N.Y. 1984), aff'd without op., 767 F.2d 908 (2d Cir. 1985) ("where a plaintiff 'is pro se and sends his complaint to the court......
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