The following excerpt is from Evans v. Cal. Dep't of Corr., No. 2:17-cv-1890 DB P (E.D. Cal. 2018):
In his motion to consolidate, plaintiff asks rather than seeking consolidation, he should move to amend his complaint in case no. 2:17-cv-1888 AC. Plaintiff states that he intended the three claims he filed to be docketed as one case, not three. This court cannot advise plaintiff on the correct course of action in another case. However, plaintiff is advised that all claims in one action should be related. Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 18(a) allows a party to "join, as independent or alternative claims, as many claims as it has against an opposing party." However, Rule 20(a)(2) permits a plaintiff to sue multiple defendants in the same action only if "any right to relief is asserted against them jointly, severally, or in the alternative with respect to or arising out of the same transaction, occurrence, or series of transactions or occurrences," and there is a "question of law or fact common to all defendants." "Thus multiple claims against a single party are fine, but Claim A against Defendant 1 should not be joined with unrelated Claim B against Defendant 2. Unrelated claims against different defendants belong in different suits . . ." George v. Smith, 507 F.3d 605, 607 (7th Cir. 2007) (citing 28 U.S.C. 1915(g)).
For the foregoing reasons, and good cause appearing, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED as follows:
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