Kenneth Griffin v. J. Bal

MEMORANDUM

California state prisoner Kenneth A. Griffin appeals from the district court’s judgment in his 42 U.S.C. § 1983 action alleging deliberate indifference to his serious medical needs. We have jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1291 . We review de novo a dismissal for failure to exhaust administrative remedies and for clear error any underlying factual findings. Wilkerson v. Wheeler, 772 F.3d 834, 838 (9th Cir.2014) (citing Albino v. Baca, 747 F.3d 1162, 1171 (9th Cir.2014) (en banc)). We reverse in part.

The district court was correct in dismissing the Salinas Valley prison defendants. The primary purpose of an administrative grievance is to alert a prison to a problem and facilitate its resolution. Griffin v. Arpaio, 557 F.3d 1117, 1120 (9th Cir.2009). Griffin’s administrative proceedings had concluded before he was transferred to the Salmas Valley prison. Griffin’s grievance did not alert that prison because he had not yet been transferred. Therefore, the district court did not err in dismissing the Salinas Valley prison defendants: Rhoads, Bright, Sepulveda, and Pompan.

The district court dismissed Griffin’s claims against the California State Prison Sacramento…