Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_06-cv-02309/USCOURTS-casd-3_06-cv-02309-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 550
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Civil Rights (U.S. defendant)
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Prisoner Civil Rights

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1 06cv2309

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

DENNIS GRIMES,

CDC #V-90377, Civil No. 06-2309 BTM (LSP)

Plaintiff, ORDER:

(1) DENYING MOTION TO

PROCEED IN FORMA PAUPERIS;

AND

(2) DENYING MOTION FOR

PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION

WITHOUT PREJUDICE

vs.

JAMES TILTON, et al.,

Defendants.

Plaintiff, an inmate currently incarcerated at Centinela State Prison in Imperial, California

and proceeding pro se, has filed a civil rights Complaint pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983.

Plaintiff did not prepay the civil filing fee required by 28 U.S.C. § 1914(a), but instead submitted

a Motion to Proceed In Forma Pauperis (“IFP”) pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a) [Doc. No. 2].

I. Motion to Proceed IFP [Doc. No. 2]

Any party instituting a civil action, suit or proceeding in a district court of the United

States, except an application for writ of habeas corpus, must pay a filing fee of $350. See 28

U.S.C. § 1914(a). An action may proceed despite a party’s failure to prepay the entire fee only

if the party is granted leave to proceed IFP pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a). See Rodriguez v.

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Cook, 169 F.3d 1176, 1177 (9th Cir. 1999). Prisoners granted leave to proceed IFP however,

remain obligated to pay the entire fee in installments, regardless of whether their action is

ultimately dismissed. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1) & (2); Taylor v. Delatoore, 281 F.3d 844, 847

(9th Cir. 2002).

Under 28 U.S.C. § 1915, as amended by the Prison Litigation Reform Act (“PLRA”), a

prisoner seeking leave to proceed IFP must submit a “certified copy of the trust fund account

statement (or institutional equivalent) for the prisoner for the six-month period immediately

preceding the filing of the complaint.” 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(2). From the certified trust account

statement, the Court must assess an initial payment of 20% of (a) the average monthly deposits

in the account for the past six months, or (b) the average monthly balance in the account for the

past six months, whichever is greater, unless the prisoner has no assets. See 28 U.S.C.

§ 1915(b)(1); 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(4). The institution having custody of the prisoner must

collect subsequent payments, assessed at 20% of the preceding month’s income, in any month

in which the prisoner’s account exceeds $10, and forward those payments to the Court until the

entire filing fee is paid. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(2).

While Plaintiff has filed a Motion to Proceed IFP in this matter pursuant to 28 U.S.C.

§ 1915(a), he has not attached a certified copy of his prison trust account statement for the 6-

month period immediately preceding the filing of his Complaint. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(2);

S.D.CAL. CIVLR 3.2. Section 1915(a)(2) clearly mandates that prisoners “seeking to bring a

civil action ... without prepayment of fees ... shall submit a certified copy of the trust fund

account statement (or institutional equivalent) ... for the 6-month period immediately preceding

the filing of the complaint.” 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(2) (emphasis added). Without Plaintiff’s trust

account statement, the Court is simply unable to assess the appropriate amount of the filing fee

required to initiate this action. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1). Therefore, Plaintiff’s Motion to

Proceed IFP [Doc. No. 2] must be DENIED.

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II. Conclusion and Order

For the reasons set forth above, IT IS ORDERED that:

Plaintiff’s Motion to Proceed IFP [Doc. No. 2] is DENIED without prejudice for failing

to prepay the $350 filing fee mandated by 28 U.S.C. § 1914(a). Plaintiff is GRANTED forty

five (45) days from the date this Order is stamped “Filed” to either: (1) pay the entire $350

filing fee, or (2) submit a certified copy of his trust account statement for the 6-month period

preceding the filing of his Complaint pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(2) and S.D. CAL. CIVLR

3.2(b). If Plaintiff files a certified copy of his trust account statement within forty five (45) days

the Court will reconsider his Motion to Proceed IFP.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that:

Plaintiff’s Motion for Preliminary Injunction [Doc. No. 3] is DENIED without prejudice

because the case is not yet properly before the Court. Plaintiff may refile this Motion if he

properly moves to proceed IFP or pay the initial civil filing fee within the time provided by the

Court.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: November 8, 2006

Hon. Barry Ted Moskowitz

United States District Judge

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