Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_16-cv-00947/USCOURTS-casd-3_16-cv-00947-0/pdf.json

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

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

DAVID B. TURNER, Jr.,

Booking No. 15780644,

Plaintiff,

vs.

WALMART,

Defendant.

Case No.: 3:16-cv-00947-GPC-JLB

ORDER DISMISSING CIVIL 

ACTION WITHOUT PREJUDICE

FOR FAILING TO PAY 

FILING FEE REQUIRED 

BY 28 U.S.C. § 1914(a) AND/OR 

FAILING TO MOVE TO PROCEED 

IN FORMA PAUPERIS

PURSUANT TO 

28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)

DAVID B. TURNER, Jr. (“Plaintiff”), currently detained at George Bailey 

Detention Facility (“GBDF”) in San Diego, California, and proceeding pro se, has filed a 

civil complaint alleging “unfair practices of racism by Walmart employees,” which have 

allegedly resulted in his current term of “oppressive pretrial incarceration.” (ECF No. 1 at 

1.) He demands $7 million in damages. (Id.)

I. Failure to Pay Filing Fee or Request IFP Status

All parties instituting any 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 

/ / /

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$400. See 28 U.S.C. § 1914(a).1 The action may proceed despite a plaintiff’s failure to 

prepay the entire fee only if he is granted leave to proceed in forma pauperis (“IFP”)

pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a). See Andrews v. Cervantes, 493 F.3d 1047, 1051 (9th 

Cir. 2007); Rodriguez v. Cook, 169 F.3d 1176, 1177 (9th Cir. 1999). However, a prisoner 

who is granted leave to proceed IFP remains obligated to pay the entire fee in 

“increments” or “installments,” Bruce v. Samuels, __ U.S. __, 136 S. Ct. 627, 629 

(2016); Williams v. Paramo, 775 F.3d 1182, 1185 (9th Cir. 2015), and regardless of 

whether his action is ultimately dismissed. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1) & (2); Taylor v. 

Delatoore, 281 F.3d 844, 847 (9th Cir. 2002).

Section 1915(a)(2) requires all persons seeking to proceed without full prepayment 

of fees to submit an affidavit that includes a statement of all assets possessed and 

demonstrates an inability to pay. See Escobedo v. Applebees, 787 F.3d 1226, 1234 (9th 

Cir. 2015). In support of this affidavit, prisoners must also 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); Andrews v. 

King, 398 F.3d 1113, 1119 (9th Cir. 2005). From the certified trust account statement, the 

Court assesses 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 then 

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

month in which his account exceeds $10, and forwards those payments to the Court until 

the entire filing fee is paid. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(2); Bruce, 136 S. Ct. at 629.

 

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In addition to the $350 statutory fee, civil litigants must pay an additional administrative fee of $50. See

28 U.S.C. § 1914(a) (Judicial Conference Schedule of Fees, District Court Misc. Fee Schedule, § 14 (eff. 

Dec. 1, 2014). The additional $50 administrative fee does not apply to persons granted leave to proceed 

IFP. Id.

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Plaintiff did not pay the filing fee required to commence a civil action, nor has he 

filed a Motion to Proceed IFP pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(1) and (2). Therefore, his 

case cannot yet proceed. See 28 U.S.C. § 1914(a); Andrews, 493 F.3d at 1051.

II. Conclusion and Order

For the reason explained above, the Court:

(1) DISMISSES this action sua sponte without prejudice for failing to pay the 

$400 civil filing and administrative fee or submit a Motion to Proceed IFP pursuant to 28 

U.S.C. §§ 1914(a) and 1915(a);

(2) GRANTS Plaintiff forty-five (45) days leave from the date this Order is 

filed to re-open this case by: (a) prepaying the entire $400 civil filing and administrative 

fee in full; or (b) completing and filing a Motion to Proceed IFP which includes a 

certified copy of his trust account statement for the 6-month period preceding the filing of 

his Complaint as is required by 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(2); S.D. CAL. CIVLR 3.2(b); and

(3) DIRECTS the Clerk of the Court to provide Plaintiff with this Court’s 

approved form “Motion and Declaration in Support of Motion to Proceed In Forma 

Pauperis.” If Plaintiff fails to either prepay the $400 civil filing fee or complete and 

submit the enclosed Motion to Proceed IFP within 45 days, his case will remain 

dismissed without prejudice based on his failure to satisfy 28 U.S.C. § 1914(a)’s fee 

requirements and without further Order of the Court.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: June 14, 2016

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