Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_05-cv-02553/USCOURTS-azd-2_05-cv-02553-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 555
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Prison Condition
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Prisoner Civil Rights

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Many former inmates apparently believe that they will receive an immediate payout from

a fund established in Hart v. Hill, No. CV 77-0479-PHX-EHC (MS) (D. Ariz.). No such fund exists.

The inmates in Hart asked for injunctive relief and not monetary damages. The Court at this time

expresses no opinion on whether Plaintiff’s lawsuit may result in an award of damages. 

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RP

WO

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Frank Jay Murphy, 

Plaintiff, 

vs.

Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, et al.,

Defendants. 

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No. CV-05-2553-PHX-DGC (DKD)

ORDER

 Frank Jay Murphy (Plaint iff), formerly confined in the Maricopa County Durango

Jail in Phoenix, Arizona (Durango Jail), filed with the Clerk of the Court on August 24, 2005

a pro se "Civil Rights Comp laint By A Prisoner" (Document #1) (Complaint) pursuant to

42 U.S.C. § 1983. This action is one of more than one thousand (1,000) lawsuit s filed in this

district since September 2004 alleging that the overcrowded condit ions in the Maricopa

County jail system have resulted in a variety of constitutional violations.1

Case 2:05-cv-02553-DGC--DKD Document 4 Filed 12/02/05 Page 1 of 4
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The website of the Maricopa County Sheriff does not show Plaintiff as being in the current

custody of the Maricopa Sheriff. Also, the website of the Arizona Department of Corrections

(ADOC) does not show Plaintiff as being in the current custody of the ADOC.

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APPLICATION TO PROCEED IN FORMA PAUPERIS

Plaintiff did not pay the two hundred and fifty dollar ($250.00) filing fee when he

filed the Complaint, but he filed a certified "Application To Proceed In Forma Pauperis By

A Prisoner Civil (Non-Habeas)" (Ap plication To Proceed) and an "Inmate Account

Statement" (Account Statement) with the Complaint. Plaintiff's Application To Proceed will

be granted. 

PAYMENT OF FILING FEE AFTER RELEASE

On November 3, 2005, Plaintiff filed a "Notice of Change of Address" (Document

#3), which indicates that he is now residing at a private address in Phoenix, Arizona.

Judging from this change of address, it appears that Plaintiff has been released from

custody.2

Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1), as amended by t he Prison Litigation Reform Act

of 1995, Pub. L. No. 104-134, 110 Stat. 1321 (Apr. 26, 1996), “if a prisoner brings a civil

action or files an appeal [in forma pauperis], the prisoner shall be required to pay the full

amount of a filing fee.” 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1). Effective February 7, 2005, the filing fee for

a civil rights action increased from one hundred and fifty dollars ($150.00) to two hundred

and fifty dollars ($250.00). See 28 U.S.C. § 1914, amended by, Consolidated Appropriations

Act of 2005, Pub. L. No. 108-447, 118 Stat. 2809, Sec. 307 (December 8, 2004).

Plaintiff brought this civil action while he was still a prisoner, therefore he will be

required to pay the full amount of the two hundred and fifty dollar ($250.00) filing fee, even

though he has subsequently been released from confinement.

If Plaintiff were still a prisoner, the Court would assess and, when funds exist, collect

an initial partial filing fee of twenty percent (20%) of the greater amount of either the

average monthly deposits or t he average monthly balance in Plaintiff’s prison account for

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t he six (6) months immediately preceding the filing of the Complaint. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1).

After payment of the initial p art ial filing fee, Plaintiff would be required to make monthly

payments equaling twenty percent (20%) of the preceding month’s income credited to his

prison account. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(2). 

However, because Plaintiff is no longer in cust ody, and therefore does not have a

prison account, he cannot avail himself of the p artial payment provisions of 28 U.S.C. §

1915(b)(1),(2). The statute makes no other provision for incremental collection of the fee.

Therefore, Plaintiff must now pay the filing fee in full. Accordingly, Plaintiff will be given

thirty (30) days from the filing date of this Order to pay the two hundred and fifty dollar

($250.00) filing fee. If Plaintiff fails to pay the filing fee within thirty (30) days of the filing

date of this Order, the action will be dismissed without p rejudice, without further notice to

Plaintiff, unless Plaintiff shows good cause, in writing, why he is unable to pay the filing

fee.

Plaintiff should note that even after he pays the filing fee the Court is required t o

screen complaints brought by prisoners seeking relief against a governmental entity or

officer or employee of a governmental entity . 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(a). The Court must

dismiss a complaint or portion t hereof if the plaintiff has raised claims that are legally

frivolous or malicious, that fail to state a claim up on which relief may be granted, or that

seek monetary relief from a defendant who is immune from such relief. 28 U.S.C. §

1915A(b)(1)(2). The Court also must dismiss a complaint or portion thereof if the plaintiff

fails to exhaust any administrative remedy available to him. 42 U.S.C. § 1997e(a).

RULE 41(b) WARNING

Plaintiff is warned that if he fails to timely comply with every provision of this Order,

or any order entered in this matter, this action will be dismissed pursuant to Rule 41(b) of

the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. See Ferdik v. Bonzelet, 963 F.2d 1258 (9th Cir.)

(district court may dismiss action for failure to comp ly with any order of the court), cert.

denied, 506 U.S. 915 (1992).

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IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED: 

(1) That Plaintiff's "Application To Proceed In Forma Pauperis By A Prisoner Civil

(Non-Habeas)" filed with the Complaint is GRANTED;

(2) T hat Plaintiff SHALL HAVE thirty (30) days from the filing date of this Order to

pay the two hundred and fifty dollar ($250.00) filing fee;

(3) That the Clerk of Court is DIRECTED to enter a judgment of dismissal wit hout

prejudice of this action, without further not ice t o Plaintiff, if Plaintiff fails to pay the two

hundred and fifty dollar ($250.00) filing fee within thirty (30) days of t he filing date of this

Order, unless Plaintiff shows good cause, in writing, why he is unable to pay the filing fee;

(4) That a clear, legible copy of every pleading or other document filed SHALL

ACCOM PANY each original pleading or other document filed with the Clerk for use by t he

District Judge or Magistrate Judge to whom the case is assigned. See Rule 5.4, Local Rules

of Civil Procedure (LRCiv). Failure to comply with this requirement will result in the

pleading or document being stricken without further notice to Plaintiff;

(5) That at all times during the pendency of this action, Plaintiff SHALL

IMMEDIATELY ADVISE the Court and the United States Marshal of any change of

address and its effective date. Such notice shall be captioned "NOT ICE OF CHANGE OF

ADDRESS." The notice shall contain only information pertaining to t he change of address

and its effective date. The notice shall not include any motions for any other relief. Failure

to file a NOTICE OF CHANGE OF ADDRESS may result in the dismissal of the action for

failure to prosecute pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 41(b). 

DATED this 1st day of December, 2005.

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