Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_06-cv-01280/USCOURTS-caed-1_06-cv-01280-12/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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 Inmates have a fundamental constitutional right of access to the courts. Lewis v. Casey, 518 U.S. 343, 346 1

(1996). However, the right of access is merely the right to bring to court a grievance the inmate wishes to present,

limited to direct criminal appeals, habeas petitions, and civil rights actions, and the state is not required to enable the

inmate to discover grievances or to litigate effectively once in court. Id. at 354. 

 

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

GEORGE E. JACOBS IV,

Plaintiff,

v.

ALLEN K. SCRIBNER, et al.,

Defendants.

 /

CASE NO. 1:06-cv-01280-AWI-GSA PC

ORDER DENYING MOTION FOR LEGAL

SUPPLIES

(Doc. 30)

Plaintiff George E. Jacobs IV (“plaintiff”) is a state prisoner proceeding pro se and in forma

pauperis in this civil rights action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. On November 5, 2007, plaintiff

filed a motion seeking the provision of certain legal supplies by either the court or the prison.

The expenditure of public funds on behalf of an indigent litigant is proper only when

authorized by Congress. See Tedder v. Odel, 890 F.2d 210 (9th Cir. 1989). The in forma pauperis

statute does not authorize the expenditure of public funds for the purpose sought by plaintiff in the

instant motion, and there is no other basis for providing legal supplies as sought by plaintiff in his

motion. While plaintiff is entitled to access to the courts, facilitation of that access is flexible and

does not require the provision of set supplies. The record in this action does not reflect that plaintiff

is being prevented from litigating this action due to lack of legal supplies.1

Case 1:06-cv-01280-AWI-EPG Document 39 Filed 02/27/08 Page 1 of 2
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Accordingly, plaintiff’s motion for legal supplies is HEREBY DENIED.

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

Dated: February 26, 2008 /s/ Gary S. Austin 

60kij UNI 8 TED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Case 1:06-cv-01280-AWI-EPG Document 39 Filed 02/27/08 Page 2 of 2