Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_08-cv-00531/USCOURTS-caed-1_08-cv-00531-0/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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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH

MEMBERS, ACQUAINTANCES AT

CALIFORNIA SUBSTANCE ABUSE

TREATMENT FACILITY & STATE

PRISON, including GREGORIO C.

FUNTANILLA, JR., 

Plaintiff,

vs.

R. GOMEZ, et al.,

Defendants.

 /

1:08-cv-00531-OWW-GSA-PC

ORDER DEEMING GREGORIO C.

FUNTANILLA, JR., THE SOLE PLAINTIFF

IN THIS ACTION

ORDER FINDING PLAINTIFF INELIGIBLE

TO PROCEED IN FORMA PAUPERIS IN

THIS ACTION, AND REQUIRING

PLAINTIFF TO PAY $350.00 FILING FEE IN

FULL WITHIN THIRTY DAYS OR THIS

ACTION WILL BE DISMISSED

(Docs. 2, 4)

THIRTY DAY DEADLINE

Plaintiff Gregorio C. Funtanilla is a state prisoner proceeding pro se in this civil rights action

pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. This action was filed on April 18, 2008, on behalf of Funtanilla and

others who are members or acquaintances of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church at the California

Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison in Corcoran, California. 

Pursuant to court rules, each document submitted for filing must include the original

signature of the filing party or parties. Local Rule 7-131; F.R.C.P. 11(a). Here, fifteen plaintiffs are

named in the body of the complaint; however, the only plaintiff who signed the complaint was

Funtanilla. Funtanilla is the only plaintiff who has signed any of the documents submitted to the

court by plaintiffs in this action. Funtanilla has submitted two applications to proceed in forma

Case 1:08-cv-00531-WHA Document 5 Filed 05/09/08 Page 1 of 3
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 The court takes judicial notice of 2:92-cv-01017-LKK-JFM-PC Funtanilla v. Tieman (E.D. Cal.) 1

(dismissed as frivolous on 10/08/1992), 3:98-cv-03779-TEH Funtanilla v. Duke-Bray (N.D. Cal.) (dismissed for

failure to state a claim on 01/06/1999), and 1:98-cv-06365-AWI-SMS-PC Funtanilla v. Ninevella (E.D. Cal.)

(dismissed for failure to state a claim on 03/14/2001).

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pauperis with financial information for himself only. No other plaintiff has submitted any

documents in this action. The court finds no evidence that any other plaintiff besides Funtanilla is

participating in the prosecution of this action. Therefore, Funtanilla (“plaintiff”) shall be deemed

the sole plaintiff in this action.

To the extent that plaintiff may seek certification of this litigation as a class action, the court

will not construe it as such. Plaintiff is a non-lawyer proceeding without counsel. It is well

established that a layperson cannot ordinarily represent the interests of a class. See McShane v.

United States, 366 F.2d 286 (9th Cir. 1966). This rule becomes almost absolute when, as here, the

putative class representative is incarcerated and proceeding pro se. Oxendine v. Williams, 509 F.2d

1405, 1407 (4th Cir. 1975). In direct terms, plaintiff cannot “fairly and adequately protect the

interests of the class” as required by Fed. R. Civ. P. 23(a)(4). See Martin v. Middendorf, 420 F.

Supp. 779 (D.D.C. 1976). This action, therefore, will not be construed as a class action and instead

will be construed as an individual civil suit brought by plaintiff.

Section 1915 of Title 28 of the United States Code governs proceedings in forma pauperis.

Section 1915(g) provides that “[i]n no event shall a prisoner bring a civil action . . . under this

section if the prisoner has, on 3 or more prior occasions, while incarcerated or detained in any

facility, brought an action or appeal in a court of the United States that was dismissed on the grounds

that it is frivolous, malicious, or fails to state a claim upon which relief may be granted, unless the

prisoner is under imminent danger of serious physical injury.” Plaintiff has had three or more actions

dismissed as frivolous, as malicious, or for failing to state a claim upon which relief may be granted.1

Thus, plaintiff is subject to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(g) and is precluded from proceeding in forma pauperis

unless plaintiff is, at the time the complaint is filed, under imminent danger of serious physical

injury. Plaintiff has alleged no facts in this action that support a finding that he is, at this time, under

imminent danger of serious physical injury. Therefore, plaintiff may not proceed in forma pauperis

in this action, and must submit the appropriate filing fee in order to proceed with this action. 

Case 1:08-cv-00531-WHA Document 5 Filed 05/09/08 Page 2 of 3
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Based on the foregoing, it is HEREBY ORDERED that:

1. Gregorio C. Funtanilla, Jr., is deemed the sole plaintiff in this action;

2. Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(g), plaintiff is ineligible to proceed in forma pauperis

in this action;

2. Plaintiff shall submit the $350.00 filing fee in full within thirty (30) days; and

3. If plaintiff fails to pay the $350.00 filing fee in full within thirty days, this action will

be dismissed, without prejudice.

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

Dated: May 8, 2008 /s/ Gary S. Austin 

6i0kij UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Case 1:08-cv-00531-WHA Document 5 Filed 05/09/08 Page 3 of 3