Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_19-cv-01292/USCOURTS-casd-3_19-cv-01292-0/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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3:19-cv-1292-JLS-RBM

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

FREDDY ZAVALA ODANGA

Booking No. 1811340006

Plaintiff,

vs.

SHERIFFS OF SAN DIEGO,

Defendant.

Case No.: 3:19-cv-1292-JLS-RBM

ORDER DISMISSING CIVIL 

ACTION FOR FAILING TO 

PREPAY FILING FEES REQUIRED 

BY 28 U.S.C. § 1914(a) OR MOVE TO 

PROCEED IN FORMA PAUPERIS

Plaintiff Freddy Zavala Odanga, currently incarcerated at the West Valley Detention 

Center located in Rancho Cucamonga, California, and proceeding pro se, has filed this civil 

action pursuant to the Civil Rights Act, 42 U.S.C. § 1983. See Compl., ECF No. 1.

Plaintiff did not prepay the civil filing fee required by 28 U.S.C. § 1914(a) at the time he 

submitted his Complaint, nor has he filed a Motion to Proceed In Forma Pauperis (“IFP”) 

pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a). 

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 An action may proceed despite a plaintiff’s failure to 

prepay the entire fee only if he is granted leave to proceed IFP pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 

§ 1915(a). See Rodriguez v. Cook, 169 F.3d 1176, 1177 (9th Cir. 1999). Section 

1915(a)(2) requires all persons seeking to proceed without full prepayment of fees to file 

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).

Because Plaintiff is a prisoner as defined by 28 U.S.C. § 1915(h), he is cautioned 

that he even if he files an IFP Motion and affidavit in compliance with § 1915(a)(2), he 

will nevertheless remain obligated to pay the entire fee in “increments,” see Williams v. 

Paramo, 775 F.3d 1182, 1185 (9th Cir. 2015), regardless of whether his case is ultimately 

dismissed. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1) & (2); Taylor v. Delatoore, 281 F.3d 844, 847 (9th 

Cir. 2002). Plaintiff must also submit a “certified copy of [his] 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). 

From the certified trust account statement, the Court will assess an initial payment 

of 20% of (a) the average monthly deposits in Plaintiff’s account for the past six months, 

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

greater, unless he has no assets. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1), (4); Taylor, 281 F.3d at 850. 

After, the Court will direct the institution having custody to collect subsequent payments, 

assessed at 20% of the preceding month’s income, in any month in which his account 

exceeds $10, and forward them to the Court until the entire filing fee is paid. See 28 U.S.C. 

§ 1915(b)(2). 

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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. June. 1, 2016). The additional $50 administrative fee does 

not apply to persons granted leave to proceed IFP. Id.

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Because Plaintiff has neither paid the filing fee required by 28 U.S.C. § 1914(a) to 

commence a civil action, nor filed a properly supported Motion to Proceed IFP pursuant 

to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a), his case cannot yet proceed. See 28 U.S.C. § 1914(a); Andrews, 

493 F.3d at 1051.

II. Conclusion and Order

Accordingly, the Court:

(1) DISMISSES WITHOUT PREJUDICE this civil action based on Plaintiff’s 

failure to pay the $400 civil filing and administrative fee or to 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: (a) prepay the entire $400 civil filing and administrative fee in full; or (b) complete and 

file a Motion to Proceed IFP which complies with 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(2) and S.D. Cal. 

CivLR 3.2(b).

(3) DIRECTS the Clerk of the Court to provide Plaintiff with the 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 fully complete and 

submit the enclosed Motion to Proceed IFP within 45 days, this action will remain 

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

requirement and without further Order of the Court.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: July 26, 2019

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