Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_24-cv-00342/USCOURTS-azd-2_24-cv-00342-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 864
Nature of Suit: Social Security - SSID Title XVI
Cause of Action: 42:405 Review of HHS Decision (SSID)

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WO

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Consuelo Hurtado,

Plaintiff,

v. 

Commissioner of Social Security 

Administration,

Defendant.

No. CV-24-00342-PHX-JAT

ORDER 

Pending before the Court is Plaintiff’s application to proceed in forma pauperis. The 

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has discussed when a district court should grant in forma 

pauperis status:

Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a), a plaintiff may commence an action 

without paying the filing fees where she submits an affidavit stating that she 

lacks sufficient funds and where her suit is not frivolous or malicious. 

[footnote omitted] Franklin v. Murphy, 745 F.2d 1221, 1226 (9th Cir.1984). 

An affidavit in support of an IFP application is sufficient where it alleges that 

the affiant cannot pay the court costs and still afford the necessities of 

life. Adkins v. E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Co., 335 U.S. 331, 339 (1948). The 

IFP statute does not itself define what constitutes insufficient assets. As this 

court has recognized, “[o]ne need not be absolutely destitute to obtain 

benefits of the in forma pauperis statute.” Jefferson v. United States, 277 

F.2d 723, 725 (9th Cir. 1960). Nonetheless, a plaintiff seeking IFP status 

must allege poverty “with some particularity, definiteness and 

certainty.” United States v. McQuade, 647 F.2d 938, 940 (9th Cir. 1981) 

(internal quotation marks omitted).

...

As noted above, there is no formula set forth by statute, regulation, or 

case law to determine when someone is poor enough to earn IFP status.

Escobedo v. Applebees, 787 F.3d 1226, 1234-36 (9th Cir. 2015).

The Court of Appeals noted in its analysis: “Once [Escobedo’s] rent and debt 

Case 2:24-cv-00342-JAT Document 4 Filed 02/23/24 Page 1 of 2
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payments were taken into account, she would have had to dedicate the entirety of twomonths’ worth of her remaining funds, meaning that she would have to forego eating during 

those sixty days, to save up to pay the filing fee.” Id. at 1235.

Here, Plaintiff’s income is $2,550.00 per month. (Doc. 2). Plaintiff’s monthly 

expenses including food, housing and transportation are $1,555.00. (Id.). Thus, Plaintiff 

has $1000.00 per month of disposable income which the Court finds is sufficient to pay the 

filing fee. Accordingly,

IT IS ORDERED that Plaintiff’s application to proceed in forma pauperis (Doc. 2) 

is denied. Plaintiff must pay the filing fee within 14 days of this Order. If Plaintiff fails to 

pay the filing fee within 14 days, the Clerk of the Court shall enter judgment dismissing 

this case without prejudice.

Dated this 23rd day of February, 2024.

Case 2:24-cv-00342-JAT Document 4 Filed 02/23/24 Page 2 of 2