Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_19-cv-00250/USCOURTS-caed-1_19-cv-00250-6/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

SYLESTER WILLIAMS,

 Plaintiff,

 vs.

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF 

CORRECTIONS, et al.,

 Defendants.

1:19-cv-00250-NONE-GSA-PC

ORDER DENYING PLAINTIFF’S 

REQUEST FOR RETURN OF $10.00,

WITHOUT PREJUDICE

(ECF No. 45.)

Sylester Williams (“Plaintiff”) is a state prisoner proceeding pro se and in forma pauperis

with this civil rights action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Plaintiff filed the Complaint 

commencing this action on January 3, 2019, at the United States District Court for the Northern 

District of California. (ECF No. 1.) On February 21, 2019, the case was transferred to this court. 

(ECF No. 12.) The case is presently in the screening stage. 28 U.S.C. § 1915A.

On February 12, 2020, Plaintiff filed a request for return of $10.00 of the monthly amount 

taken from his prison trust account for payment of his filing fee. (ECF No. 45.) Plaintiff asserts 

that Mule Creek State Prison, where he is incarcerated, sent a check for $46.00 to the court for

his monthly payment of the filing fee for this case, but the prison was only supposed to send 

$36.00 to the court, with $10.00 left for Plaintiff. Plaintiff requests the court to reimburse him 

for the $10.00 that should not have been taken from his trust account.

Case 1:19-cv-00250-NONE-GSA Document 46 Filed 02/18/20 Page 1 of 2
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Section 1915(b) of the PLRA provides:

(1) “[I]f 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. The court shall 

assess and, when funds exist, collect, as a partial payment of any court fees 

required by law, an initial partial filing fee of 20 percent of the greater of—

(A) the average monthly deposits to the prisoner's account; or

(B) the average monthly balance in the prisoner's account for the 6-month 

period immediately preceding the filing of the complaint or notice of 

appeal.

(2) After payment of the initial partial filing fee, the prisoner shall be required to make 

monthly payments of 20 percent of the preceding month's income credited to the 

prisoner's account. The agency having custody of the prisoner shall forward 

payments from the prisoner's account to the clerk of the court each time the 

amount in the account exceeds $10 until the filing fees are paid.

28 U.S.C. § 1915. 

Plaintiff claims that during the past six months, he has always received $10.00 back, no 

matter what, but he did not receive $10.00 back on November 1, 2019. Plaintiff notes that he has 

attached a copy of the trust withdrawal statement for the court’s review, but the court did not 

receive any attachment. Without evidence of the transaction the court cannot determine whether 

an overpayment was made. Therefore, Plaintiff’s request shall be denied, without prejudice to 

renewal of the request with the trust withdrawal statement attached.

Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Plaintiff’s request for reimbursement of 

$10.00 paid for his filing fees, filed on February 12, 2020, is DENIED, without prejudice.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: February 18, 2020 /s/ Gary S. Austin 

 UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Case 1:19-cv-00250-NONE-GSA Document 46 Filed 02/18/20 Page 2 of 2