Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_19-cv-01260/USCOURTS-casd-3_19-cv-01260-0/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-1260-JAH-WVG

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

BRYAN KENNETH BUCHANAN

CDCR #AW-3736

Plaintiff,

vs.

SGT SHEPARD,

Defendant.

Case No.: 3:19-cv-1260-JAH-WVG

ORDER DISMISSING CIVIL 

ACTION FOR FAILING TO 

PREPAY FILING FEES REQUIRED 

BY 28 U.S.C. § 1914(a)

Bryan Kenneth Buchanan (“Plaintiff”), a state inmate currently incarcerated at the 

California Medical Facility located in Vacaville, 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).

Plaintiff further 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). A “prisoner” is defined as “any person” who 

at the time of filing is “incarcerated or detained in any facility who is accused of, convicted 

of, sentenced for, or adjudicated delinquent for, violations of criminal law or the terms or 

conditions of parole, probation, pretrial release, or diversionary program.” 28 U.S.C. 

§ 1915(h); Taylor, 281 F.3d at 847.

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 

 

1 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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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). 

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 this civil action without prejudice 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 16, 2019

Hon. John A. Houston

United States District Judge

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