Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-alnd-5_15-cv-00099/USCOURTS-alnd-5_15-cv-00099-0/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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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ALABAMA

NORTHEASTERN DIVISION

JAMES C. SPENCER, )

)

Plaintiff, )

)

vs. ) Case No. 5:15-cv-00099-AKK-HGD

)

THE TIMES DAILY and )

TOM SMITH, )

)

Defendants. )

MEMORANDUM OPINION

The magistrate judge filed a report and recommendation on October 13, 2015,

recommending that this action filed pursuant to 42 U.S.C. §1983 be dismissed under

28 U.S.C. §1915A(b) for failing to state a claim upon which relief may be granted. 

Doc. 10. The plaintiff filed objections to the report and recommendation on October

21, 2015. Doc. 11. 

The plaintiff does not complain about the magistrate judge’s recommendation

that this action be dismissed for failing state a claim. Rather, the plaintiff takes great

issue with the fact that the court assessed a $23.06 initial partial filing fee for him to

initiate this action and required him to sign a Prisoner Consent Form in which he

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FILED

 2015 Dec-02 AM 11:24

U.S. DISTRICT COURT

N.D. OF ALABAMA

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agreed to pay the remainder of the $350.00 filing fee. Id. The plaintiff argues that

the court “deceived” him and “dishonestly and [unethically] cheated” him out of

$350.00 “knowing that his complaint was void, worthless and that this court held no

jurisdiction over this matter.” Id. at 1. The plaintiff requests that the court refund

him the initial partial filing fee of $23.06 and waive the remainder of the $350.00

filing fee.1Id.

On March 19, 2015, the court received the plaintiff’s signed Prisoner Consent

Form. (Doc. 6). By signing the Prisoner Consent Form, the plaintiff acknowledged

the following:

I understand that even if I am allowed to proceed in forma

pauperis (in other words, without having to prepay the full filing fee)

and even if my action is later dismissed for any reason, I am obligated

to pay the District Court Clerk the amount of the filing fee . . . . I

1 On January 29, 2015, the magistrate judge ordered the plaintiff to pay an initial partial

filing fee of $23.06 and to sign and return the Prisoner Consent Form signifying that he wished to

proceed with this action by making monthly installment payments toward the full filing fee of

$350.00. Doc. 3. The plaintiff responded that he did not have funds to pay the $23.06 partial filing

fee and requested that the filing fee be waived in its entirety. Doc. 4. The magistrate judge notified

the plaintiff that the partial filing fee was based on a certified copy of his account statement and was

in accordance with the statutory formula provided by 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1-2). Doc. 5. The

magistrate judge advised the plaintiff that the court could not waive the filing fee pursuant to

28 U.S.C. §1915(b) and that, at a minimum, he must sign and return the Prisoner Consent Form if

he wished to proceed with this action. Id. at 2-3. On March 19, 2015, the plaintiff returned a signed

Prisoner Consent Form. Doc. 6. On April 10, 2015, the magistrate judge directed the warden to

deduct the partial filing fee of $23.06 from the plaintiff’s prison account and, thereafter, deduct

monthly payments from the plaintiff’s prison account until a total of $350.00 has been withheld and

paid to the Clerk of Court. Doc. 7. As of this date, no payments have been deducted from the

plaintiff’s prison account and sent to the Clerk of Court for payment towards the filing fee. 

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UNDERSTAND THAT MY OBLIGATION TO PAY THE FILING

FEE IN FULL SHALL REMAIN IN FULL FORCE AND EFFECT,

NOTWITHSTANDING ANY DISMISSAL OR TERMINATION

OF THE LAWSUIT, UNTIL THE FULL FILING FEE OF $350.00

HAS BEEN PAID.

Id. (capitalization and emphasisin original). Based on the plaintiff’ssigned Prisoner

Consent Form, the plaintiff’s assertion that the court “cheated” himout of the $350.00

filing fee is frivolous and without merit. 

Having carefully reviewed and considered de novo all the materialsin the court

file, including the report and recommendation and the objections thereto, the court

is of the opinion that the magistrate judge’s report is due to be and is hereby

ADOPTED and the recommendation is ACCEPTED. Accordingly, the complaint

is due to be DISMISSED pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §1915A(b) for failing to state a claim

upon which relief may be granted. A Final Judgment will be entered.

DATED this 2nd day of December, 2015. 

_______________________________

 ABDUL K. KALLON

UNITED STATES DISTRICTJUDGE 

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