Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-almd-2_15-cv-00214/USCOURTS-almd-2_15-cv-00214-2/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 555
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Prison Condition
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Prisoner Civil Rights

---

IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF THE UNITED STATES FOR THE

MIDDLE DISTRICT OF ALABAMA, NORTHERN DIVISION

GARY W. YOUNGBLOOD 263709, )

)

 Plaintiff, )

) CIVIL ACTION NO.

 v. ) 2:15cv214-MHT

) (WO)

ALA. DEPT. OF CORRECTIONS, 

et al.,

)

)

)

 Defendants. )

OPINION AND ORDER

Pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983, plaintiff, a state 

prisoner, filed this lawsuit challenging the 

defendants’ refusal to forward money from his prison 

account to the United States Patent Office to pay the 

required filing fee for an application he filed for a 

patent. This cause is before the court on the 

plaintiff’s motion for reconsideration of the court’s 

order (doc. no. 24) adopting the recommendation of the 

United States Magistrate Judge (doc. no. 20) and 

denying plaintiff’s motion for preliminary injunction 

(doc. no. 1). While prisoners may not engage in 

business activity under prison regulations, “the 

submission of a patent application does not involve a 

Case 2:15-cv-00214-MHT-SRW Document 58 Filed 08/03/15 Page 1 of 2
business activity in all circumstances.” Tormasi v. 

Hayman, 443 F. App'x 742, 745 (3d Cir. 2011) (citing 

Jerry–El v. Beard, 419 Fed. Appx. 260, 263 (3d Cir.

2011) (“it does not appear that exercising [the] right 

[to register a copyright] necessarily constitutes 

engaging in a business activity.”)) Nevertheless, as 

the plaintiff has not made the showing required for 

issuance of a preliminary injunction, his motion was 

properly denied.

***

Accordingly, it is ORDERED that the plaintiff’s 

motion for reconsideration (doc. no. 28), as 

supplemented (doc. no. 29), is denied.

DONE, this the 3rd day of August, 2015.

 /s/ Myron H. Thompson____ 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Case 2:15-cv-00214-MHT-SRW Document 58 Filed 08/03/15 Page 2 of 2