Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_16-cv-00451/USCOURTS-casd-3_16-cv-00451-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 422
Nature of Suit: Bankruptcy Appeals Rule 28 USC 158
Cause of Action: 28:0158 Notice of Appeal re Bankruptcy Matter (District or BAP)

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

IN RE JUDITH JEAN HOFFMAN, 

Debtor. 

JUDITH JEAN HOFFMAN, 

Appellant, 

v. 

LESLIE T. GLADSTONE, Trustee; 

ROBERT HOFFMAN; HOFFMAN 

PROPERTIES, 

Appellees. 

Case No.: 16-CV-4S1-BEN (KSC) 

Bankruptcy No. 13-05478-MM7 

ORDER: 

(1) GRANTING APPELLANT'S 

MOTION TO PROCEED IN FORMA 

PAUPERIS 

(2) DISMISSING APPEAL 

21 This case comes before the Court on appeal from the Bankruptcy Court for the 

22 Southern District of California. 

23 On February 18,2016, Appellant Judith Jean Hoffman filed a Notice of Appeal, 

24 seeking review of a February 2016 "Order Allowing Payment of Taxes." (Docket No.1.) 

25 She also filed a Motion to Proceed In Forma Pauperis ("IFP"). (Docket No.2.) For the 

26 reasons stated below, Appellant's Motion to Proceed IFP is GRANTED, and the Appeal 

27 is DISMISSED. 

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Case 3:16-cv-00451-BEN-KSC Document 5 Filed 03/22/16 Page 1 of 3
1 I. Appellant's Motion to Proceed IFP 

2 All parties instituting any civil action, suit, or proceeding in a district court ofthe 

3 United States, except an application for a writ of habeas corpus, must pay a filing fee. 28 

4 U.S.C. § 1914(a). An action may proceed despite a party's failure to prepay the entire fee 

5 only if she is granted leave to proceed IFP pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a). Under 28 

6 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(I), 

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[A]ny court of the United States may authorize the commencement, 

prosecution or defense of any suit, action or proceeding, civil or criminal, or 

appeal therein, without prepayment of fees or security therefor, by a person 

who submits an affidavit that includes a statement of all assets such [person] 

possesses that the person is unable to pay such fees or give security therefor. 10 

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It appears Appellant receives $1694 per month in social security benefits. (Mot. 

2.) She has not been employed since 2007 and currently has under $10 to her name. (Jd.) 

Accordingly, Appellant has sufficiently shown that she cannot afford to pay the filing 

14 fees. Her Motion to Proceed IFP is therefore GRANTED. 

15 II. IFP Screening 

16 Under section 1915( e) oftitle 28 of the United States Code, the Court must sua 

17 sponte dismiss IFP cases which are frivolous, malicious, fail to state a claim, or which 

18 seek damages from defendants who are immune. See Calhoun v. Stahl, 254 F.3d 845, 

19 845 (9th Cir. 2001) ("[T]he provisions of28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B) are not limited to 

20 prisoners."). 

21 Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 158(a)(3), district courts have jurisdiction to hear 

22 bankruptcy appeals "with leave of the court, from other interlocutory orders and decrees." 

23 A properly filed appeal with leave of court must include a timely notice of appeal and a 

24 motion for leave to appeal, which states "the facts necessary to understand the question 

25 presented; the question itself; the relief sought; the reasons why leave to appeal should be 

26 granted; and a copy of the interlocutory order or decree and any related opinion or 

27 memorandum." Fed. R. Bankr. P. 8004. 

28 Where the appellant fails to file the requisite motion for leave to appeal, Rule 

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1 8004( d) provides that the district court may "treat the notice of appeal as a motion for 

2 leave and either grant or deny it." "In deciding whether to grant leave to appeal an 

3 interlocutory order under section 158(a)(3), courts look to the analogous provisions of28 

4 U.S.C. § 1292(b), which governs review by courts of appeals of interlocutory district 

5 court orders." Hogan Lovells US LLP v. Howrey LLP, 2014 WL 6602687, at *2 (N.D. 

6 Cal. Nov. 20, 2014) (citations omitted). Under section 1292(b), such an appeal is 

7 appropriate if the order "involves a controlling question oflaw as to which there is 

8 substantial ground for difference of opinion and an immediate appeal from the order may 

9 materially advance the ultimate termination ofthe litigation." 

10 Appellant did not file a motion for leave to appeal, nor did she attach the order 

11 from which she appeals. In any event, the Court construes the notice of appeal as a 

12 motion for leave and denies the motion. In order to evaluate the motion for leave, the 

13 Court takes judicial notice of the Bankruptcy Court's February 21, 2016 "Order Granting 

14 Trustee's Notice of Intended Action for Approval to Pay the Internal Revenue Service 

15 and Franchise Tax Board," in bankruptcy case No. 13-05478, Docket No. 481. See Fed. 

16 R. Evid. 201(c)(I). 

17 The Order at issue here authorizes the Trustee to pay the taxes incurred on the sale 

18 ofthe bankruptcy estate's property. The Order does not involve a controlling question of 

19 law. The instant appeal will not "materially advance the ultimate termination" of Ms. 

20 Hoffman's bankruptcy case. The Court therefore exercises its discretion and denies 

21 Appellant's motion for leave to appeal. 

22 CONCLUSION 

23 Appellant's Motion to Proceed IFP is GRANTED. The appeal is DISMISSED as 

24 frivolous pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e) and Federal Rule of Bankruptcy 8004(d). The 

25 Clerk may close the case. 

26 IT IS SO ORDERED. 

27 DATED: March 4-,2016 

28 United States District Judge 

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