Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_13-cv-02809/USCOURTS-casd-3_13-cv-02809-0/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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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

RON SMITH 

PSH #166543'-9, 

vs. 

PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF 

CALIFORNIA, 

Plaintiff, 

Defendant. 

Civil No. 13cv2809 WQH (WMc) 

ORDER DISMISSING CIVIL 

ACTION WITHOUT PREJUDICE 

FOR FAILING TO PAY 

FILING FEES REQUIRED 

BY 28 U.S.C. § 1914(a) AND/OR 

FAILING TO'MOVE: 1'0 

PROCEED IN FORMA PAUPERIS 

PURSUANT TO 

28 U.S.C. § 1915(a) 

20 Plaintiff, currently incarcerated at Patton State Hospital ("PSH") and proceeding 

21 pro se, filed a civil complaint entitled "Civil Right Disability Right to Due Process" 

22 (ECF Doc. No.1) on November 14,2013. 

23 I. FAILURE TO PAY FILING FEE OR REQUEST IFP STATUS 

24 All parties instituting any civil action, suit or proceeding in any district court of 

25 the United States, except an application for writ of habeas corpus, must pay a filing fee 

26 of $400. See 28 U.S.C. § 1914(a).1 An action may proceed despite a party's failure to 

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1 In addition to the $350 statutory fee, all parties filing civil actions on or after May 1, 

28 2013, must pay an additional administrative fee of$50. See 28 U.S.C. § 1914(a), (b); Judicial 

Conference Schedule of Fees, District Court Misc. Fee Schedule, eff. May 1,2013. However, 

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Case 3:13-cv-02809-WQH-WMC Document 3 Filed 12/17/13 Page 1 of 3
1 pay this filing fee only ifthe party is granted leave to proceed informa pauperis ("IFP") 

2 pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a). See Andrews v. Cervantes, 493 F.3d 1047, 1051 (9th 

3 Cir. 2007); Rodriguez v. Cook, 169 F.3d 1176, 1177 (9th Cir. 1999). 

4 Plaintiff has not prepaid the $400 in filing and administrative fees required to 

5 commence a civil action, nor has he submitted a Motion to Proceed IFP that complies 

6 with 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a).2 Therefore, the case cannot yet proceed. See 28 U.S.C. 

7 § 1914(a); Andrews, 493 F.3d at 1051. 

8 II. CONCLUSION AND ORDER 

9 For the reasons set forth above, the Court hereby: 

10 (1) DISMISSES this action sua sponte without prejudice for failing to pay the 

11 $400 civil filing and administrative fee or submit a Motion to Proceed IFP pursuant to 

12 28 U.S.C. § 1914(a) and § 1915(a); and 

13 (2) GRANTS Plaintiffforty five (45) days leave from the date this Order is 

14 filed to: (a) prepay the entire $400 civil filing and administrative fee in full; or 

15 (b) complete and file a Motion to Proceed IFP which includes a certified copy ofhis trust 

16 account statement for the 6-month period preceding the filing of his Complaint. See 28 

17 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(2); S.D. CAL. CIvLR 3.2(b).3 

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19 the additional $50 administrative fee is waived if the plaintiff is granted leave to proceed IFP. 

Id. 

20 2 Plaintiff has submitted a prison certificate signed by a PSH trust officer (ECF Doc. No. 

21 2). However, Plaintiff has failed to "submit an affidavit that includes a statement of all assets 

[he) possesses," and has failed attach a coPY of his trust account statements for the 6-month 

22 penod immediately preceding the filing of his complaint as is required by 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(1) 

& (2). 

23 3 Plaintiff is cautioned that ifhe chooses to proceed with this action by properly moving 

to proceed IFP, he will nevertheless "be required to pay the full amount of a fihng fee" pursuant 

24 to 28 U.S.C. § 1915\b)(l). Moreover, his Complaint, which is comprised of only a list of health 

issues he has faced 'starting at Atascadero State Hospital" in 2010, appears to raise issues of 

25 "false imprisonment" and "perjury" related to a California Welfare and Institutions Code § 5150 

commitment hearing held in Imperial County Superior Court in March 2013 (Compl. ECF Doc. 

26 No. 1 at 1-2), fails to currently contain any plausible claim for relief available p'ursuant to 42 

27 U.S.C. § 1983. Therefore, if Plaintiff elects to proceed further, his complaint w!ll be screened 

and immediately subject to dismissal, regardless of his fee status, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 

§ 1915(e)(2)(B). See Lopez v. Smith, 203 F.3d 1122, 1126-27 (9th Cir. 2000) (en banc) (noting 

28 that 281J.S.C. § 1915( e) "not only permits but requires" the court to sua sponte dismiss an in 

forma pauperis complaint that is frivolous, malicious, fails to state a claim, or seeks relief from 

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Case 3:13-cv-02809-WQH-WMC Document 3 Filed 12/17/13 Page 2 of 3
, , 

1 IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Clerk ofthe Court shall provide Plaintiff 

2 with this Court's approved form "Motion and Declaration in Support of Motion to 

3 Proceed In Forma Pauperis," IfPlaintifffails to either prepay the $400 civil filing fee 

4 or fully complete and submit the enclosed Motion to Proceed IFP within that time, this 

5 action shall remain dismissed without prejudice and without further Order of the Court, 

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DATED: 

HON.vnL Q.HAYES 

United Stat s DistrIct Judge 

defendants who are immune). A person in state custody simpl>,' may not use a § 1983 civil rights 

28 action to challenge the "fact or duration of his confinement. ' Preiser v. Rodriguez, 411 U.S. 

475,489 (1973). He must seek federal habeas corpus relief instead. Wilkinson v. Dotson, 544 

U.S. 74, 18 (2005) (citing Preiser, 411 U.S. at 489). 

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Case 3:13-cv-02809-WQH-WMC Document 3 Filed 12/17/13 Page 3 of 3