Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_19-cv-02092/USCOURTS-caed-2_19-cv-02092-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 550
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Civil Rights (U.S. defendant)
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Prisoner Civil Rights

---

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

1

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

JOSHUA NEIL HARRELL,

Plaintiff,

v.

COUNTY OF SOLANO, et al.,

Defendants.

No. 2:19-cv-2092-WBS-EFB P

ORDER

Plaintiff, a state prisoner proceeding pro se, has filed this civil rights action seeking relief 

under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. The matter was referred to a United States Magistrate Judge pursuant to 

28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1)(B) and Local Rule 302. 

On April 8, 2020, the magistrate judge filed findings and recommendations herein which 

were served on plaintiff and which contained notice to plaintiff that any objections to the findings 

and recommendations were to be filed within fourteen days. Plaintiff has filed objections to the 

findings and recommendations.

In accordance with the provisions of 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1)(C) and Local Rule 304, this 

court has conducted a de novo review of this case. Having carefully reviewed the entire file, the 

court finds the findings and recommendations to be supported by the record and by proper 

analysis.

/////

Case 2:19-cv-02092-WBS-EFB Document 11 Filed 05/21/20 Page 1 of 2
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

2

In addition to his objections, plaintiff filed a motion to stay the collection of the filing fee 

in this action. ECF No. 10. He states that he filed for bankruptcy and that the bankruptcy court 

dismissed his case for failure to file the proper paperwork. He asks that he be excused from 

paying the filing fee in this case until his appeal of the bankruptcy court dismissal is resolved. 

Plaintiff’s request will be denied for the following reasons. Firsr, the motion is premature 

because plaintiff filed it before the court ordered him to pay the filing fee. Second (and to the 

extent plaintiff intends to rely upon it), the automatic stay pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 362 is 

inapplicable because plaintiff’s bankruptcy case was dismissed. See In re Hanson, 282 B.R. 240, 

245 (Bankr. D. Colo. 2002) (“[N]either Rule 7062 nor Section 362 provide a stay in a bankruptcy 

case which has been dismissed.”). And third, debts for a prisoner’s filing fees generally are not 

dischargeable in bankruptcy. See 11 U.S.C. 

§ 523(a)(17).

Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:

1. The findings and recommendations filed April 8, 2020, are adopted in full; and

2. Plaintiff’s application to proceed in forma pauperis (ECF No. 2) is denied; 

3. Plaintiff is ordered to pay the $400 filing fee within fourteen days from the date of 

service of this order and is warned that failure to do so will result in the dismissal of this action; 

and

4. Plaintiff’s motion to stay (ECF No. 10) is denied.

Dated: May 20, 2020

Case 2:19-cv-02092-WBS-EFB Document 11 Filed 05/21/20 Page 2 of 2