Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_17-cv-02227/USCOURTS-casd-3_17-cv-02227-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 864
Nature of Suit: Social Security - SSID Title XVI
Cause of Action: 05:0552fi Freedom of Information Act

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FILED 

DEC 0 7 2017 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

TRAVIS MORGAN, 

Plaintiff, 

v. 

NANCY BERRYHILL, Acting 

Commissioner, Social Security 

Administration, 

Defendant. 

Case No.: l 7cv2227-LAB(KSC) . 

ORDER GRANTING PLAINTIF~'S APPLICATION TO PROCEED 11' 

DISTRICT COURT WITHOUT • 

PREPAYING FEES OR COSTS I 

[Doc. No. 7) 

20 Plaintiff recently filed a Complaint alleging that defendant Social Security 

21 Administration failed to comply with its obligations under the Freedom of Information 

22 Act, 5 U.S.C. § 552. [Doc. No. I, at pp. 1-3.] Along with his Complaint, plaintiff filed a 

23 form and affidavit entitled "Application to Proceed in District Court Without Prepay~ng 

24 Fees or Costs" indicating he is entitled to proceed in the action in forma pauperis. [,

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25 No. 7.] I\ 

26 A court may authorize the commencement of a suit without prepayment of fee~ if 

27 the plaintiff submits an affidavit, including a statement of all his or her assets, showi~g 

28 that he or she is unable to pay the filing fee. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a). The affidavit thust 

Case 3:17-cv-02227-LAB-KSC Document 8 Filed 12/07/17 PageID.<pageID> Page 1 of 2
1 "state the facts as to [the] affiant's poverty with some particularity, definiteness and\ 

2 certainty." United States v. McQuade, 647 F.2d 938, 940 (9th Cir.1981) (internal \ 

3 quotations omitted). I 

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4 A party need not be completely destitute to proceed informa pauperis. Adkihs v. 

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5 E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Co., 335 U.S. 331, 339-340 (1948). An affidavit is sufficient I 

6 if it shows that the applicant cannot pay the fee "and still be able to provide himsel~ [or 

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7 herself] and dependents with the necessities oflife." Id. (internal quotations omitt9d). I 

8 Here, plaintiff's affidavit states that he is disabled by a progressive and incur<:iJ.ble 

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9 disease and his only income is $194 in public assistance. (Doc. No. 7, at p. 2, 5.] Tpe 

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10 affidavit also indicates that plaintiff's basic living expenses exceed his income. Plaintiff 

11 has no property and only a small amount of cash. [Doc. No. 7, at pp. 1-5.) Therefor¢, the 

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12 Court finds that plaintiff has submitted an affidavit which sufficiently shows that he\ lacks 

13 the financial resources to pay his filing fee. Accordingly, , 

14 IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT plaintiff's Application to Proceed with hi~ 

15 Complaint in forma pauperis is GRANTED. [Doc 

16 Dated: December _L_, 201 7 

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Hon. Karen 

United States Magistrate Judge 

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