Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_19-cv-02228/USCOURTS-casd-3_19-cv-02228-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 864
Nature of Suit: Social Security - SSID Title XVI
Cause of Action: 42:0405id Review of HHS Decision (SSID)

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

NATHAN KOENGETER,

Plaintiff,

v.

ANDREW SAUL, Commissioner of 

Social Security,

Defendant.

Case No.: 19CV2228-KSC

ORDER GRANTING APPLICATION 

TO PROCEED IN FORMA 

PAUPERIS [DOC. NO. 2]

On November 22, 2019, plaintiff Nathan Koengeter commenced an action against 

Andrew Saul, the Commissioner of Social Security, seeking review of a final adverse 

decision of the Commissioner. [Doc. No. 1.] Plaintiff also filed an Application to Proceed 

with his Complaint in forma pauperis. [Doc. No. 2.] The Application is in the form of an 

affidavit. [Id.]

A court may authorize the commencement of a suit without prepayment of fees if 

the plaintiff submits an affidavit, including a statement of all his or her assets, showing 

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

“state the facts as to [the] affiant's poverty with some particularity, definiteness and 

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

quotations omitted). 

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A party need not be completely destitute to proceed in forma pauperis. Adkins v. 

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

if it shows that the applicant cannot pay the fee “and still be able to provide himself [or 

herself] and dependents with the necessities of life.” Id. (internal quotations omitted).

Here, plaintiff’s affidavit states that he is unemployed, has no income and limited 

assets. His only assets are a savings account with a balance of $1,000 and a 2019 Nissan 

Sentra valued at $11,500 that he shares with his spouse. [Doc. No. 3, pp. 2-3.] He has a 6 

year old son. [Id., p. 3.] The only income for the household is from his spouse’s job, who 

is expected to earn $4,580.00 this month. [Id., pp. 1-2.] Monthly expenses for the 

household total $6,156.00. [Id., pp. 4-5.] Therefore, the Court finds that plaintiff has 

submitted an affidavit which sufficiently shows he lacks the financial resources to pay his

filing fee. Accordingly, 

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT plaintiff’s Application to Proceed with his 

Complaint in forma pauperis is GRANTED. [Doc. No. 2.]

Dated: January 6, 2020

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