Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_15-cv-02491/USCOURTS-casd-3_15-cv-02491-0/pdf.json

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

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

EDWARD STANLEY MILLS, 

CDCR #C-30008,

Civil No. 15-cv-2491 GPC (PCL)

Plaintiff, ORDER DISMISSING CIVIL

ACTION WITHOUT PREJUDICE

FOR FAILING TO PAY 

FILING FEE REQUIRED 

BY 28 U.S.C. § 1914(a) AND/OR

FAILING TO MOVE TO

PROCEED IN FORMA PAUPERIS

PURSUANT TO 

28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)

 vs.

WARDEN, Calipatria State Prison, et al.,

Defendants.

 

Edward StanleyMills(“Plaintiff”), currently incarcerated atCalipatria StatePrison

(“CAL”), in Calipatria, California, and proceeding pro se, has filed a civil rights

complaint (“Compl.”) pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 (ECF No. 1). 

Plaintiff contends CAL’s Warden, the California Department of Corrections [and

Rehabilitation] (“CDCR”), and CAL Correctional Officer D. Bell violated his due

process rights by including false information in a CDCR 115 Rules Violation Report

charging him with the use of a controlled substance. See Compl. at 3-4, 22-28. He seeks

injunctive relief as well as general and punitive damages. Id. at 6.

/ / /

/ / /

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I. Failure to Pay Filing Fee or Request IFP Status

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

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

$400. See 28 U.S.C. § 1914(a).1 An action may proceed despite a plaintiff’s failure to

prepay the entire fee only if he is granted leave to proceed in forma pauperis (“IFP”)

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

Cir. 2007); Rodriguez v. Cook, 169 F.3d 1176, 1177 (9th Cir. 1999). If the Plaintiff is a

prisoner at the time of filing, as Plaintiff is in this case, he may be granted leave to

proceed IFP, but he will remain obligated to pay the entire fee in “increments” or

“installments,” Bruce v. Samuels, __ S. Ct. __, 2016 WL 112684 at *3 (U.S. Jan. 12,

2016) (No. 14-844); Williams v. Paramo, 775 F.3d 1182, 1185 (9th Cir. 2015), and

regardless of whether his action is ultimately dismissed. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1) &

(2); Taylor v. Delatoore, 281 F.3d 844, 847 (9th Cir. 2002).

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

commence this civil action, nor has he filed a Motion to Proceed IFP pursuant to 28

U.S.C. § 1915(a)(1) and (2). Therefore, his case cannot yet proceed. See 28 U.S.C.

§ 1914(a); Andrews, 493 F.3d at 1051.

II. Conclusion and Order

For the reason explained above, the Court:

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

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

28 U.S.C. §§ 1914(a) and 1915(a);

(2) GRANTS Plaintiff forty-five (45) days leave from the date this Order is

filed to re-open this case by: (a) prepaying the entire $400 civil filing and administrative

fee in full; or (b) completing and filing a Motion to Proceed IFP which includes a

1

In addition to the $350 statutory fee, civil litigants must pay an additional

administrative fee of $50. See 28 U.S.C. § 1914(a) (Judicial Conference Schedule of

Fees, District Court Misc. Fee Schedule, § 14 (eff. Dec. 1, 2014). The additional $50

administrative fee does not apply to persons granted leave to proceed IFP. Id.

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certified copy of his trust account statement for the 6-month period preceding the filing

of his Complaint as is required by 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(2); S.D. CAL. CIVLR 3.2(b);2

and

(3) DIRECTS the Clerk of the Court to provide Plaintiff with this Court’s

approved form “Motion and Declaration in Support of Motion to Proceed In Forma

Pauperis.” If Plaintiff fails to either prepay the $400 civil filing fee or complete and

submit the enclosed Motion to Proceed IFP within 45 days, his case will remain

dismissed without prejudice based on his failure to satisfy 28 U.S.C. § 1914(a)’s fee

requirements and without further Order of the Court.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: February 2, 2016

HON. GONZALO P. CURIEL

United States District Judge

2 Plaintiff is cautioned that if he chooses to proceed further by either pre-paying

the full $400 civil filing fee, or submitting a properly supported Motion to Proceed IFP,

his Complaint will be screened before service upon any defendant and may be

immediately dismissed pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(b) or 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B)

regardless of whether he pays the full filing fee up front, or is granted leave to proceed

IFP and to pay it in monthly installments. See Lopez v. Smith, 203 F.3d 1122, 1126-27

(9th Cir. 2000) (en banc) (noting that 28 U.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 damages from defendants who are

immune); Rhodes v. Robinson, 621 F.3d 1002, 1004 (9th Cir. 2010) (discussing similar

screening required by 28 U.S.C. § 1915A of all complaints filed by prisoners “seeking

redress from a governmental entity or officer or employee of a governmental entity.”).

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