Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_13-cv-03102/USCOURTS-casd-3_13-cv-03102-0/pdf.json

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

---

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

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

JOSE AGUIRRE-PALACIOS,

BOP #27890-298,

Civil No. 13cv3102 BTM (WVG)

Plaintiff, ORDER: 

(1) GRANTING PLAINTIFF’S

MOTION TO PROCEED 

IN FORMA PAUPERIS

(ECF Doc. No. 2); and 

(2) DIRECTING U.S. MARSHAL

TO EFFECT SERVICE OF FIRST

AMENDED COMPLAINT

PURSUANT TO FED.R.CIV.P. 4(c)(3)

& 28 U.S.C. § 1915(d)

vs.

SAN DIEGO FACILITY DOE 1; SAN

DIEGO FACILITY DOE 2; UNITED

STATES OF AMERICA; JOHN DOE,

Defendants.

Jose Aguirre-Palacios (“Plaintiff”), currently incarcerated at the Giles W. Dalby

Correctional Facility in Post, Texas, proceeding pro se, has brought this civil action. 

Before the Court could conduct the required sua sponte screening, Plaintiff filed a First

Amended Complaint (“FAC”). (ECF Doc. No. 4.) 

Plaintiff has not prepaid the $350 statutory and administrative civil filing fees

required by 28 U.S.C. § 1914(a); instead, he has filed a Motion to Proceed In Forma

Pauperis (“IFP”) pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a) (ECF Doc. No. 2). 

1 13cv3102 BTM (WVG)

Case 3:13-cv-03102-BTM-WVG Document 5 Filed 07/07/14 Page 1 of 4
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

I.

PLAINTIFF’S MOTION TO PROCEED IFP

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

$350. See 28 U.S.C. § 1914(a). An action may proceed despite a party’s failure to pay

only if the party is granted leave to proceed IFP pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a). See

Andrews v. Cervantes, 493 F.3d 1047, 1051 (9thCir. 2007); Rodriguez v. Cook, 169 F.3d

1176, 1177 (9th Cir. 1999). Prisoners granted leave to proceed IFP however, remain

obligated to pay the entire fee in installments, regardless of whether the action is

ultimately dismissed for any reason. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1) & (2). 

The Court finds that Plaintiff has submitted an affidavit which complies with 28

U.S.C. § 1915(a)(1), and that he has attached a certified copy of his trust account

statement pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(2) and S.D.CAL.CIVLR 3.2. Plaintiff’s trust

account statement shows that he has insufficient funds from which to pay an initial

partial filing fee.

Accordingly, the Court GRANTS Plaintiff’s Motion to Proceed IFP (ECF No. 2)

and assesses no initial partial filing fee per 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1). However, the Court

further orders the Warden of Dalby Correctional Facility to garnish the entire $350

balance of the filing fees owed in this case, collect and forward them to the Clerk of the

Court pursuant to the installment payment provisionsset forth in 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1).

II.

INITIAL SCREENING PER 28 U.S.C. §§ 1915(e)(2)(b)(ii) AND 1915A(b)(1)

Notwithstanding IFP status or the payment of any partial filing fees, the PLRA

also obligates the Court to review complaints filed by all persons proceeding IFP and by

those, like Plaintiff, who are “incarcerated or detained in any facility [and] accused of,

sentenced for, or adjudicated delinquent for, violations of criminal law or the terms or

conditions of parole, probation, pretrial release, or diversionary program,” “as soon as

2 13cv3102 BTM (WVG)

Case 3:13-cv-03102-BTM-WVG Document 5 Filed 07/07/14 Page 2 of 4
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

practicable after docketing.” See 28 U.S.C. §§ 1915(e)(2) and 1915A(b). Under these

provisions of the PLRA, the Court must sua sponte dismiss complaints, or any portions

thereof, which are frivolous, malicious, fail to state a claim, or which seek damagesfrom

defendants who are immune. See 28 U.S.C. §§ 1915(e)(2)(B) and 1915A.

As currently pleaded, the Court finds Plaintiff’s allegations sufficient to survive

the sua sponte screening required by 28 U.S.C. §§ 1915(e)(2) and 1915A(b).1

Accordingly, the Court finds Plaintiff is entitled to U.S. Marshal service on his behalf. 

See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(d) (“The officers of the court shall issue and serve all process, and

perform all duties in [IFP] cases.”); FED.R.CIV.P. 4(c)(3) (“[T]he court may order that

service be made by a United States marshal or deputy marshal ... if the plaintiff is

authorized to proceed in forma pauperis under 28 U.S.C. § 1915.”).2

III.

CONCLUSION AND ORDER

Good cause appearing, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:

1. Plaintiff’s Motion to proceed IFP pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a) (ECF

Doc. No. 2) is GRANTED.

2. The Warden of the Giles W. Dalby Correctional Facility, or his designee,

shall collect from Plaintiff’s prison trust account the initial filing fee assessed in this

Order, and shall forward the remainder of the $350 filing fee owed by collecting monthly

payments from Plaintiff’s account in an amount equal to twenty percent (20%) of the

preceding month’s income and shall forward payments to the Clerk of the Court each

time the amount in the account exceeds $10 in accordance with 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(2). 

Plaintiff is cautioned that “the sua sponte screening and dismissal procedure is cumulative of, 1

and not a substitute for, any subsequent Rule 12[] motion that [a defendant] may choose to bring.” 

Teahan v. Wilhelm, 481 F. Supp. 2d 1115, 1119 (S.D. Cal. 2007).

Plaintiff is cautioned that he must also identify the individual United States Customs and 2

Border Protection Agent he seeks to sue sufficiently such that service of process upon that

person can be effected. See Walker v. Sumner, 14 F.3d 1415, 1422 (9th Cir. 1994) (noting that

plaintiff proceeding IFP must “furnish[] the information necessary to identify the defendant,”

or face a FED.R.CIV.P. 4(m) dismissal based on U.S. Marshal’s inability to effect service),

overruled on other grounds by Sandin v. Conner, 515 U.S. 472 (1995).

3 13cv3102 BTM (WVG)

Case 3:13-cv-03102-BTM-WVG Document 5 Filed 07/07/14 Page 3 of 4
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

ALL PAYMENTS SHALL BE CLEARLY IDENTIFIED BY THE NAME AND

NUMBER ASSIGNED TO THIS ACTION.

3. The Clerk of the Court is directed to serve a copy of this Order on Stephen

McAdams, Warden, Giles W. Dalby Correctional Facility, 805 North Avenue F, Post,

Texas, 79356.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that:

4. The Clerk shall issue a summons asto Plaintiff’s First Amended Complaint

(ECF No. 4) upon Defendants and shall and forward it to Plaintiff along with a blank

U.S. Marshal Form285 for each Defendant. In addition, the Clerk shall provide Plaintiff

with a certified copy of this Order, a certified copy of his First Amended Complaint

(ECF No. 4), and the summons so that he may serve each named Defendant. Upon

receipt of this “IFP Package,” Plaintiff is directed to complete the Form 285s as

completely and accurately as possible, and to return them to the United States Marshal

according to the instructions provided by the Clerk in the letter accompanying his IFP

package. Upon receipt, the U.S. Marshal shall serve a copy of the Complaint and

summons upon each Defendant as directed by Plaintiff on the USM Form 285s. All

costs of service shall be advanced by the United States. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(d);

FED.R.CIV.P. 4(c)(3).

5. Plaintiffshall serve upon the Defendants or, if appearance has been entered

by counsel, upon Defendants’ counsel, a copy of every further pleading or other

document submitted for consideration of the Court. Plaintiff shall include with the

original paper to be filed with the Clerk of the Court a certificate stating the manner in

which a true and correct copy of any document wasserved on Defendants, or counsel for

Defendants, and the date of service. 

DATED: July 7, 2014

BARRY TED MOSKOWITZ, Chief Judge

United States District Court

4 13cv3102 BTM (WVG)

Case 3:13-cv-03102-BTM-WVG Document 5 Filed 07/07/14 Page 4 of 4