Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_06-cv-00266/USCOURTS-cand-3_06-cv-00266-0/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

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

HENRY J. LUGO, 

Plaintiff(s),

 vs.

JEANNE S. WOODFORD, et al.,

Defendant(s). 

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

No. C 06-0266 CRB (PR)

ORDER 

(Doc # 2)

Plaintiff, a prisoner at Salinas Valley State Prison and a frequent litigant in

federal court, has filed a pro se civil rights complaint under 42 U.S.C. § 1983

alleging that the grievance process of the California Department of Corrections

and Rehabilitation (“CDCR”) does not work, that he is being denied weekly

access to the prison law library and that he was placed in administrative

segregation on false grounds. Plaintiff seeks to proceed in forma pauperis under

28 U.S.C. § 1915. 

The Prison Litigation Reform Act of 1995 ("PLRA") was enacted, and

became effective, on April 26, 1996. It provides that a prisoner may not bring a

civil action or appeal a civil judgment under 28 U.S.C. § 1915 "if the prisoner

has, on 3 or more prior occasions, while incarcerated or detained in any facility,

brought an action or appeal in a court of the United States that was dismissed on

Case 3:06-cv-00266-CRB Document 3 Filed 01/25/06 Page 1 of 3
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

the grounds that it is frivolous, malicious, or fails to state a claim upon which

relief may be granted, unless the prisoner is under imminent danger of serious

physical injury." 28 U.S.C. § 1915(g). "Section 1915(g)'s cap on prior dismissed

claims applies to claims dismissed both before and after the [PLRA's] effective

date." Tierney v. Kupers, 128 F.3d 1310, 1312 (9th Cir. 1997).

Plaintiff has had three or more prior prisoner actions dismissed by a

federal district court on the grounds that they are frivolous, malicious, or fail to

state a claim upon which relief may be granted. See, e.g., Lugo v. CDC, No. C

98-4108 CRB (PR) (N.D. Cal. Oct. 30, 1998) (order of dismissal); Lugo v.

Woodford, No. C 05-4389 CRB (PR) (N.D. Cal. Nov. 2, 2005) (same); Lugo v.

Adams, No. C 01-5771 AWI-HGB (E.D. Cal. May 8, 2003) (same); Lugo v.

Alamedia, No. C 02-5112 OWW-DLB (E.D. Cal. May 10, 2004) (same); Lugo v.

Carrillo, No. C 02-6339 OWW-SMS (E.D. Cal. July 27, 2004) (same); Lugo v.

Cobbs, No. C 03-5274 REC-SMS (E.D. Cal. Dec. 27, 2004) (same); Lugo v.

Scribner, No. C 03-6517 AWI-WMW (E.D. Cal. Nov. 23, 2004) (same). 

Plaintiff therefore may proceed in forma pauperis only if he is seeking relief from

a danger of serious physical injury which is “imminent” at the time of filing. See

Abdul-Akbar v. McKelvie, 239 F.3d 307, 312 (3d Cir. 2001) (en banc);

Medberry v. Butler, 185 F.3d 1189, 1192-93 (11th Cir. 1999); Ashley v.

Dilworth, 147 F.3d 715, 717 (8th Cir. 1998); Banos v. O'Guin, 144 F.3d 883, 885

(5th Cir. 1998). He is not. Plaintiff’s request to proceed in forma pauperis (doc #

2) accordingly is DENIED. 

Under the law of the circuit, plaintiff must be afforded an opportunity to

persuade the court that § 1915(g) does not bar pauper status for him. See

Andrews v. King, 398 F.3d 1113, 1120 (9th Cir. 2005). Within 30 days of this

order plaintiff may show cause why § 1915(g) does not bar pauper status for him.

Case 3:06-cv-00266-CRB Document 3 Filed 01/25/06 Page 2 of 3
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 3

Failure to show cause, or pay the requisite $ 250.00 filing fee, within the

designated time will result in the dismissal of this action without prejudice to

bringing it in a new paid complaint.

SO ORDERED.

DATED: Jan. 25, 2006 CHARLES R. BREYER

United States District Judge 

Case 3:06-cv-00266-CRB Document 3 Filed 01/25/06 Page 3 of 3