Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_06-cv-00767/USCOURTS-caed-1_06-cv-00767-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 442
Nature of Suit: Civil Rights Employment
Cause of Action: 28:1331 Fed. Question: Employment Discrimination

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

JOHN DURNYA, CASE NO. CV F 06-0767 AWI LJO

Plaintiff, ORDER TO PAY FILING FEE

vs. (Doc. 4.)

DEPT. OF CORRECTION, et al.,

Defendants.

 /

On June 16, 2006, pro se plaintiff John Durnya (“plaintiff”) filed with this Court his Application

to Proceed without Prepayment of Fees and Affidavit (“application”) to request to proceed without

prepayment of the $350 filing fee or costs under 28 U.S.C. § 1915. Plaintiff’s application indicates that

his salary exceeds $2,000 monthly and that he has more than $20,000 in assets.

Filing fees are addressed by 28 U.S.C. § 1914(a) which provides the “clerk of each district court

shall require the parties instituting any civil action, suit or proceeding, in such court . . . to pay a filing

fee . . .” and which is $350 for civil actions in this Court. This Court’s Local Rule 77-121(c) provides

in pertinent part: “[T]he Clerk shall not file any paper, issue any process, or render any other service for

which a fee is prescribed by statute or by the Judicial Conference of the United States unless the fee is

prepaid.” A person may be allowed to proceed with a civil action without paying a filing fee upon

submission of an affidavit stating he/she is unable to pay such fee, the nature of the action and the belief

he/she is entitled to redress. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(1); Rowland v. California Men’s Colony, 506 U.S.

194, 201, 113 S.Ct. 716, 720-721 (1993).

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The affidavit required under 28 U.S.C. §1915(a) has been described as an "allegation of poverty."

Rowland, 506 U.S. at 203, 113 S.Ct. at 722. In Rowland, 506 U.S. at 203, 113 S.Ct. at 722, the United

States Supreme Court noted in reference to an application for in forma pauperis status:

Poverty, in its primary sense, is a human condition, to be "[w]anting in material riches

or goods; lacking in the comforts of life; needy," Webster's New International

Dictionary 1919 (2d ed. 1942) . . . As we first said in 1948, "[w]e think an affidavit is

sufficient which states that one cannot because of his poverty 'pay or give security for the

costs ... and still be able to provide' himself and dependents 'with the necessities of life.'

" Adkins v. E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Co., 335 U.S. 331, 339, 69 S.Ct. 85, 89, 93 L.Ed.

43. 

Plaintiff’s application indicates he neither lacks in the comforts of life nor is needy. His monthly

income exceeds $2,000, and he holds assets exceeding $20,000. Plaintiff is not poverty-stricken. If

plaintiff is earnest in pursuing his claims, he appears to have the ability to pay the filing fee, waiver of

which is reserved for the truly needy. Moreover, based on plaintiff’s complaint, plaintiff appears to

attempt to take advantage of cost-free filing to vex defendants. 

Accordingly, on the basis of good cause, this Court:

1. DENIES plaintiff’s application to proceed without prepayment of fees; and

2. ORDERS plaintiff, no later than July 3, 2006, to pay the $350 filing fee.

Plaintiff is admonished that this Court will take no action regarding his claims until he

pays the $350 filing fee and that this Court will dismissthis action if plaintiff fails to timely comply

with this order.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: June 19, 2006 /s/ Lawrence J. O'Neill 

66h44d UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Case 1:06-cv-00767-AWI-LJO Document 5 Filed 06/19/06 Page 2 of 2