Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_24-cv-01650/USCOURTS-caed-2_24-cv-01650-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Lassen County
Defendant
William Brett Whitford
Plaintiff

Document Text:

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

1

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

WILLIAM BRETT WHITFORD, et al.,

Plaintiffs,

v.

LASSEN COUNTY, CALIFORNIA,

Defendant.

Case No. 2:24-cv-01650-TLN-CSK

ORDER DENYING WITHOUT PREJUDICE 

PLAINTIFFS’ REQUEST TO PROCEED 

IFP, AND REQUIRING PLAINTIFFS TO 

RE-FILE COMPLAINT SIGNED BY ALL 

PLAINTIFFS

(ECF No. 2)

Plaintiffs William Brett Whitford and Jacqueline Marie Costa are representing 

themselves in this action and seek leave to proceed in forma pauperis (“IFP”) pursuant 

to 28 U.S.C. § 1915.

1 (ECF No. 2.) For the reasons stated below, the Court DENIES 

Plaintiffs’ request to proceed IFP. 

I. LEGAL STANDARDS

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

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

28 U.S.C. § 1914(a). An action may proceed despite a party's failure to pay the filing fee 

only if the party is granted leave to proceed in forma pauperis pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 

1 This matter proceeds before the undersigned pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636, Fed. R. 

Civ. P. 72, and Local Rule 302(c).

Case 2:24-cv-01650-TLN-CSK Document 3 Filed 12/26/24 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

2

§ 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). “Where there are multiple plaintiffs in a 

single action, the plaintiffs may not proceed in forma pauperis unless all of them 

demonstrate inability to pay the filing fee.” Martinez v. Lutz, 2018 WL 3924266, at *1 

(E.D. Cal. Aug. 14, 2018) (citation omitted); see also Anderson v. California, 2010 WL 

4316996, at *1 (S.D. Cal. Oct. 27, 2010) (“[A]lthough only one filing fee needs to be paid 

per case, if multiple plaintiffs seek to proceed in forma pauperis, each plaintiff must 

qualify for IFP status.”) 

II. DISCUSSION

A. Plaintiffs’ Request to Proceed IFP

This action is brought by Plaintiff Whitford and Plaintiff Costa. Compl. at 1 (ECF 

No. 1). However, there is a single request to proceed IFP. (ECF No. 2.) The request 

names Plaintiff Whitford and Plaintiff Costa and describes that “neither [plaintiff] is 

employed. William Brett Whitford is caregiver to blind coplaintiff Jacqueline Marie Costa. 

She is blind. He receives social security and VA disability. She receives $0.00 monthly.” 

Id. at 1. The request, however, is signed only by Plaintiff Whitford. Id. at 2. For Plaintiffs 

to collectively proceed IFP in this action, each plaintiff must submit his or her own 

separate, signed, and complete IFP application. In the absence of IFP applications for 

each Plaintiff, the Court is unable to determine whether each Plaintiff qualifies for IFP 

status. See Martinez, 2018 WL 392466, at *1. To proceed in this action, Plaintiffs must: 

(1) pay the filing fee, or (2) each file a complete and signed application to proceed IFP 

within thirty (30) days from the date of this order. Plaintiffs are warned that failure to pay 

the filing fee, or submit complete IFP applications for each Plaintiff, by the prescribed 

deadline will result in a recommendation that this action be dismissed without prejudice. 

Accordingly, the Court denies Plaintiffs’ request to proceed IFP (ECF No. 2) without 

prejudice. 

B. Unsigned Complaint by Plaintiff Costa

Additionally, the Complaint is only signed by Plaintiff Whitford. Compl. at 4, 32. 

Case 2:24-cv-01650-TLN-CSK Document 3 Filed 12/26/24 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

3

Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 11(a) requires that if a party is not represented by an 

attorney, "[e]very pleading, written motion, and other paper must be signed" by the party 

personally. In addition, the "paper must state the signer's address, e-mail address, and 

telephone number." Fed. R. Civ. P. 11(a); see also E.D. Cal. Local Rule 183(b) (“A party 

appearing in propria persona shall keep the Court and opposing parties advised as to his 

or her current address.”). Plaintiffs are instructed that while they remain unrepresented, 

they must each personally sign every pleading, motion, and other paper they submit to 

the Court and they must include their address, e-mail address, and telephone number on 

every pleading, motion, and other paper they submit to the Court. Within thirty (30) days 

from the date of this order, Plaintiffs must re-file their entire Complaint with the signature 

for each Plaintiff, and include each Plaintiff's address, e-mail address, and telephone 

number. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 11(a); see also E.D. Cal. Local Rule 183(b).

III. CONCLUSION

In accordance with the above, IT IS ORDERED that:

1. Plaintiffs’ request to proceed in forma pauperis (ECF No. 2) is DENIED 

without prejudice;

2. Plaintiffs must pay the filing fee or each file a complete and signed 

application to proceed IFP within thirty (30) days from the date of this 

order;

3. Plaintiffs are warned that failure to pay the filing fee or submit complete IFP 

applications by each Plaintiff by the prescribed deadline will result in a 

recommendation that this action be dismissed without prejudice; 

4. Plaintiff Costa is directed to provide the Court with a current address in 

accordance with Local Rule 183 within thirty (30) days from the date of this 

order; and

5. Plaintiffs must re-file their entire Complaint with the signature for each 

Plaintiff, and include each Plaintiff's address, e-mail address, and 

telephone number within thirty (30) days from the date of this order. 

Case 2:24-cv-01650-TLN-CSK Document 3 Filed 12/26/24 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

4

Dated: December 23, 2024

4, whit1650.24

Case 2:24-cv-01650-TLN-CSK Document 3 Filed 12/26/24 Page 4 of 4