Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_14-cv-01094/USCOURTS-caed-2_14-cv-01094-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Diane Feliciano
Plaintiff
Metropolitan Life Insurance Company
Defendant

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

DIANE FELICIANO, 

Plaintiff, 

v. 

METROPOLITAN LIFE INSURANCE 

COMPANY, and DOES 1 to 100, 

Defendants. 

No. CIV. S-14-1094 LKK/EFB 

ORDER 

Plaintiff Diane Feliciano, represented by counsel, has 

applied to proceed in this civil action without prepayment of 

fees or costs under 28 U.S.C. § 1915. The gravamen of plaintiff’s 

complaint is that she was wrongfully denied disability benefits, 

including long-term coverage, by defendant Metropolitan Life 

Insurance Company. 

The opportunity to proceed in forma pauperis is a privilege, 

not a right. Franklin v. Murphy, 745 F.2d 1221, 1231 (9th Cir. 

1984). A petitioner need not “be absolutely destitute to enjoy 

the benefit of this statute.” Adkins v. E.I. DuPont de Nemours & 

Co., 335 U.S. 331, 339 (1948); Jefferson v. United States, 277 

Case 2:14-cv-01094-MCE-EFB Document 3 Filed 05/28/14 Page 1 of 2
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F.2d 723, 725 (9th Cir. 1960). But she must demonstrate her 

poverty with “some particularity, definiteness, and certainty.” 

United States v. McQuade, 647 F.2d 938, 940 (9th Cir. 1981). 

It appears from the complaint that plaintiff has not worked 

since 2011. (ECF No. 1.) In her application, plaintiff avers, 

under penalty of perjury, that she “had to cash in what was left 

in my 401K to live and that is the amount in my bank account less 

taxes & penalties,” that she retains $30,000 in cash, and that 

otherwise, that she owns no real estate, stocks, bonds, 

securities, other financial instruments, automobiles, or any 

other thing of value, and that she has no other source of income. 

The court finds that plaintiff has adequately demonstrated 

that she “is unable to pay [the required] fees or give security 

therefor.” 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(1). Accordingly, her Application 

to Proceed Without Prepayment of Fees is GRANTED. 

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

DATED: May 27, 2014. 

Case 2:14-cv-01094-MCE-EFB Document 3 Filed 05/28/14 Page 2 of 2