Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_16-cv-03811/USCOURTS-cand-3_16-cv-03811-3/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Clarence A. Branch
Plaintiff
United States of America
Defendant

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

United States District Court

Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

CLARENCE A. BRANCH,

Plaintiff,

v.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Defendant.

Case No.16-cv-03811-JSC 

ORDER REVOKING IN FORMA 

PAUPERIS STATUS ON APPEAL 

UNDER SECTION 1915(g)

Re: Dkt. No. 18

Plaintiff Clarence A. Branch, proceeding pro se, brings this action against the United States of 

America. The Court previously granted Plaintiff’s application to proceed in forma pauperis and 

reserved to a later time evaluation of the Complaint under 28 U.S.C. § 1915. (Dkt. No. 3.) The Court 

thereafter issued an Order to Show Cause because mail sent to Plaintiff at his last known address had 

been returned as undeliverable. (Dkt. No. 8.) Plaintiff then responded to the Order to Show Cause, 

provided his new address, and consented to the jurisdiction of the undersigned magistrate judge. (Dkt. 

No. 10.) The Court then reviewed the complaint under Section 1915 and dismissed it for failure to 

state a claim because Plaintiff had failed to identify a cognizable legal theory. (Dkt. No. 11.) On the 

deadline to do so, Plaintiff filed a document captioned “Amendment.” (Dkt. No. 14.) The Court 

construed this filing as First Amended Complaint and again dismissed the complaint for failure to state 

a claim under Section 1915. (Dkt. No. 15.) Plaintiff had until December 19, 2016 to file a Second 

Amended Complaint. Instead, on December 16, Plaintiff filed a notice of appeal. (Dkt. No. 16.) 

Plaintiff thereafter filed the now pending motion to proceed in forma pauperis on appeal. (Dkt. No. 

18.)

The Court’s dismissal order was not an appealable order as Plaintiff was granted leave to 

amend. See Greensprings Baptist Christian Fellowship Trust v. Cilley, 629 F.3d 1064, 1068 (9th Cir. 

Case 3:16-cv-03811-JSC Document 21 Filed 01/17/17 Page 1 of 3
2

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

Northern District of California

2010) (“An order dismissing a case with leave to amend may not be appealed as a final decision under 

§ 1291.”); see also Baldwin v. Sebelius, 654 F.3d 877, 878 (9th Cir. 2011) (“a plaintiff who has been 

given leave to amend may not file a notice of appeal before entry of a final judgment even when he 

elects to stand on an unamended pleading”). The Court therefore certifies that Plaintiff’s appeal is not 

taken in good faith, DENIES his motion to proceed in forma pauperis on appeal, and REVOKES his in

forma pauperis status for his appeal. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(3).

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: January 17, 2017

JACQUELINE SCOTT CORLEY

United States Magistrate Judge

Case 3:16-cv-03811-JSC Document 21 Filed 01/17/17 Page 2 of 3
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

United States District Court

Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

CLARENCE A. BRANCH,

Plaintiff,

v.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Defendant.

Case No. 16-cv-03811-JSC 

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I, the undersigned, hereby certify that I am an employee in the Office of the Clerk, U.S. 

District Court, Northern District of California.

That on January 17, 2017, I SERVED a true and correct copy(ies) of the attached, by 

placing said copy(ies) in a postage paid envelope addressed to the person(s) hereinafter listed, by 

depositing said envelope in the U.S. Mail, or by placing said copy(ies) into an inter-office delivery 

receptacle located in the Clerk's office.

Clarence A. Branch

391 Ellis Street

General Delivery

San Francisco, CA 94102 

Dated: January 17, 2017

Susan Y. Soong

Clerk, United States District Court

By:________________________

Ada Means, Deputy Clerk to the 

Honorable JACQUELINE SCOTT CORLEY

Case 3:16-cv-03811-JSC Document 21 Filed 01/17/17 Page 3 of 3