Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_14-cv-00108/USCOURTS-caed-2_14-cv-00108-3/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
W. Hanks
Defendant
Horace Thomas
Plaintiff

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

HORACE THOMAS, No. 2:14-cv-0108-GEB-CMK-P

Plaintiff, 

vs. ORDER

W. HANKS,

Defendant.

 /

Plaintiff, a prisoner proceeding pro se, brings this civil rights action pursuant to 42

U.S.C. § 1983. Plaintiff requests leave to proceed in forma pauperis and has submitted a

declaration that makes the showing required by 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a). Plaintiff also submitted his

request for leave to proceed under the imminent danger provision of 28 U.S.C. § 1915(g). 

The PLRA’s “three strikes” provision, found at 28 U.S.C. § 1915(g), provides: 

In no event shall a prisoner bring a civil action . . . under this

section if the prisoner was, on three or more prior occasions, while

incarcerated or detained . . ., brought an action . . . in a court of the United

States that was dismissed on the ground 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.

Id.

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Thus, when a prisoner plaintiff has had three or more prior actions dismissed for

one of the reasons set forth in the statute, such “strikes” preclude the prisoner from proceeding in

forma pauperis unless the imminent danger exception applies. 

Here, plaintiff was cautioned that this court has already determined he has filed at

least three cases which were dismissed for failure to state a claim. See e.g., Bell v. Stiles, No.

1:12-cv-1925-MJS. Plaintiff was directed that before the court would grant any application to

proceed in forma pauperis, he would be required to show he was under imminent danger of

serious physical injury at the time he filed this action. He has submitted a statement indicating

the possibility of continuing danger of physical injury, considering the attack he suffered at issue

in his complaint and allegedly ordered by the sole defendant in this action, was carried out by

“skin heads” and he continues to be at risk of further attack regardless of which prison he is

housed.

The undersigned finds plaintiff’s explanation sufficient, although questionable, to

meet the imminent danger provision. Thus, his request to proceed in forma pauperis will be

granted. 

To: The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation

1515 S Street, Sacramento, California 95814:

Plaintiff is obligated to pay the full statutory filing fee of $350.00 for this action. 

In addition to any initial partial filing fee required to be assessed, plaintiff will be obligated to

make monthly payments in the amount of twenty percent of the preceding month’s income

credited to plaintiff’s inmate trust account. The agency referenced above is required to send to

the Clerk of the Court the initial partial filing fee and thereafter payments from plaintiff’s inmate

trust account each time the amount in the account exceeds $10.00, until the statutory filing fee of

$350.00 is paid in full. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(2).

/ / /

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Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:

1. Plaintiff’s motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis (Docs. 16, 17) is

granted;

2. Plaintiff is required to pay the full statutory filing fee of $350.00 for this

action pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1914(a) and 1915(b)(1);

3. The director of the agency referenced above, or a designee, shall collect

from plaintiff’s inmate trust account an initial partial filing fee in accordance with the provisions

of 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1) and shall forward the amount to the Clerk of the Court, such payment

to be clearly identified by the name and number assigned to this action;

4. Thereafter, the director of the agency referenced above, or a designee, shall

collect from plaintiff's inmate trust account the balance of the filing fee by collecting monthly

payments from plaintiff's inmate trust account in an amount equal to twenty percent (20%) of the

preceding month's income credited to plaintiff’s inmate trust account and forwarding payments to

the Clerk of the Court each time the amount in the account exceeds $10.00 in accordance with 28

U.S.C. § 1915(b)(2), until the $350.00 filing fee for this action has been paid in full, such

payments to be clearly identified by the name and number assigned to this action;

5. The Clerk of the Court is directed to serve a copy of this order and a copy

of plaintiff's signed in forma pauperis affidavit to the address shown above; 

6. The Clerk of the Court is further directed to serve a copy of this order on

the Financial Department of the court. 

DATED: March 26, 2015

______________________________________

CRAIG M. KELLISON

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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