IN T H E C O U R T O F A P P E A L S O F T H E S T A T E O F M IS S IS S IP P I

N O . 2 0 1 8 -C P -0 1 2 2 6 -C O A

D U D L E Y R O S S A P P E L L A N T

v .

S T A T E O F M IS S IS S IP P I A P P E L L E E

D A T E O F JU D G M E N T : 0 8 /1 0 /2 0 1 8 T R IA L JU D G E : H O N

. WIL L IA M E . C H A P M A N III C O U R T F R O M WH IC H A P P E A L E D : R A N K IN C O U N T Y C IR C U IT C O U R T A T T O R N E Y F O R

A P P E L L A N T : D U D L E Y R O S S (P R O S E ) A T T O R N E Y F O R

A P P E L L E E : O F F IC E O F T H E A T T O R N E Y G E N E R A L B Y : D A R R E L L C L A Y T O N B A U G H N N A T U R E O F T H E C A S E : C IV IL - S T A T E B O A R D S A N D A G E N C IE S D I S P O S IT IO N : A F F IR M E D - 1 2 /1 0 /2 0 1 9 M O T IO N F O R

R E H E A R IN G F IL E D : M A N D A T E IS S U E D :

B E F O R E B A R N E S , C .J ., G R E E N L E E A N D L A W R E N C E , J J

.

B A R N E S , C

. J

. , F O R T H E C O U R T :
¶1

. D u d ley R o ss, ap p e arin g p ro se, is an i n ma t e i n t h e c u s t o d y o f t h e M ississip p i

D e p a rtm e n t o f C o rrectio n s (M D O C ). H e ap p eals th e R an k in C o u n ty C ircu it C o u rt’s d en ial

o f h is p etitio n f

o r an o rd er t o sh o w cau se relatin g t o a n M D O C d ecisio n in its A d m i n istrativ e

R e m ed y P ro g ram (A R P ), w h ich d en ied R o ss’s req u est f o r a p riso n tran s f

e r d u e to m ed ical

reaso n s. F in d i n g n o erro r, w e af f irm

.

S T A T E M E N T O F F A C T S

¶2

. R o ss is a b lin d i n m ate a t th e C en tral M ississip p i C o rrectio n al F acility (C M C F ). H e

w a s m o s t recen t ly c o n v icted f o r n u m ero u s crim es in P ik e C o u n ty , M ississip p i, in clu d i n g

p o ssessio n o f c o c a i n e , me th am p h etam i n e, an d a f

irearm b y a f

e lo n

. H e w as sen ten ced tos e r v e a to tal o f tw elv e y e ars. In N o v e m b er 2 0 1 7 , R o ss req u ested a t ran sf er to th e E a s t

M ississip p i C o rrectio n al F aci l ity (E M C F ), a p riv a t e p riso n f acility
, w h i ch w as d en ied

. In

Jan u ary 2 0 1 8
, R o ss f

iled a M ed ical S erv ice R eq u est F o r m , ag ain req u e stin g a t r a n sf er to

E M C F in o r d er to s ee a d o cto r d u e to h is b lin d n e s s an d “p sy c h issu e s.” 1 H e also f iled a

co m p lain t req u estin g tran sf

er th r o u g h M D O C ’s A R P

. M D O C f iled F irst- an d S eco n d -S tep

R e sp o n se F o rm s, d en y in g R o ss’s req u est f o r a tran sf

er. T h e F ir s t

- S t ep R esp o n se F o rm

stated th a t “m e d ical” h ad n o t ap p r o v ed f o r h im to b e h o u sed at E M C F

. T h e S eco n d -S tep

R e sp o n se F o rm stated th a t th e m en tal h ealth p ro v id ers at C M C F w ere treatin g h is d iag n o sis

an d th a t h e d id n o t “f

it th e criteria” to b e h o u sed at E M C F

. ¶3

. R o ss f

iled h is p etitio n f

o r an o rd er to sh o w c au se. H e co m p lain ed th at h e h as to w alk

sev eral h u n d red y ard s o u tsid e to g et h is p sy ch iatric m ed icatio n s an d m e als. B ecau se o f h is

b lin d n ess, R o ss m

u st b e esco rted to th e d in in g h all, b u t w h en it rain s, h is esco rts ref u se to

d o s o an d w ill n o t b rin g h i m a f o o d t r ay

. F u rth er, R o ss arg u e d th at h e q u alif ied f o r a

m ed ical t ran sf

e r to E M C F b ecau se h e i s o n tw o p sy ch i atric m ed icatio n s. T h e circu it co u rt

o rd ered M D O C to resp o n d to th e p etitio n

. M D O C a n s w ered an d m o v ed to d i sm iss R o ss’s

p etitio n . T h e circu i t co u rt f o u n d M D O C ’s d ecisio n n o t to tran sf er R o ss w as su p p o rted b y

su b stan tial ev id e n ce, w as n o t arb i trary o r cap r icio u s, w a s w ith in M D O C ’s sco p e o r p o w er,

an d d id n o t v io l ate R o ss’s co n stitu tio n al rig h t s. A cco r d in g ly
, th e circu it c o u r t a f f irm ed

M D O C ’s d ecisio n , d en ied R o ss’s p etitio n , an d d ism issed th e case.
¶4

. R o ss ap p eals, raisin g issu es o f co n stitu tio n al p r o p o r tio n f o r th e f i rst tim e o n ap p eal,

1 R o ss claim s E M C F o f

f ers sp ecialized treatm e n t f o r in m ates w ith m en t al h ealth d iso r d ers.

2in clu d in g th at th e co n d itio n s o f h i s co n f in em en t are cru el an d u n u s u al p u n ish m en t v io latin g

th e E ig h t h A m en d m en t o f th e U n ited S tates C o n stitu tio n

. S p ecif ically
, h e claim s h e h as

b een “p u b li c l y h u m iliated ” in p riso n f o r h is b lin d n ess; h as h ad in ad eq u a te m ed ical

treatm en t; an d h as h ad to p ay f o r in d iv id u als to g u i d e h im in stead o f

C M C F ’s p ro v id i n g a

“h elp er” o r seein g -ey e d o g

. H e also m en tio n s p riso n o v ercro w d in g an d “b ein g ex o rted [ sic]

d aily .”

S T A N D A R D O F R E VIE W

¶5

. “We w ill n o t d istu rb th e d ecisio n o f an ad m in istrativ e a g e n c y , s u ch as th e M D O C
,

u n less th e d ecisio n is ‘u n su p p o rted b y su b stan tial ev id en ce, a rb itrary o r cap ricio u s, b ey o n d

th e ag en c y ’s sco p e o r p o w ers, o r v io lativ e o f th e c o n stitu t i o n a l o r statu t o r y rig h ts o f th e

ag g riev ed p a rty .’” S

m ith v. Wesley
, 1 5 7 S o

. 3 d 8 6 0
, 8 6 1 (¶5 ) (M iss. C t. A p p

. 2 0 1 5 ) (q u o tin g

T a ylo r v. P etrie , 4 1 S o

. 3 d 7 2 4
, 7 2 7 (¶8 ) (M iss. C t. A p p

. 2 0 1 0 )). “In a d m in istrativ e m atters,

th e ag en cy , an d n o t th e rev i ew in g co u rt, sits as [ th e] f in d er o f f act.” P u b

. E m

p s.’ R et. S

ys.

v. C o b b
, 8 3 9 S o

. 2 d 6 0 5 , 6 0 9 (¶1 2 ) (M iss. C t. A p p

. 2 0 0 3 )

. T h e rev i ew in g c o u r t m ay n o t

su b stitu t e its j u d g m en t f

o r th at o f th e ad m in istrativ e ag en cy , o r rew eig h th e ev id en ce. P u b

.

E m p s.’ R e t. S

ys. v. D ish m o n , 7 9 7 S o

. 2 d 8 8 8
, 8 9 2 ( ¶1 2 ) (M iss. 2 0 0 1 ). “S u b stan tial

ev id e n c e ” is d ef

in ed as “th at w h ich p ro v id es an ad eq u ate b a s is o f f act f ro m w h ich th e f

act

in issu e can b e reaso n ab ly in f erred .” Id

. A reb u ttab le p resu m p tio n e x i sts th at th e ag en cy ’s

d ecisio n w as p ro p er, a n d th e c h allen g in g p arty b ears th e b u rd en o f p ro v in g to th e co n trary

.

R o ss v. E p p s , 9 2 2 S o . 2 d 8 4 7 , 8 4 9 (¶4 ) (M iss. C t. A p p

. 2 0 0 6 ). D e f e ren c e is g iv en “to th e

f act f in d in g ro le o f th e ad m in istrativ e ag en cy an d th e h earin g o f f icer’s f in d in g s.” Jo h n so n

3v. M

iss. D ep ’t o

f C o rr. , 6 8 2 S o . 2 d 3 6 7 , 3 7 0 (M iss. 1 9 9 6 ).

D IS C U S S I O N

I. E ig h t h A m en d m en t C la im s
¶6

. O n ap p eal, R o ss raises issu es reg ard in g cru e l an d u n u su al p u n ish m en t t h at w ere n o t

raised b elo w in h i s m o tio n to tran sf er p riso n lo catio n s. A d d itio n ally
, h is t w o -p ag e b rief

m ak es n o m ean in g f

u l arg u m en ts b ey o n d l i s t i n g th e claim s, an d h e c ites n o au th o rity in

s u p p o rt o f th o se claim s. H o w ev er, “ [ u ] n d e r t h e p lain

- erro r d o ctrin e, w e c an reco g n ize

o b v io u s erro r w h i ch w as n o t p ro p erly r a ised b y th e d ef en d an t o n ap p eal, an d w h ich af f ects

a d ef en d a n t’s ‘f

u n d am e n tal, su b stan tiv e rig h t.’” S m ith v. S ta te , 9 8 6 S o

. 2 d 2 9 0
, 2 9 4 (¶1 0 )

(M iss. 2 0 0 8 ). F o r th e p lain -erro r d o ctrin e to ap p ly an d a l l o w r e v ersal o f th e trial co u rt,

“th ere m u st h av e b e en an erro r th at resu lted in a m an if est m iscarriag e o f j u stice o r serio u sly

af f ected th e f

airn e ss, in teg rity [ ,] o r p u b lic rep u t atio n o f j u d icial p ro ceed in g s.” Jo h n so n v.

S ta te , 1 5 5 S o

. 3 d 7 3 3
, 7 3 8 (¶8 ) (M iss. 2 0 1 4 ). P lain -erro r rev iew can o n ly b e u sed t o co rrect

“o b v io u s in stan ces o f i n

j u s tice o r m isap p lied law .” S m ith
, 9 8 6 S o

. 2 d a t 2 9 4 (¶1 0 ). U n d er

p lain -erro r an aly sis, w e m u st f irst d eterm in e “w h eth e r th e trial co u rt d e v iated f r o m a k n o w n
leg al ru le . . . .” S ta r r v. S t a te , 9 9 7 S o . 2 d 2 6 2 , 2 6 6 (¶1 1 ) (M iss. C t. A p p . 2 0 0 8 ).

¶7

. H e r e , a v i o l a t i o n o f th e E ig h th A m e n d m en t w o u ld af f ect R o ss’s f

u n d am en t a l
,

su b stan tiv e rig h ts an d th u s su p p o rt a p lain -erro r an aly sis. R o ss’s co m p lain t s relate to f

ailu re

to p ro t ect, in a d eq u a te m ed ical care, a n d p riso n c o n d itio n s. “[ I] n o rd er to su cceed o n an

E i g h th A m en d m en t claim f o r f ailu re to p r o tect, a p l ain t if f m u st sh o w th at t h e [ p riso n

o f f icial] acted w ith d e lib erate in d if f eren ce to th e in m ate’s h ealth o r s a f ety , a n d m ere

4n eg lig en ce o n th e p art o f th e o f f i cial is in su f

f icien t.” C la

y v. E p p s , 1 9 S o

. 3 d 7 4 3
, 7 4 6 (¶1 1 )

(M iss. C t. A p p

. 2 0 0 8 ) (citin g F a rm er v. B r en n a n , 5 1 1 U .S

. 8 2 5 , 8 3 5 (1 9 9 4 )). T h e sam e

stan d ard o f “d elib erate in d if f eren ce” ap p lies to c laim s o f in ad eq u ate m ed ical c are a n d p riso n

co n d itio n s

. Id

. at 7 4 7 ( ¶ 1 3 ) ; B i l b o v. T h i g p en , 6 4 7 S o

. 2 d 6 7 8
, 6 8 5 (M iss. 1 9 9 4 ) (citin g

E s telle v. G a m b le
, 4 2 9 U .S

. 9 7 , 1 0 6 (1 9 7 6 )). F a rm er ad d r essed th e sh o w i n g n ecessary to

p ro v e th at a d ef

en d an t v io lated t h e E ig h th A m en d m en t in a treatm en t o f an in m ate’s m ed ical

n eed s. F a rm er , 5 1 1 U .S

. at 8 3 7

. T w o req u irem en ts m u st b e m e t: (1 ) th e m ed ical n eed in

q u estio n m

u st b e o b j ectiv e ly “serio u s”; an d ( 2 ) th e p riso n o f f icial m u st act w ith su b

j ectiv e

d elib erate in d if

f eren ce, m e an in g t h ey k n ew o f an d d isreg ard ed “ a n ex cessiv e risk to in m ate

h ealth o r saf

ety

. . . .” Id

. D elib erate in d if f eren ce is an “ex trem ely h ig h stan d ard .” Y o u n g

v. M cC a in , 7 6 0 F

. A p p ’x 2 5 1
, 2 5 6 (5 th C ir. 2 0 1 9 ) (u n p u b lish ed ). P r iso n o f f icials m u st h av e

“ref u sed to treat th e p riso n er, ig n o red h is co m p lain ts, in ten tio n ally treated h i m in co rrectly
,

o r en g ag ed in an y sim ilar co n d u ct th at w o u ld clearly ev in ce a w a n t o n d i s r eg ard f o r [ h is]

serio u s m ed ical n eed s.” Id

. (q u o tin g D o m in o v. T ex. D ep ’t o

f C rim

. J u st. , 2 3 9 F .3 d 7 5 2
, 7 5 6

(5 th C ir. 2 0 0 1 )).

¶8

. In T

u ft v. T exa s , 4 1 0 F

. A p p ’x 7 7 0
, 7 7 2 -7 3 (5 th C ir. 2 0 1 1 ) (u n p u b lish ed ), a d isab led

in m ate b ro u g h t a 4 2 U

. S .C

. § 1 9 8 3 an d A m erican s w ith D isab ilities A ct (A D A ) c laim f o r,

am o n g o t h er m atters, h av in g to w ait in lin e an d w a l k f if ty y a rd s f o r m ed icatio n

. T h e U n i ted

S tates C o u rt o f A p p eals f

o r th e F if th C ircu it, h o w e v e r, h eld t h a t th ese alleg atio n s, if p ro v en ,

w o u l d n o t co n stitu te d elib erate in d if f eren ce f o r an E ig h th A m en d m en t v io latio n

. Id

. at 7 7 5

.

S im ilarly
, R o ss p resen ts n o ev id e n ce th at M D O C ’s staf f acted in d elib erate in d if f eren ce to

5h is saf

ety o r h ealth

. T h e M D O C S eco n d

- S t e p R e s p o n se F o rm i n d i cates th at h e w as

receiv in g ap p r o p riate m ed ical atten tio n f o r a m en tal co n d itio n

. A n d w h ile R o s s claim s t h at

M D O C f ailed to esco rt h im in th e ra i n t o meals, h e p resen t s n o ev id en ce th at th e iso lated

ev en ts, if p ro v ed
, rise to t h e lev el o f d elib erate in d if f eren ce. W e f

in d n o su ch d ev iatio n f

ro m

a k n o w n leg al ru le b y

th e trial co u rt, an d R o ss’s claim s are w i th o u t m erit.

II. M D O C ’s D ecisio n
¶9

. T h e circu it co u r

t f o u n d M D O C ’s d ecisio n to d e n y R o ss’s tran sf er w a s su p p o rted b y

su b stan tial ev id e n ce, w as n o t arb i trary o r cap r icio u s, w a s w ith in M D O C ’s sco p e o r p o w er,

an d d id n o t v io l ate R o ss’s co n stitu tio n al rig h t s. We f in d n o erro r in th is d eterm in atio n

. ¶1 0

. I n c o n trast to R o ss’s b rief
, th e S tate’s f

if ty -p ag e b rief c ites o v e r o n e-h u n d red f i f t y

cases an d statu tes to b o lster its arg u m en t to a f f irm th e trial co u rt’s d ism issal. 2 T h e S tate’s

su b stan tial-ev id en ce arg u m en t is th e m o st p ertin en t, an d w e f in d it u n n ecessary to ad d ress

th e S t ate’s o t h e r a r g u me n t s ex c ep t R o ss’s statu s to p ro ceed in f o rm a p au p eris (IF P ). T h e

S tate cites tw o cases w h ere M D O C ’s d ecisio n w as af f irm e d
, an d w e f

in d th em i n stru ctiv e.

In C la y , 1 9 S o

. 3 d at 7 4 4 -4 5 (¶¶2
, 4 ), in m a te L o u is C lay f i led a co m

p la i n t w i t h M D O C ’ s

2 T h e S tate’s n u m ero u s a rg u m e n ts in clu d e: l ack o f s erv ice o f p ro cess u p o n M D O C

u n d er M i ssissip p i R u le o f C iv il P ro ced u re 4 (d )(5 ); n o rig h t to an in f o rm a p au p eris ap p eal in a c iv il case; th e in tern al M D O C statu te o f l i mitatio n s h ad ru n o n R o ss’s case; R o ss d id

n o t n am e M D O C as a p arty in th e actio n ; R o ss’s claim is f r iv o lo u s b ecau se th ere is n o lib erty in terest in th e A R P g r iev a n ce p ro c ess; th ere is n o p riv ate c au se o f actio n in th e A R P p ro cess; in m ates d o n o t h av e a rig h t to m ed ical p ref eren ces o r t ran sf

er d u e to m ed ical reaso n s; circu it

co u rts d o n o t h av e th e au t h o rity to o rd er th e tran sf

er o f i n m ates; th ere is n o lib erty in terest in a p a rticu lar in m ate h o u s in g assig n m en t o r classif icatio n ; M D O C p ro v id ed ad eq u ate f o o d

an d m ed i cal serv ices to R o s s ; a n d i n ma t es are p ro h ib ited f ro m raisin g an A D A claim an d

su ch a claim is w ith o u t m erit h ere; an d f in ally th a t M D O C ’s d e c i s i o n w as s u p p o rted b y
su b stan tial ev id en ce.

6A R P af

ter an a ssau lt b y an o th e r in m ate, seek i n g a tran s f er an d d am ag es, b ecau se h e alleg ed

th e p riso n staf

f d id n o t p ro tect h im o r p ro v id e ad eq u ate m ed ical care af ter th e assau lt. T h is

C o u rt af f irm ed M D O C ’s d ecisio n to d en y a tran sf er b e cau se C lay w a s m o v ed to a d if f eren t

b u ild in g f

ro m th e o n e in w h ich h i s a ttack er w as h o u sed
, an d C lay p ro v id e d n o p ro o f o f

d elib erate in d if

f e ren c e to h is m ed ical n eed s

. Id

. at 7 4 6 -4 7 ( ¶¶1 1 -1 3 ). I n Wrig h t v. K in g , 1 5 8

S o

. 3 d 1 1 7 6
, 1 1 7 8 ( ¶ 1 0 ) ( M iss. C t. A p p

. 2 0 1 4 ), th is C o u rt u p h eld M D O C ’ s d ecisio n to

m o v e an in m ate to a s p ecial b u i ld in g af ter co n trab a n d
, a cell p h o n e, w as d isco v ered o n h is

p erso n

. ¶1 1

. R o ss h as f

a iled to p ro v i d e an y ev id en ce th at M D O C ’s d ecisio n w as n o t s u p p o rted b y

su b stan tial ev id en c e, w as arb itrary an d c ap ricio u s, w a s b ey o n d th e ag en cy ’s sco p e o r

p o w e rs, o r v io lated h is c o n stitu tio n al o r s t a t u t o r y rig h ts. T h eref o re, th e j u d g m en t o f th e

circu i t co u rt is af

f irm ed

.

III. In F o rm a P a u p e ris S ta tu s
¶1 2

. T h e S t ate clai ms t h a t t h e circu it c o u rt sh o u ld n o t h av e g ran ted R o s s’s m o tio n f o r

leav e to p ro ceed IF P o n ap p e al b ecau se th e p etitio n w as a c iv il actio n , citin g N e lso n v. B a n k

o f M ississip p i , 4 9 8 S o

. 2 d 3 6 5 , 3 6 6 (M iss. 1 9 8 6 ) (h o ld i n g t h at an in d ig en t civ il litig an t d o es

n o t h av e a rig h t to p ro ceed IF P o n ap p eal), an d a 1 9 8 8 o p i n io n b y th e M ississip p i A tto rn ey

G e n e ral’s O f

f i c e , s t a t in g th at it w as “aw are o f n o au th o rity ” em p o w erin g a b o ard o f

su p erv i so rs “to ap p ro p riate m o n ey to p ay th e co sts o f civ il ap p eals p ro s ecu ted b y p riv ate

citizen s, n o t w ith stan d in g said citizen s m ay b e in d ig en t.” M iss. A t t’y G en

. O p ., 1 9 8 8 WL

2 4 9 9 8 1
, H

a rp er , at * 1 (M arch 2 1
, 1 9 8 8 )

. S u b seq u e n t ly
, in J o h n s o n v. S ta te , 6 2 3 S o

. 2 d

72 6 5 , 2 6 6 -6 7 (M i ss. 1 9 9 3 ), th e M ississip p i S u p rem e C o u rt p ro v id ed an ex cep tio n to N elso n ,

h o ld i n g th at w h i le an in d ig en t civ il litig an t m a y n o t p ro ceed IF P in an ap p e a l, t h is ru le d o es

n o t ap p ly to ap p eals b ro u g h t u n d er th e U n if o r m P o st-C o n v ictio n C o ll a t e r a l R elief A ct. P o stco n v ictio n co llateral actio n s, w h ile tech n ically c iv il in n atu re, d eal w ith c rim i n al m atters.

Id

. (citin g M iss. C o d e A n n . § § 9 9 -3 9 -7 , -2 5 (1 ) (R ev . 2 0 1 5 )).

¶1 3

. M ississip p i C o d e A n n o t ated sectio n 4 7

- 5 -7 6 ( R e v

. 2 0 1 5 ) g o v ern s th e p a y m en t o f

co sts b y M D O C f

o r an in m ate’s f

ilin g o f a civ il actio n

. A f ter an i n

- d ep th ex am i n a t i o n o f

sectio n 4 7 -5 -7 6 an d its leg islativ e h isto r y , sp e cif ically its m o st recen t am en d m en ts in 1 9 9 8

an d 2 0 0 5 , w e co n clu d e th at a n in m ate m ay b e g r an ted IF P statu s o n a p p eal u n d er th e statu te.

In 1 9 8 9
, th e L eg isl a t u r e e n a cted sectio n 4 7 -5 -7 6
, p ro v id in g th at if an in m ate is a p lain tif f

in a civ il actio n an d h a s f iled a p au p er’s af

f id av it, M D O C “sh all p ay , o u t o f an y f u n d s

av ailab le f

o r su ch p u rp o s e” all co u rt co sts assessed ag ain st th e in m ate. M iss. C o d e A n n

. §

4 7 -5 -7 6 (S u p p . 1 9 8 9 ). T h e statu te w as am en d ed in 1 9 9 3
, restrictin g th e p ay m e n t o f co sts

to th o se civ il actio n s f

iled ag a in s t a d e p artm e n t em p lo y ee an d p ertain e d to a co n d itio n o f

co n f i n em en t:

If a n in m ate p lain tif

f f iles a p au p er’s af

f id av it in a c i v i l actio n an d t h e d ef en d an t is an e m

p lo y ee o f th e d ep artm en t an d th e civ il actio n p ertain s t o th e in m ate’s co n d itio n o f co n f in em en t, th e d e p artm e n t sh all p ay , o u t o f an y f u n d s
av ailab le f

o r su c h p u r

p o se, all co sts o f co u rt a ssessed ag ain st su ch in m a te in

su ch civ il actio n

.

M iss. C o d e A n n . § 4 7 -5 -7 6 (R ev . 1 9 9 3 ).

¶1 4

. In M

o ren o v. S ta t e , 6 3 7 S o

. 2 d 2 0 0
, 2 0 1 (M iss. 1 9 9 4 ), a n in m ate ch allen g ed w h eth er

IF P statu s u n d er sectio n 4 7 -5

- 7 6 co u ld ex ten d to an in m ate’ s f i l i n g o f a n a

p p eal. T h e

8M ississip p i S u p rem e C o u rt co n c lu d ed t h at th e statu te “u n am b ig u o u s[ l y ]

. . . allo w s an

in m ate p lain tif

f o n ly to p ro ceed [ IF P ] at th e trial l ev el, if all o f th e statu t o r y req u i rem en ts are

m et, b u t n o t a t th e a

p p ella te level .” Id . at 2 0 2 (em p h asis ad d ed ).

¶1 5

. In 1 9 9 6
, th e L eg islatu re ad d ed su b sectio n (2 ) to sectio n 4 7 -5 -7 6 to ad d ress rep eated

f riv o lo u s f ilin g s b y an in m ate. 3 In 1 9 9 8
, s u b s ectio n (1 ) w as am en d ed to in clu d e— f o r th e

f irst t im e

— lan g u ag e ref

eren cin g an in m ate’s f

ilin g an ap p eal. S

ee M iss. C o d e A n n

. § 4 7 -5

-

7 6 (1 ) (R ev

. 2 0 0 4 ) (statin g th e d ep artm en t s h all n o t p ay co u r t co sts if th e in m ate h ad o n th ree

o r m o r e o ccasio n s “ b r o u g h t an actio n o r a p p ea l th at w as d ism issed o n th e g ro u n d s th at it

w a s f riv o lo u s, m alicio u s, o r f

ailed to s tate a claim u p o n w h i c h r e l i e f co u ld b e g ran ted .”

(em p h asis a d d ed )). T h e m o st recen t v ersio n o f s e cti o n 4 7

- 5

- 7 6 is f ro m th e 2 0 0 5

am en d m e n t, w h ich p r o v id es:
(1 ) E x cep t as p ro v id e d in su b sectio n (2 ) o f t h is sectio n , if a n i n m ate p lain t if f f iles a p au p er’s af

f id av it in a civ il actio n an d th e d ef en d an t is a n e m

p lo y ee o f th e d e p a rtm en t a n d th e civ il actio n p ertain s to th e in m ate’s co n d i tio n o f

c o n f in em en t, th e d ep artm en t sh all p ay , o u t o f an y f u n d s av ailab le f

o r s u c h p u rp o se, all co s ts o f co u rt assessed ag ain st th e in m ate in th e civ il actio n

. H o w ev er, t h e d ep artm en t s h all n o t p ay t h e co sts o f co u rt if th e in m ate h as o n th ree (3 ) o r m o r e p rio r o ccasio n s, w h ile in carcerated
, b ro u g h t an a ctio n o r

a p p ea l th at w as d ism issed o n th e g ro u n d s th at it w as f riv o l o u s, m alicio u s, o r f ailed to state a claim

u p o n w h ich relief

co u ld b e g r an ted

.

A n in m ate sh all n o t b rin g a civ il actio n o r a p p e a l a j u d g m en t i n a civ il actio n
o r p ro c eed i n g in f

o rm a p au p eris if th e p r iso n er h as, o n th ree (3 ) o r m o re p rio r
o ccasio n s, w h ile in carcerated o r d etain ed in an y f acility
, b ro u g h t an actio n o r ap p eal in a c o u r t t h a t w as d ism issed o n th e g ro u n d s th at it w as f riv o l o u s,

3 S h o rtly af

t er th e 1 9 9 6 a m en d m en t, th e su p rem e co u r t r e i t e r a ted in C a rso n v. H a rg ett , 6 8 9 S o

. 2 d 7 5 3
, 7 5 5 (M iss. 1 9 9 6 ), t h a t sectio n 4 7 -5 -7 6 is o n ly ap p licab le a t th e trial lev el, n o t th e ap p ellate lev el. B ecau se t h e a c t i o n in C a rso n in v o lv e d a w rit o f h ab eas
co rp u s, h o w ev er, th e su p rem e co u rt rej ected th e S tate’s a rg u m e n t th at th e in m a te sh o u ld p ay th e co s ts o f th e actio n

. C a rso n , 6 8 9 S o . 2 d at 7 5 5

.

9m alicio u s, o r f ailed to s tate a claim u p o n w h ich relief m ay b e g ran ted
, u n l ess th e p riso n er is u n d er im m in en t d an g er o f serio u s p h y sical in

j u ry

. (2 ) A n i n m a te w h o p r o ceed s in f o rm a p a u p eris i n a civ il a ctio n sh a ll p a y tw en t y p e rcen t (2 0 % ) p er m o n th o f t h e f u n d s in h i s o r h er in m a te

a cco u n t to th e D ep a rtm en t o f C o rrectio n s u n til a ll f i lin g f ees a n d co sts o f h is o r h er litig a tio n a re p a i d to th e d ep a rtm en t

. T h e d ep a rtm en t m a y
w ith d r a w su ch f

u n d s a u to m a t i ca lly f

ro m th e a cco u n t o f a n y in m a te p erm itted a civ il f

ilin g a s a p a u p er. If a n in m a te is a llo w ed a n a p p ea l in fo rm a p a u

p eris o f a civil a ctio n , th e in m a te sh a ll r eim b u rse a ll co sts a n d f ees t o t h e d ep a rtm en t b y a u to m a tic w i th d ra w a l ea ch m o n th in t h e
a m o u n t o f tw en t y p ercen t (2 0 % ) o f h is o r h er f u n d s u n til a ll sta te f

u n d s
a re reim b u rsed

.

M iss. C o d e A n n

. § 4 7 -5 -7 6 (R ev

. 2 0 1 5 ) (em p h a s is ad d ed ) (2 0 0 5 ad d i tio n s in b o ld ). We f i n d

th at th is lan g u a g e ref

eren cin g a

p p eals in th e 1 9 9 8 a n d 2 0 0 5 am en d m en ts allo w s a trial co u rt

to g ran t an in m ate IF P statu s o n ap p eal. H ere, s e c t i o n 4 7 -5

- 7 6 (2 ) ap p lies. A cco rd in g ly
,

R o ss m ay ap p eal h i s civ i l case as an IF P litig an t, an d th e trial co u rt d id n o t err in g ran tin g

su ch statu s.
¶1 6

. We f

in d it ap p ro p riate to assess co sts o f th is a p p eal to t h e ap p ellan t, ev en th o u g h h e

h as IF P statu s, b ecau se M D O C is en titled to w ith d r aw f u n d s f r o m R o ss’s in m ate acco u n t

u n til all f ees an d co s ts o f h is ap p eal are rep aid

. B ecau se th e R an k in C o u n t y B o a rd o f

S u p erv iso rs p aid f

o r R o s s’s f

ilin g f ee o n ap p eal, M D O C w o u l d p resu m ab ly reim b u rse th e

b o ard f o r th e co st o f

th e ap p eal.

¶1 7

. A F F IR M E D

.

C A R L T O N A N D J

. W IL S O N , P .J J

. , G R E E N L E E , W E S T B R O O K S , T I N D E L L , L A W R E N C E , M cC A R T Y A N D C

. W IL S O N , J J

. , C O N C U R

. Mc DONALD, J

. , C O N C U R S I N RESULT ONLY WI THOUT SEPARATE WRI TTEN O P IN IO N

.

1 0