Source: http://ca.findacase.com/research/wfrmDocViewer.aspx/xq/fac.20100825_0056757.ECA.htm/qx
Timestamp: 2017-04-28 16:15:40
Document Index: 125712083

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 1983', '§ 1915', '§ 1915', '§ 1915', '§ 1915', '§ 1915', '§ 1983']

Plaintiff is a state prisoner proceeding without counsel and in forma pauperis with a civil rights complaint pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. On July 20, 2010, defendant filed a motion to revoke plaintiff's in forma pauperis status and to dismiss the case on the grounds that plaintiff has previously filed at least three lawsuits that were subsequently dismissed for failing to state a claim, in violation of 28 U.S.C. § 1915(g). Plaintiff has failed to file an opposition to the motion.
Plaintiff is subject to the "three strikes rule" set forth in 28 U.S.C. § 1915(g), which precludes a plaintiff from proceeding in forma pauperis absent a showing he is in imminent danger of serious physical injury. For the reasons described below, the court recommends that plaintiff's in forma pauperis status be revoked, and that plaintiff be permitted to proceed in the instant case only if he pays the $350.00 filing fee.
The "three strikes" provision of the Prison Litigation Reform Act ("PLRA") requires a court to deny in forma pauperis ("IFP") status to a prisoner who "has, on 3 or more prior occasions, while incarcerated or detained in any facility, brought an action or appeal in a court of the United States that was dismissed on the grounds that it is frivolous, malicious, or fails to state a claim upon which relief can be granted, unless the prisoner is under imminent danger of serious physical injury." 28 U.S.C. § 1915(g).*fn1 Thus, "[p]risoners who have repeatedly brought unsuccessful suits may entirely be barred from IFP status under the three strikes rule[.]" Andrews v. Cervantes, 493 F.3d 1047, 1052 (9th Cir. 2007). The purpose of this rule is to further "the congressional goal of reducing frivolous prisoner litigation in federal court." Tierney v. Kupers, 128 F.3d 1310, 1312 (9th Cir. 1997); accord, Rodriguez v. Cook, 169 F.3d 1176, 1180 (9th Cir. 1999) ("Section 1915(g) does not prohibit prisoners from accessing the courts to protect their rights. Inmates are still able to file claims-they are only required to pay for filing those claims.").
Andrews v. King, 398 F.3d at 1121. See also Neitzke v. Williams, 490 U.S. 319, 327 (1989) (in forma pauperis statute "accords judges not only the authority to dismiss a claim based on an indisputably meritless legal theory, but also the unusual power to pierce the veil of the complaint's factual allegations and dismiss those claims whose factual contentions are clearly baseless").
However, in forma pauperis status must be granted to a "three strikes plaintiff" who demonstrates that he or she is in "imminent danger of serious physical injury." 28 U.S.C. § 1915(g). Application of this exception requires that the complaint, liberally construed, plausibly allege that, at the time of filing the complaint, "prison officials continue with a practice that has injured [plaintiff ] or others similarly situated in the past." Andrews v. Cervantes, 493 F.3d at 1055, 1056--57 (citations omitted).
The court finds that the following actions constitute strikes under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(g):*fn2
Winfield v. Davis, Case No. 2:03-cv-0101 FCD PAN P, June 9, 2003 case dismissed for failure to state a claim under 42 U.S.C. § 1983.
Winfield v. Katcher, et al., Case No. 2:03-cv-2064 GEB GGH P, June 24, 2005 case dismissed for plaintiff's repeated failure to state a claim.
Winfield v. Downing, Case No. 2:06-cv-0391 GEB JFM P, March 16, 2007 case dismissed for plaintiff's failure to state a claim ...