Source: http://nj.findacase.com/research/wfrmDocViewer.aspx/xq/fac.20150730_0001747.DNJ.htm/qx
Timestamp: 2016-12-04 16:28:56
Document Index: 146121059

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

| Kaplan v. Garafalo
Kaplan v. Garafalo
RICHARD P. KAPLAN, Plaintiff,v.JOHN GARAFALO, et al., Defendants.
Plaintiff Richard P. Kaplan, a convicted and sentenced prisoner currently confined at Federal Correctional Institution in Otisville, New York, seeks to bring this civil action in forma pauperis, without prepayment of fees or security, asserting claims pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. The Prison Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the "Act"), which amends 28 U.S.C. § 1915, establishes certain financial requirements for prisoners who are attempting to bring a civil action in forma pauperis. Under the Act, a prisoner bringing a civil action in forma pauperis must submit an affidavit, including a statement of all assets, which states that the prisoner is unable to pay the fee. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(1). The prisoner also must submit a certified copy of his inmate trust fund account statement for the six-month period immediately preceding the filing of his complaint. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(2). The prisoner must obtain this statement from the appropriate official of each prison at which he was or is confined. Id. The entire fee to be paid in advance of filing a civil complaint is $400. That fee includes a filing fee of $350 plus an administrative fee of $50, for a total of $400. A prisoner who is granted in forma pauperis status will, instead, be assessed a filing fee of $350 and will not be responsible for the $50 administrative fee. If in forma pauperis status is denied, the prisoner must pay the full $400, including the $350 filing fee and the $50 administrative fee, before the complaint will be filed.
In this action, Plaintiff failed to submit a complete in forma pauperis application as required by 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a). Specifically, he failed to submit a certified six month prison account statement. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(2). Plaintiff submitted an account statement dating from April 4, 2014 up until December 2, 2014, while the filing date of his Complaint was February 10, 2015, and the Complaint was dated February 2, 2015. Thus, Plaintiff still needs to submit an account statement covering the period from December 2, 2014 through February 2, 2015. Plaintiff's current submission does not satisfy the statutory requirement of a six month statement immediately preceding the filing of his Complaint. In addition, Plaintiff's account statement was not certified by the appropriate prison official.
THEREFORE, it is on this 30 day of July, 2015;
ORDERED that the Clerk of the Court shall ADMINISTRATIVELY TERMINATE this case, without filing the complaint or assessing a filing fee; Plaintiff is informed that administrative termination is not a "dismissal" for purposes of the statute of limitations, and that if the case is reopened, it is not subject to the statute of limitations time bar if it was originally filed timely, see Jenkins v. Superintendent of Laurel Highlands, 705 F.3d 80, 84 n.2 (2013) (describing prisoner mailbox rule generally); Dasilva v. Sheriff's Dep't, 413 F.App'x 498, 502 (3rd Cir. 2011) ("[The] statute of limitations is met when a complaint is submitted to the clerk before the statute runs...."); it is further
ORDERED that if Plaintiff wishes to reopen this case, he shall so notify the Court, in writing addressed to the Clerk of the Court, Martin Luther King Building & U.S. Courthouse, 50 Walnut Street, Newark, N.J. 071018, within 30 days of the date of entry of this Order; Plaintiff's writing shall include either (1) a complete, signed in forma pauperis application, including a certified six-month prison account statement, or (2) the $400 fee including the $350 filing fee plus the $50 administrative fee; it is further