Source: http://ca.findacase.com/research/wfrmDocViewer.aspx/xq/fac.20101108_0060342.ECA.htm/qx
Timestamp: 2016-10-23 20:27:22
Document Index: 226162735

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 1983', '§ 1915', '§ 636', '§ 636', '§ 68635', '§ 1915', '§ 68635', '§ 1367', '§ 1915', '§ 1915']

Plaintiff, a state prisoner proceeding pro se, has filed a civil action on the form complaint for seeking relief pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 and has requested leave to proceed in forma pauperis pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915. This proceeding was referred to this court by Local Rule 302 pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1). Plaintiff has filed a consent to proceed before a United Magistrate Judge pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(c). See Consent filed February 16, 2010. For the reasons set forth infra, ruling on plaintiff's request to proceed in forma pauperis is deferred at this time.
Plaintiff names as the sole defendant, and challenges on federal and state constitutional grounds, California Government Code 68635. That statute governs waiver of state trial court fees for persons sentenced to state prison or confined in county jail, and provides as follows:
(e) After the initial filing fee is partially paid, the inmate shall make monthly payments of 20 percent of the preceding month's income credited to the inmate's account. The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, or a county jail, shall forward payments from this account to the clerk of the court each time the amount in the account exceeds ten dollars ($10) until the filing fees are paid in full.
(f) The fees collected by the court under this section shall not exceed the amount of the fees that would be charged to a person who is not incarcerated.
(g) The court may delegate to a clerk the authority to process requests for fee waivers from inmates under this section.
(h) An inmate shall not be prohibited from filing pleadings or other papers solely because the inmate has no assets and no means to partially pay the initial filing fee.
Cal. Govt. Code § 68635. Plaintiff, who alleges that he is indigent, claims that this statute has "blocked" him from filing a complaint against the State of California and its agencies. Complaint, filed February 4, 2010.
The challenged statute is not a proper defendant in this civil rights action. Moreover, it is substantially similar to provisions of the federal in forma pauperis statute that apply to prisoners, 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b). Those provisions have been upheld against federal constitutional challenges. See Taylor v. Delatoore, 281 F.3d 844 (9th Cir. 2002). In accordance with the decision in Taylor, which binds this court, California Government Code § 68635 does not violate the federal constitution. Under the circumstances of this case, with the dismissal of plaintiff's federal constitutional claims this court will decline to exercise supplemental jurisdiction over plaintiff's state law challenges to the state statute. See 28 U.S.C. § 1367(c)(3).
In view of the foregoing findings, plaintiff's complaint must be dismissed by this court pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915A. Good cause appearing, the court will grant plaintiff a period of thirty days in which to voluntarily dismiss this action pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 41(a).
Plaintiff is cautioned that failure to voluntarily dismiss this action will result in issuance of an order requiring him to pay the $350.00 filing fee for this action in accordance with the provisions of 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b) and an order dismissing the action.
In accordance with the above, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that plaintiff is granted a period of thirty days to file a notice of voluntary dismissal of this action pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 41(a).