Task: songer_search

What follows is an opinion from a United States Court of Appeals. The issue is: "Did the court below improperly rule for the prosecution on an issue related to an alleged illegal search and seizure?" Answer the question based on the directionality of the appeals court decision. If the court discussed the issue in its opinion and answered the related question in the affirmative, answer "Yes". If the issue was discussed and the opinion answered the question negatively, answer "No". If the opinion considered the question but gave a mixed answer, supporting the respondent in part and supporting the appellant in part, answer "Mixed answer". If the opinion does not discuss the issue, or notes that a particular issue was raised by one of the litigants but the court dismissed the issue as frivolous or trivial or not worthy of discussion for some other reason, answer "Issue not discussed". If the opinion considered the question but gave a "mixed" answer, supporting the respondent in part and supporting the appellant in part (or if two issues treated separately by the court both fell within the area covered by one question and the court answered one question affirmatively and one negatively), answer "Mixed answer". If the opinion either did not consider or discuss the issue at all or if the opinion indicates that this issue was not worthy of consideration by the court of appeals even though it was discussed by the lower court or was raised in one of the briefs, answer "Issue not discussed". If the court answered the question in the affirmative, but the error articulated by the court was judged to be harmless, answer "Yes, but error was harmless". If a civil suit brought by a prisoner or a criminal defendant in another action that alleges a tort based on an illegal search and seizure, also consider the issue to be present in the case.

PER CURIAM.
Appellant sought leave to file a complaint in forma pauperis naming the State of Washington and the Superintendent of the Washington State Penitentiary as defendants and purporting to allege a cause of action under the Civil Rights Act (42 U.S.C.A. §§ 1981, 1983). The complaint alleged that appellant was serving a prison sentence, the length of which was based upon an erroneous construction by the state court of the state statutes, fixing the maximum sentence for the offenses of which appellant was convicted. The District Court directed the Clerk to file the complaint without payment of fees but denied appellant’s motion to proceed in forma pauperis on the ground that the action was frivolous. We interpret the District Court’s order as a denial of the motion for leave to commence the action in forma pauperis, and its order permitting the complaint to be “filed” as intended simply to provide a complete record of the action taken.
The District Court “may” authorize the commencement of a civil action in forma pauperis, and thereafter “may dismiss the case * * * if satisfied that the action is frivolous.” (28 U.S.C.A. § 1915(a), (d)). It follows that the District Court was authorized to deny leave to proceed in forma pauperis at the outset if it appeared from the face of the proposed complaint that the action was frivolous. Cf. Loum v. Underwood, 262 F.2d 866 (6th Cir., 1959); Taylor v. Steele, 191 F.2d 852 (8th Cir., 1951); Huffman v. Smith, 172 F.2d 129 (9th Cir., 1949). This authority is to be exercised with great restraint, and generally only where it would be proper to dismiss the complaint sua sponte before service of process if it were filed by one tendering the required fees. See Harmon v. Superior Court, 307 F.2d 796 (9th Cir., 1962). This was such a case.
Appellant’s motions in this Court for appointment of counsel, for “default judgment,” and for an injunction are denied. The judgment of the District Court is affirmed.

Question: Did the court below improperly rule for the prosecution on an issue related to an alleged illegal search and seizure?
A. No
B. Yes
C. Yes, but error was harmless
D. Mixed answer
E. Issue not discussed
Answer:

Answer: E