Opinion ID: 734158
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: All Forms Filed And Good Faith Certification

Text: 29 The statute states that a district court must determine in writing whether a request to appeal in forma pauperis is taken in good faith. 28 U.S.C.A. § 1915(a)(3); see also Floyd, 105 F.3d at 277. In cases brought by prisoners, such a certification is not required. Section 1915(a)(3) is modified by the provisions of § 1915(b)(1) (the section begins [n]otwithstanding subsection (a)). See also 28 U.S.C.A. § 1915(a)(1) ([s]ubject to subsection (b)). For a prisoner, the question of whether the appeal is taken in good faith is irrelevant. Under § 1915(b)(1), the prisoner must pay the required filing fees regardless of the merits of the appeal. Therefore, in prisoner cases, district courts are not required to make a good faith certification under § 1915(a)(3). 30 The statute, however, creates a different procedure for non-prisoners. The statute states that [a]n appeal may not be taken in forma pauperis if the trial court certifies in writing that the appeal is not taken in good faith. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(3). Courts are required to give plain meaning to the language of the statute. United States v. Alvarez-Sanchez, 511 U.S. 350, 356, 114 S.Ct. 1599, 1603, 128 L.Ed.2d 319 (1994). Thus, if the district court concludes that the appeal is not taken in good faith, the individual must pay the entire filing fee and may not proceed on appeal as a pauper. Floyd, 105 F.3d at 277-79. 31 There is a conflict between the statute and Fed. R.App. P. 24(a). Id. at 105 F.3d at 277-78. Rule 24(a) provides in part: 32 If a motion for leave to proceed on appeal in forma pauperis is denied by the district court, or if the district court shall certify that the appeal is not taken in good faith or shall find that the party is otherwise not entitled to proceed in forma pauperis, the clerk shall forthwith serve notice of such action. A motion for leave so to proceed may be filed in the court of appeals within 30 days after service of notice of the action of the district court. The motion shall be accompanied by a copy of the affidavit filed in the district court, or by the affidavit prescribed by the first paragraph of this subdivision if no affidavit has been filed in the district court, and by a copy of the statement of reasons given by the district court for its action. 33 Under § 1915(a)(3), once the district court certifies that an appeal is not taken in good faith, the non-prisoner cannot seek an appeal in forma pauperis. Furthermore, the non-prisoner cannot seek an assessment under § 1915(b)(1) as this section is strictly limited to prisoners. As § 1915(a)(3), which does not permit an appeal to proceed in forma pauperis if the appeal is not taken in good faith, conflicts with Rule 24(a), the statute supersedes the rule and, therefore, the statute controls. Floyd, 105 F.3d at 277-78; Jackson, 102 F.3d at 136. 34