Opinion ID: 767096
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Whether the district court erred in directing the entry of a strike.

Text: 38 (i) For similar reasons, as well as others, we conclude the district court erred in directing the entry of a strike in the judgment dismissing Snider's complaint. The entry of a strike was obviously harmful to Snider's interests, yet he was given no notice and opportunity to be heard as to why, even if the dismissal was warranted, a strike might not be. Snider was entitled to such notice and opportunity in relation to the strike determination as well as to the dismissal. 39 The failure to afford Snider these safeguards was not a mere technical error. Even if the record were unmistakably clear that he had failed to exhaust available administrative remedies and that the dismissal was therefore appropriate, it would not necessarily follow that the dismissal warranted the entry of a strike. There are several reasons why the entry of a strike might have been improper. First, a strike is properly counted only if the action was frivolous, malicious, or fail[ed] to state a claim upon which relief may be granted. 28 U.S.C. 1915(g). As discussed above, we do not believe that failure to exhaust qualifies as failure to state a claim in the context of the PLRA. Nor would an action be rendered frivolous by a failure to exhaust that was remediable. Accordingly, a dismissal by reason of a remediable failure to exhaust should not count as a strike. 40 (ii) We also doubt whether the entry of a strike is properly considered at the time an action is dismissed. The designation of strikes has no practical consequences until a defendant in a prisoner's lawsuit raises the contention that the prisoner's suit or appeal may not be maintained in forma pauperis pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 1915 because the prisoner has accumulated three strikes. At that time, because a practical consequence turns on the answer to the question, a court will need to determine whether the prisoner should be charged with three strikes. Litigation over the issue at an earlier juncture would involve the courts in disputes that might never have any practical consequence. The resolution of such disputes is not a proper part of the judicial function. Cf. Hewitt v. Helms, 482 U.S. 755, 761 (1987) (noting that [t]he real value of the judicial pronouncement--what makes it a proper judicial resolution of a 'case or controversy' rather than an advisory opinion--is in the settling of some dispute which affects the behavior of the defendant towards the plaintiff). 4 41 Of course, it would be well for a court entering an order of dismissal to see to it that the record and judgment clarify the issue for the future. The judgment should clearly state the reasons for the dismissal, including whether the dismissal is because the claim is frivolous, malicious, or fails to state a claim, whether it is because the prisoner has failed to exhaust an available administrative remedy, or for other reasons. The judgment should also state whether the dismissal is with prejudice or without. Such clarifications will undoubtedly assist subsequent courts that must determine whether a plaintiff is barred from maintaining an action in forma pauperis by the three strikes rule of Section 1915(g). 5