Opinion ID: 442925
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Procedural Protections under Section 1915(d)

Text: 7 In Franklin I we left open the question whether a court may dismiss a frivolous IFP action sua sponte before service of process on the defendants. Franklin v. State of Oregon, 662 F.2d 1337, 1340 n. 1 (9th Cir.1981). We now decide that it may. 8 Where the plaintiff has paid the filing fees, the court may not dismiss an action before process is issued and served, and without giving plaintiff notice that the court intends to dismiss, an opportunity to oppose it, a statement of the grounds for dismissal, and an opportunity to amend. Potter v. McCall, 433 F.2d 1087, 1088 (9th Cir.1970). The court may dismiss such an action without following the Potter procedures only when the court lacks subject matter jurisdiction. Franklin I, 662 F.2d at 1342. 9 A court may authorize a person who is unable to pay the costs of suit to proceed in forma pauperis. 28 U.S.C. Sec. 1915(a). The statute also authorizes the court to dismiss an IFP action that is frivolous or malicious, but it does not indicate whether any procedural protections are required before such a dismissal. See 28 U.S.C. Sec. 1915(d). 4 10 The district court dismissed 24 of Franklin's cases under section 1915(d) before the court issued or served process, ruling that the in forma pauperis statute gives courts a broader discretion to dismiss frivolous actions filed at the court's expense. 11 In Franklin I, we disapproved of the court's sua sponte dismissal of actions where the fees have been paid before service of process because such procedure eliminates the traditional adversarial relationship, causes inefficiencies in the judicial process, and gives the appearance that the court is a proponent rather than an independent entity. Franklin I, 662 F.2d at 1341-42. But where the plaintiff is proceeding in forma pauperis, the impact of additional factors must be considered. Most importantly, IFP plaintiffs are immune from the economic deterrents to filing frivolous lawsuits, such as assignment of costs of suit and tort liability for abuse of process. In forma pauperis actions also involve more of the court's own resources. See Anderson v. Coughlin, 700 F.2d 37, 42 (2d Cir.1983) (Cardamone, J., no judges joining opinion). Section 1915(d) therefore gives courts an extra measure of authority in dealing with such actions. Collins v. Cundy, 603 F.2d 825, 827 (10th Cir.1979). 12 The Prisoner Civil Rights Committee of the Federal Judicial Center recommends that the court make the frivolity determination before issuing process to protect defendants from the expense and inconvenience of answering a frivolous complaint. Federal Judicial Center, Recommended Procedures for Handling Prisoner Civil Rights Cases in the Federal Courts 59 (1980). 13 Most of the circuits that have considered the question follow the procedures recommended by the Federal Judicial Center and permit dismissal of frivolous IFP actions before issuance of process. See Martin-Trigona v. Stewart, 691 F.2d 856, 857 (8th Cir.1982) (per curiam); Collins v. Cundy, 603 F.2d at 827-28 (10th Cir.1979) (per curiam); Boyce v. Alizaduh, 595 F.2d 948, 950 (4th Cir.1979); Watson v. Ault, 525 F.2d 886, 893 (5th Cir.1976). But see Bayron v. Trudeau, 702 F.2d 43, 45 (2d Cir.1983); Lewis v. New York, 547 F.2d 4, 5 (2d Cir.1976) (error to dismiss under section 1915(d) before service of process, notice, and an opportunity to respond). 5 14 We find persuasive the reasoning of the cases holding that courts may dismiss frivolous actions filed in forma pauperis before service of process and adopt the procedure recommended by the Federal Judicial Center and applied here by the district court.