Opinion ID: 2653500
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: In Forma Pauperis Status

Text: ¶ 38. McCool asks this Court to grant her application for in forma pauperis (IFP) status on appeal. We initially denied this request based on the fact that the combined income of her household, which includes her son, exceeds 150% of the federal poverty level and thus does not meet the requirements of Vermont Rule of Civil Procedure 3.1(b)(1). McCool sought reconsideration of that decision, however, and we granted her conditional IFP status pending further consideration along with our review of the merits of the case. Upon reconsideration, we now grant McCool’s application. ¶ 39. Under our rules, we will grant an application for IFP status on appeal if the applicant satisfies the criteria set forth in V.R.C.P. 3.1(b). See V.R.A.P. 24(a)-(b). Civil Rule 3.1(b) states in relevant part: (1) If the affidavit sets forth that the applicant is a recipient of any kind of welfare aid which constitutes a major portion of subsistence or is a person whose gross income is at or below 150% of the poverty income guidelines for nonfarm families established under the Community Services Act of 1974, the entire fee and costs of service shall be waived. For purposes of this paragraph, income of the applicant’s cohabiting family members shall be deemed to be income of the applicant. (2) If the clerk or designee finds that the movant is unable to pay the entry fee without expending income or liquid resources necessary for the maintenance of the movant and all dependents, the entire entry fee shall be waived. (3) If the clerk or designee finds that the movant is unable to pay the costs of service without expending income or liquid resources necessary for the maintenance of the movant and all dependents, the costs of service shall be waived. ¶ 40. Our initial denial was based on the fact that McCool’s income, when combined with that of her son, left her above the income threshold for IFP status under Civil Rule 3.1(b )( 1). [2] The provision including all household income in the IFP eligibility consideration applies only to Rule 3.1(b )( 1), however. It does not apply to the provisions in Rule 3.1(b )( 2)-(3), which permit the waiver of entry fees and the costs of service upon a finding that the applicant is unable to pay these costs “without expending income or liquid resources necessary for the maintenance of the movant and all dependents.” In this case, McCool is a long-term-care Medicaid beneficiary who must pay all of her income toward her care except for a maintenance allowance, medical costs, and certain other specific deductions. Patient Share Regulations § 4462. The maintenance allowance is designed to provide a reasonable amount for food, shelter, and clothing to meet her personal needs. Id . § 4462.1. Because requiring her to pay a filing fee and for the costs of service would compel her to spend part of her maintenance allowance set aside for her basic needs, on the basis of V.R.C.P. 3.1(b)(2)-(3) we grant her motion to waive the entry fee and costs of service. Petitioner Leslie McCool’s application to proceed in forma pauperis and have the filing fee waived is granted. The Board’s January 9, 2012 and June 11, 2012 decisions are reversed, and the cases are remanded to the Board for it to reconsider petitioners’ requests for deductions from their patient shares in light of this opinion . FOR THE COURT: