Opinion ID: 2630130
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Filing Fees/In Forma Pauperis Status

Text: [¶ 31] After Mr. DeLoge filed his notice of appeal of the district court's order closing the case and dismissing his Rule 41(e) motion, the district court granted Mr. DeLoge's motion to proceed in forma pauperis on appeal. In spite of the district court's in forma pauperis order, the Clerk of the Wyoming Supreme Court refused to docket the matter without payment of the filing fee on the grounds that the matter was civil in nature and there were no provisions allowing Mr. DeLoge to proceed without payment of the fee. The fee was subsequently paid. [¶ 32] On appeal, Mr. DeLoge claims that he had the right to proceed in forma pauperis and should have been allowed to file without payment of the docket fee. He maintains that this action is quasi-criminal and there is no provision in Wyoming statutes or rules which would prevent the Court from allowing him to proceed in forma pauperis. He points to the fact that his earlier appeals in this case proceeded without payment of docketing fees. [¶ 33] We refuse to consider the merits of this issue. Mr. DeLoge did not file a formal motion, pursuant to W.R.A.P. 16, with this Court seeking the right to file without payment of the docket fee. Instead, after the clerk informed him that he needed to pay the docket fee, he sent a letter to the Chief Justice asking for the fee to be waived, but before the Court acted on his request, the fee was paid. His appeal is now before this Court and we have addressed his claims. Consequently, Mr. DeLoge waived his challenge to the clerk's action requiring payment of the fee. [¶ 34] Affirmed.