Opinion
24-CV-980 JLS (VET)
06-10-2024
STEVEN WAYNE BONILLA, CDCR #J-48500, Plaintiff, v. IMPERIAL COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT, Defendant.
ORDER DISMISSING CIVIL ACTION WITHOUT PREJUDICE FOR FAILING TO PAY FILING FEE REQUIRED BY 28 U.S.C. § 1914(a) AND FAILING TO MOVE TO PROCEED IN FORMA PAUPERIS PURSUANT TO 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)
HON. JANIS L. SAMMARTINO UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
Plaintiff Steven Wayne Bonilla (“Plaintiff”) is a state prisoner proceeding pro se in this civil rights action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Compl., ECF No. 1.
I. Failure to Pay Filing Fee or Request In Forma Pauperis (“IFP”) Status
All parties instituting any civil action, suit or proceeding in a district court of the United States, except an application for writ of habeas corpus, must pay a filing fee of $405, consisting of a (1) $350 statutory fee and (2) an administrative fee of $55 that does not apply to persons granted leave to proceed IFP. See 28 U.S.C. § 1914(a) (Judicial Conference Schedule of Fees, District Court Misc. Fee Schedule, § 14 (eff. Dec. 1, 2023)). An action may proceed despite a plaintiff's failure to prepay the entire fee only if he is granted leave to proceed IFP pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a). See Andrews v. Cervantes, 493 F.3d 1047, 1051 (9th Cir. 2007); Rodriguez v. Cook, 169 F.3d 1176, 1177 (9th Cir. 1999). As Plaintiff is a prisoner, however, even if he is ultimately granted leave to commence his suit IFP, he remains obligated to pay the entire filing fee in “increments.” See Williams v. Paramo, 775 F.3d 1182, 1185 (9th Cir. 2015); 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1), (2); Taylor v. Delatoore, 281 F.3d 844, 847 (9th Cir. 2002).
Plaintiff has neither prepaid the $405 fee required to commence this civil action nor submitted a Motion to Proceed IFP. Therefore, his case cannot yet proceed. See 28 U.S.C. § 1914(a); Andrews, 493 F.3d at 1051.
II. Conclusion and Order
Accordingly, the Court:
(1) DISMISSES this civil action sua sponte without prejudice based on Plaintiff's failure to pay the $405 civil filing and administrative fee or to submit a Motion to Proceed IFP pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1914(a) and § 1915(a); and
(2) GRANTS Plaintiff forty-five (45) days leave from the date this Order is filed to: (a) prepay the entire $405 civil filing and administrative fee in full; or (b) complete and file a Motion to Proceed IFP that includes a certified copy of his trust account statement for the six-month period preceding the filing of his Complaint. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(2); S.D. Cal. Civ. L.R. 3.2(b).
The Court cautions Plaintiff that he chooses to proceed further under either option (a) or option (b), his Complaint will be screened before service and may be dismissed sua sponte pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(b) and/or 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B). See Lopez v. Smith, 203 F.3d 1122, 1126-27 (9th Cir. 2000) (en banc) (noting that 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e) “not only permits but requires” the court to sua sponte dismiss an IFP complaint that is frivolous, malicious, fails to state a claim, or seeks damages from defendants who are immune); see also Rhodes v. Robinson, 621 F.3d 1002, 1004 (9th Cir. 2010) (discussing similar screening required by 28 U.S.C. § 1915A of all complaints filed by prisoners “seeking redress from a governmental entity or officer or employee of a governmental entity.”).
The Clerk of the Court is DIRECTED to provide Plaintiff with this Court's approved form “Motion and Declaration in Support of Motion to Proceed In Forma Pauperis.”
If Plaintiff fails to either prepay the $405 civil filing fee or complete and submit the enclosed Motion to Proceed IFP within 45 days, this action will be dismissed without prejudice based on his failure to satisfy 28 U.S.C. § 1914(a)'s fee requirement.
IT IS SO ORDERED.