Opinion
24-CV-528-DII-ML
07-31-2024
AHMAD LAFTA, Plaintiff, v. WILLIAMSON COUNTY JUSTICE OF THE PEACE 1, Defendant.
ORDER ON IN FORMA PAUPERIS STATUS AND REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION ON THE MERITS OF THE CLAIMS
MARK LANE UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE
TO THE HONORABLE UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE:
The Magistrate Judge submits this Report and Recommendation to the United States District Court pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(b) and Rule 1 of Appendix C of the Local Court Rules of the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, Local Rules for the Assignment of Duties to United States Magistrate Judges.
Before the court is Plaintiff's Application to Proceed In Forma Pauperis (Dkt. 2). Because Plaintiff is requesting permission to proceed in forma pauperis, this court must review and make a recommendation on the merits of Plaintiff's claims pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e).
I. Request To Proceed IN FORMA PAUPERIS
The court has reviewed Plaintiff's financial affidavit and determined Plaintiff is indigent and should be granted leave to proceed in forma pauperis. Accordingly, the court hereby GRANTS Plaintiff's request for in forma pauperis status. The Clerk of the Court shall file the complaint without payment of fees or costs or giving security therefor pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a). This indigent status is granted subject to a later determination the action should be dismissed if the allegation of poverty is untrue or the action is found frivolous or malicious pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e). Plaintiff is further advised, although Plaintiff has been granted leave to proceed in forma pauperis, a court may, in its discretion, impose costs of court at the conclusion of this lawsuit, as in other cases. Moore v. McDonald, 30 F.3d 616, 621 (5th Cir. 1994).
As stated below, this court has made a § 1915(e) review of the claims made in this complaint and is recommending Plaintiff's claims be dismissed without prejudice under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e). Therefore, service upon Defendants should be withheld pending the District Court's review of the recommendations made in this Report. If the District Judge declines to adopt the recommendations, then service should be issued at that time upon Defendants.
II. Review of the Merits of the Claim
A. Factual Background
Mr. Lafta seeks to bring suit against the Williamson County Justice of the Peace 1, Jose Del Carmen Santiago Servin, Lonestar Managing General Agency, and Williamson County Patrol Officer Paul Hernandez. Dkt. 1 at 2. He alleges they violated his rights under the Fourteenth Amendment and the Civil Rights Act. Id. at 3. He states that in 2022, he was rear-ended by Santiago Servin, who did not have a driver's license. Dkt. 6 at 2. Patrol Officer Hernandez responded to the scene but only gave Santiago Servin a verbal warning. Id. Mr. Lafta contacted the insurance company. He has filed a complaint in the Williamson County Justice of the Peace 1, but that case has not progressed. Id.
B. Standard of Review
Because Plaintiff has been granted leave to proceed in forma pauperis, the court is required by statute to review the Complaint. Section 1915(e)(2) provides in relevant part that “the court shall dismiss the case at any time if the court determines that . . . the action or appeal (i) is frivolous or malicious; (ii) fails to state a claim on which relief may be granted; or (iii) seeks monetary relief against a defendant who is immune from such relief.” 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2). A complaint is frivolous, if it “lacks an arguable basis either in law or in fact.” Neitzke v. Williams, 490 U.S. 319, 325, (1989); Siglar v. Hightower, 112 F.3d 191, 193 (5th Cir. 1997). A claim lacks an arguable basis in law when it is “based on an indisputably meritless legal theory.” Neitzke, 490 U.S. at 327. A claim lacks an arguable basis in fact when it describes “fantastic or delusional scenarios.” Id. at 327-28.
Pro se complaints are liberally construed in favor of the plaintiff. Haines v. Kerner, 404 U.S. 519, 20-21 (1972). However, Pro se status does not offer a plaintiff an “impenetrable shield, for one acting pro se has no license to harass others, clog the judicial machinery with meritless litigation, and abuse already overloaded court dockets.” Farguson v. MBank Houston N.A., 808 F.2d 358, 359 (5th Cir. 1986).
C. Discussion
Mr. Lafta has not asserted a claim for which this court can award relief. Although he asserts his Fourteenth Amendment and civil rights have been violated, the facts he describes do not support such claims. Santiago Servin and the insurance company are not state actors, and there is no indication either acted to violate Mr. Lafta's constitutional or civil rights. Although Patrol Officer Hernandez is a state actor, there is also no indication that he violated Mr. Lafta's rights. Finally, there is no indication that the Williamson County Justice of the Peace 1 has violated Mr. Lafta's constitutional or civil rights. Federal courts do not generally interfere with ongoing state-court litigation, and Mr. Lafta can seek relief through the state court appellate process.
III. Order and Recommendations
The Magistrate Court hereby GRANTS Plaintiff's Application to Proceed In Forma Pauperis (Dkt. 2). The Magistrate Court RECOMMENDS the District Court DISMISS WITHOUT PREJUDICE Plaintiff's cause of action pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B).
The referral of this case to the Magistrate Judge should now be canceled.
IV. Warning
The parties may file objections to this Report and Recommendation. A party filing objections must specifically identify those findings or recommendations to which objections are being made. The District Court need not consider frivolous, conclusive, or general objections. See Battles v. United States Parole Comm'n, 834 F.2d 419, 421 (5th Cir. 1987).
A party's failure to file written objections to the proposed findings and recommendations contained in this Report within fourteen (14) days after the party is served with a copy of the Report shall bar that party from de novo review by the District Court of the proposed findings and recommendations in the Report and, except upon grounds of plain error, shall bar the party from appellate review of unobjected-to proposed factual findings and legal conclusions accepted by the District Court. See 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1)(C); Thomas v. Arn, 474 U.S. 140, 150-53 (1985); Douglass v. United Services Automobile Ass'n, 79 F.3d 1415 (5th Cir. 1996)(en banc).