Opinion
No. 15-1262-JDT-egb
10-25-2016
MICHAEL PITTMAN, Plaintiff, v. HENRY COUNTY, ET AL., Defendants.
ORDER DIRECTING ENTRY OF JUDGMENT, CERTIFYING AN APPEAL WOULD NOT BE TAKEN IN GOOD FAITH AND NOTIFYING PLAINTIFF OF APPELLATE FILING FEE
On October 27, 2015, Plaintiff Michael Pittman, who was, at the time, incarcerated at the Henry County Correctional Facility in Paris, Tennessee, filed a pro se complaint pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. (ECF No. 1.) After Plaintiff filed the required documentation, the Court granted leave to proceed in forma pauperis and assessed the civil filing fee pursuant to the Prison Litigation Reform Act ("PLRA"), 28 U.S.C. §§ 1915(a)-(b). (ECF No. 9.) On September 9, 2016, the Court dismissed the complaint for failure to state a claim but granted leave to amend within thirty days. (ECF No. 12.) Plaintiff was warned that failure to file an amendment would result in the entry of judgment and assessment of a "strike" pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §1915(g). (Id. at 12.)
Plaintiff's copy of the order of dismissal was returned undeliverable on September 20, 2016, marked "no here," "return to sender" and "unable to forward." (ECF No. 13.) Plaintiff also has not filed an amended complaint, and the time within which to do so has expired. Therefore, judgment will be entered in accordance with the September 9, 2016, order of dismissal.
It is CERTIFIED, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(3) and Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 24(a), that an appeal would not be taken in good faith.
A certification that an appeal is not taken in good faith does not affect an indigent prisoner plaintiff's ability to take advantage of the installment procedures contained in § 1915(b). See McGore v. Wrigglesworth, 114 F.3d 601, 610-11 (6th Cir. 1997), partially overruled on other grounds by LaFountain v. Harry, 716 F.3d 944, 951 (6th Cir. 2013). McGore sets out specific procedures for implementing the PLRA, 28 U.S.C. §§ 1915(a)-(b). Therefore, Plaintiff is instructed that if files a notice of appeal and wishes to take advantage of the installment procedures for paying the $505 appellate filing fee, he must comply with the procedures set out in McGore and § 1915(a)(2) by filing an updated in forma pauperis affidavit and a current, certified copy of his inmate trust account for the six months immediately preceding the filing of the notice of appeal.
For analysis under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(g) of future filings, if any, by Plaintiff, this is the first dismissal of one of his cases as frivolous or for failure to state a claim. This "strike" shall take effect when judgment is entered. See Coleman v. Tollefson, 135 S. Ct. 1759, 1763-64 (2015).
The Clerk is directed to prepare a judgment. IT IS SO ORDERED.
s/ James D. Todd
JAMES D. TODD
UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE