Opinion
Civil No. 14cv2646 LAB (DHB)
11-12-2014
PEDRO RODRIGUEZ, Inmate Booking No. 1474593 Plaintiff, v. ROBERT S. STALL; LAURA ENGREM; F. MICHAEL GARCIA; OFFICE OF ASSIGNED COUNSEL, SUPERIOR COURT OF SAN DIEGO, Defendants.
ORDER DISMISSING CIVIL ACTION WITHOUT PREJUDICE FOR FAILING TO PAY FILING FEES REQUIRED BY 28 U.S.C. § 1914(a) AND/OR FAILING TO MOVE TO PROCEED IN FORMA PAUPERIS PURSUANT TO 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)
Plaintiff, currently incarcerated at the Vista Detention Facility located in Vista, California, has filed this civil action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983.
I. FAILURE TO PAY FILING FEE OR REQUEST IFP STATUS
All parties instituting any civil action, suit or proceeding in any district court of the United States, except an application for writ of habeas corpus, must pay a filing fee of $400. See 28 U.S.C. § 1914(a). An action may proceed despite a party's failure to pay this filing fee only if the party is granted leave to proceed in forma pauperis ("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).
In addition to the $350 statutory fee, all parties filing civil actions on or after May 1, 2013, must pay an additional administrative fee of $50. See 28 U.S.C. § 1914(a), (b); Judicial Conference Schedule of Fees, District Court Misc. Fee Schedule, eff. May 1, 2013. However, the additional $50 administrative fee is waived if the plaintiff is granted leave to proceed IFP. Id.
Plaintiff has not prepaid the $400 in filing and administrative fees required to commence a civil action, nor has he submitted a Motion to Proceed IFP in compliance with 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a). Therefore, the case cannot yet proceed. See 28 U.S.C. § 1914(a); Andrews, 493 F.3d at 1051.
II. CONCLUSION AND ORDER
For the reasons set forth above, the Court hereby:
(1) DISMISSES this action sua sponte without prejudice for failing to pay the $400 civil filing and administrative fee or 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 $400 civil filing and administrative fee in full; or (b) complete and file a Motion to Proceed IFP, which includes a certified copy of his trust account statement for the 6-month period preceding the filing of his Complaint. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(2); S.D. CAL. CIVLR 3.2(b).
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Clerk of the Court shall 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 $400 civil filing fee or fully complete and submit the enclosed Motion to Proceed IFP within that time, this action shall remain dismissed without prejudice for the reasons set out in this Order. DATED: November 12, 2014
/s/_________
HONORABLE LARRY ALAN BURNS
United States District Judge