From Casetext: Smarter Legal Research

Seay v. Judges

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF TENNESSEE WESTERN DIVISION
Jun 16, 2015
No. 2:15-cv-2407-JDT-tmp (W.D. Tenn. Jun. 16, 2015)

Opinion

No. 2:15-cv-2407-JDT-tmp

06-16-2015

LLOYD E. SEAY, Plaintiff, v. ALL THE JUDGES, P.D.s and D.A., ET AL., Defendants.


ORDER DIRECTING PLAINTIFF TO COMPLY WITH 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(2) OR PAY THE $400 CIVIL FILING FEE

On June 15, 2015, Plaintiff Lloyd E. Seay, booking number 14143133, who is incarcerated at the Shelby County Criminal Justice Complex ("Jail") in Memphis, Tennessee, filed a pro se complaint pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 and a motion to proceed in forma pauperis. (ECF Nos. 1 & 2.)

Under the Prison Litigation Reform Act ("PLRA"), 28 U.S.C. §§ 1915(a)-(b), a prisoner bringing a civil action must pay the filing fee required by 28 U.S.C. § 1914(a). Although the obligation to pay the fee accrues at the moment the case is filed, see McGore v. Wriggleworth, 114 F.3d 601, 605 (6th Cir. 1997), the PLRA provides the prisoner the opportunity to make a "down payment" of a partial filing fee and pay the remainder in installments. § 1915(b)(2). However, in order to take advantage of the installment procedures, the prisoner must properly complete and submit to the district court, along with the complaint, an in forma pauperis affidavit containing a certification by the prison trust account officer and a copy of his trust account statement for the last six months. § 1915(a)(2).

In this case, the affidavit submitted by Plaintiff does not contain a current certification by the prison trust account officer and is not accompanied by a copy of Plaintiff's trust account statement. In his motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis, Plaintiff states that Jail officials will not given him a trust account statement. However, the Court will require Plaintiff to make a further effort to obtain the necessary document. Accordingly, Plaintiff is ORDERED to submit, within thirty (30) days after the date of this order, either the entire $400 civil filing fee or a current in forma pauperis affidavit containing a certification by the trust account officer and a copy of his trust account statement for the last six months. The Clerk is directed to provide Plaintiff with another copy of the prisoner affidavit form along with this order. If Plaintiff needs additional time to file the required documents, he may request one thirty-day extension of time from this Court. McGore, 114 F.3d at 605.

Twenty-eight U.S.C. § 1914(a) requires a civil filing fee of $350. However, pursuant to § 1914(b), "[t]he clerk shall collect from the parties such additional fees only as are prescribed by the Judicial Conference of the United States." Effective May 1, 2013, the Judicial Conference prescribed an additional administrative fee of $50 for filing any civil case, except for cases seeking habeas corpus and cases in which the plaintiff is granted leave to proceed in forma pauperis under 28 U.S.C. § 1915. Thus, if the Plaintiff is granted leave to proceed in forma pauperis in accordance with the PLRA, he will not be responsible for the additional $50 fee.

If Jail officials still refuse to provide Plaintiff with a copy of his trust account statement, he should so advise the Court within the thirty-day time period.

If Plaintiff timely submits the necessary documents and the Court finds that he is indeed indigent, the Court will grant leave to proceed in forma pauperis and assess a filing fee of only $350 in accordance with the installment procedures of 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b). However, if the Plaintiff fails to comply with this order in a timely manner, the Court will deny leave to proceed in forma pauperis, assess the entire $400 filing fee without regard to the installment payment procedures, and dismiss the action without further notice, under Fed. R. Civ. P. 41(b), for failure to prosecute. McGore, 114 F.3d at 605. IT IS SO ORDERED.

Even a voluntary dismissal by Plaintiff will not eliminate the obligation to pay the filing fee. Id. at 607; see also In re Alea, 286 F.3d 378, 381 (6th Cir. 2002).
--------

s/ James D. Todd

JAMES D. TODD

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE


Summaries of

Seay v. Judges

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF TENNESSEE WESTERN DIVISION
Jun 16, 2015
No. 2:15-cv-2407-JDT-tmp (W.D. Tenn. Jun. 16, 2015)
Case details for

Seay v. Judges

Case Details

Full title:LLOYD E. SEAY, Plaintiff, v. ALL THE JUDGES, P.D.s and D.A., ET AL.…

Court:UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF TENNESSEE WESTERN DIVISION

Date published: Jun 16, 2015

Citations

No. 2:15-cv-2407-JDT-tmp (W.D. Tenn. Jun. 16, 2015)