holding that appellant demonstrates good faith when seeking review of a nonfrivolous issue
How later courts described this case
- holding that appellant demonstrates good faith when seeking review of a nonfrivolous issue
Written by the judges who cited it.
The opinion
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
RUFUS JONES,
Plaintiff, 21-CV-11113 (LTS)
-against- ORDER DIRECTING PAYMENT OF
FEE OR IFP APPLICATION AND
CRAIG STEPHEN BROWN; CARL E. DUBOIS, PRISONER AUTHORIZATION
Defendants.
LAURA TAYLOR SWAIN, Chief United States District Judge:
Plaintiff, who is currently incarcerated at Orange County Jail, brings this action pro se. To
proceed with a civil action in this Court, a prisoner must either pay $402.00 in fees – a $350.00
filing fee plus a $52.00 administrative fee – or, to request authorization to proceed in forma
pauperis (IFP), that is, without prepayment of fees, submit a signed IFP application and a
prisoner authorization. See 28 U.S.C. §§ 1914, 1915. If the Court grants a prisoner’s IFP
application, the Prison Litigation Reform Act requires the Court to collect the $350.00 filing fee
in installments deducted from the prisoner’s account. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1). A prisoner
seeking to proceed in this Court without prepayment of fees must therefore authorize the Court
to withdraw these payments from his account by filing a “prisoner authorization,” which directs
the facility where the prisoner is incarcerated to deduct the $350.00 filing fee1 from the
prisoner’s account in installments and to send to the Court certified copies of the prisoner’s
account statements for the past six months. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(2), (b).
Plaintiff submitted the complaint without the filing fees or a completed IFP application
and prisoner authorization. Within thirty days of the date of this order, Plaintiff must either pay
1 The $52.00 administrative fee for filing a civil action does not apply to persons granted
IFP status under 28 U.S.C. § 1915.
the $402.00 in fees or submit the attached IFP application and prisoner authorization forms. If
Plaintiff submits the IFP application and prisoner authorization, they should be labeled with
docket number 21-CV-11113 (LTS).2
The Clerk of Court is directed to mail a copy of this order to Plaintiff and note service on
the docket. No summons shall issue at this time. If Plaintiff complies with this order, the case
shall be processed in accordance with the procedures of the Clerk’s Office. If Plaintiff fails to
comply with this order within the time allowed, the action will be dismissed.
The Court certifies under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(3) that any appeal from this order would
not be taken in good faith, and therefore in forma pauperis status is denied for the purpose of an
appeal. Cf. Coppedge v. United States, 369 U.S. 438, 444–45 (1962) (holding that appellant
demonstrates good faith when seeking review of a nonfrivolous issue).
SO ORDERED.
Dated: January 11, 2022
New York, New York
/s/ Laura Taylor Swain
LAURA TAYLOR SWAIN
Chief United States District Judge
2 Plaintiff is cautioned that if a prisoner files an action that is dismissed as frivolous or
for failing to state a claim, the dismissal is a “strike” under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(g). A prisoner who
receives three “strikes” cannot file actions in forma pauperis as a prisoner, unless he is under
imminent danger of serious physical injury, and must pay the filing fee at the time of filing any
new action.