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
CARLOS L. BROWN,
Plaintiff,
1:25-CV-6014 (LTS)
-against-
ORDER DIRECTING PRISONER
AUTHORIZATION
STATE OF NEW YORK; ET AL.,
Defendants.
LAURA TAYLOR SWAIN, Chief United States District Judge:
Plaintiff, who is currently incarcerated at the Orange County Jail, brings this action pro
se. To proceed with a civil action in this Court, a prisoner must either pay $405.00 in fees – a
$350.00 filing fee plus a $55.00 administrative fee – or, to request permission 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.1 See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1). A prisoner
seeking to proceed in this Court without prepayment of fees must therefore also 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 fee from the
prisoner’s account in installments and to send to this 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 an IFP application, but did not submit a prisoner authorization. Within
thirty days of the date of this order, Plaintiff must either pay the $405.00 in fees or complete and
1 The $55.00 administrative fee for filing a civil action does not apply to persons granted
IFP status under 28 U.S.C. § 1915.
submit the attached prisoner authorization. If Plaintiff submits the prisoner authorization, it
should be labeled with docket number 1:25-CV-6014 (LTS).2
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 IFP 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: July 25, 2025
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 a federal civil action or appeal that is
dismissed on the grounds that it is frivolous, malicious, or fails to state a claim upon which relief
may be granted, the dismissal is a “strike” under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(g). A prisoner who receives
three “strikes” cannot file federal civil actions IFP as a prisoner, unless he is under imminent
danger of serious physical injury, and he must pay the filing fees at the time of filing any new
action.
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
(full name of the plaintiff/petitioner)
CV ( ) ( )
-against- (Provide docket number, if available; if filing this with your
complaint, you will not yet have a docket number.)
(full name(s) of the defendant(s)/respondent(s))
PRISONER AUTHORIZATION
By signing below, I acknowledge that:
(1) because I filed this action as a prisoner,1 I am required by statute (28 U.S.C. § 1915) to pay
the full filing fees for this case, even if I am granted the right to proceed in forma pauperis
(IFP), that is, without prepayment of fees;
(2) the full $350 filing fee will be deducted in installments from my prison account, even if my
case is dismissed or I voluntarily withdraw it.
I authorize the agency holding me in custody to:
(1) send a certified copy of my prison trust fund account statement for the past six months
(from my current institution or any institution in which I was incarcerated during the past
six months);
(2) calculate the amounts specified by 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b), deduct those amounts from my
prison trust fund, and disburse those amounts to the Court.
This authorization applies to any agency into whose custody I may be transferred and to any
other district court to which my case may be transferred.
Date Signature
Name (Last, First, MI) Prison Identification #
Address City State Zip Code
1 A “prisoner” is “any person incarcerated or detained in any facility who is accused of, convicted of,