Addison v. Duncan et al

Filing 5

ORDER directing the Clerk to send Plaintiff an Application to Proceed In Forma Pauperis, along with a prison calculation sheet. Plaintiff must within thirty days of the entry of this Order, either pay the $400 filing fee in full or file a properly completed Application to Proceed In Forma Pauperis. Plaintiff must within thirty days of the entry of this Order file an Amended Complaint. Signed by Magistrate Judge J. Thomas Ray on 3/13/2015. (jak)

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
EASTERN DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS
JONESBORO DIVISION

NICHOLAS CORTEZ ADDISON
V.

PLAINTIFF

3:15CV00036 JLH/JTR

BRETT DUNCAN, Administrator,
Craighead County Detention Center, et al.

DEFENDANTS

ORDER
Plaintiff, Nicholas Cortez Addison, is confined in the Craighead County
Detention Center. He has filed a pro se § 1983 Complaint alleging that Defendants
violated his constitutional rights.
I. Filing Fee
The fee for filing a § 1983 action in federal court is $400.1 Plaintiff has not
paid the filing fee or filed an Application to Proceed In Forma Pauperis. If Plaintiff
wishes to pursue this action, he must, within thirty days of the entry of this Order,
either: (1) pay the $400 filing fee in full; or (2) file a properly completed Application
to Proceed In Forma Pauperis, along with a properly completed prison calculation
sheet.

1

The $400 filing fee includes a $50 administrative fee that is waived for plaintiffs who are
granted permission to proceed in forma pauperis. Thus, if Plaintiff is granted in forma pauperis
status, he will be obligated to pay $350, instead of $400.

However, Plaintiff should be aware that, even if he is granted permission to
proceed in forma pauperis, he still must pay the filing fee in full. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b).
The only difference is that, by being granted permission to proceed in forma pauperis,
Plaintiff will be allowed to pay the filing fee in monthly installments taken from his
institutional account, rather than all at once, at the time of filing his Complaint. Id.
Further, if Plaintiff’s case is subsequently dismissed for any reason, including a
determination that it is frivolous, malicious, fails to state a claim, or seeks
monetary relief against a defendant who is immune from such relief, the full
amount of the filing fee will be collected and no portion of this filing fee will be
refunded to Plaintiff.
II. Screening
The Prison Litigation Reform Act requires federal courts to screen prisoner
complaints seeking relief against a governmental entity, officer, or employee. 28
U.S.C. § 1915A(a). The Court must dismiss a complaint or a portion thereof if the
prisoner has raised claims that: (a) are legally frivolous or malicious; (b) fail to state
a claim upon which relief may be granted; or (c) seek monetary relief from a
defendant who is immune from such relief. 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(b). When making this
determination, a court must accept the truth of the factual allegations contained in the
complaint, and it may consider the documents attached to the complaint. Ashcroft v.
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Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678 (2009); Reynolds v. Dormire, 636 F.3d 976, 979 (8th Cir.
2011).
Plaintiff alleges that unspecified individuals at the Craighead County Detention
Center are reading his legal mail outside of his presence. Doc. 2. The Court needs
further information in order to complete § 1915A. Thus, Plaintiff must file, within
thirty days of the entry of this Order, an Amended Complaint clarifying: (1) how
Defendants Duncan, Boyd, Elliott, and Hall each personally participated in the alleged
violation of his constitutional rights; and (2) how he was harmed by Defendants
reading his legal mail.
III. Conclusion
IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED THAT:
1.

The Clerk is directed to send Plaintiff an Application to Proceed In

Forma Pauperis, along with a prison calculation sheet.
2.

Plaintiff must, within thirty days of the entry of this Order, either: (a)

pay the $400 filing fee in full; or (b) file a properly completed Application to Proceed
In Forma Pauperis, along with a properly completed prison calculation sheet.
3.

Plaintiff must, within thirty days of the entry of this Order, file an

Amended Complaint containing the specified information.
4.

Plaintiff is reminded that the failure to timely and properly comply with

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any portion of this Order will result in the dismissal of this case, without prejudice,
pursuant to Local Rule 5.5(c)(2).
Dated this 13th day of March, 2015.

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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