Reed v. Boim et al

Filing 9

ORDER signed by Magistrate Judge Edmund F. Brennan on 9/26/13 ORDERING that the Clerk of the Court shall send to plaintiff the form complaint and application for leave to proceed in forma pauperis used in this court. Within 30 days of the date o f this order, plaintiff shall either pay the $400 filing fee or submit a complete application for leave to proceed in forma pauperis; and within 30 days of the date of this order, plaintiff shall submit a complaint stating the nature of the action and his belief that he is entitled to redress. (Dillon, M)

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

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FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

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THOMAS REED,

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No. 2:13-cv-1811-JAM-EFB P
Plaintiff,

v.

ORDER

UNKNOWN,
Defendant.

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Plaintiff is a state prisoner proceeding without counsel in an action brought under 42

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U.S.C. § 1983. He has filed a letter directed to the “deputy clerk” claiming that he has been

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threatened by prison staff and requesting help. ECF No. 1. As discussed below, plaintiff has not

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properly commenced a civil action.

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A complaint is necessary for the commencement of a civil action and must contain a short

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and plain statement of plaintiff’s claim, showing that he is entitled to relief. Fed. R. Civ. P. 3;

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Fed. R. Civ. P. 8. Plaintiff may draft his claims on the form complaint used by this court.

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To proceed with a civil action, a plaintiff must pay the $400 filing fee required by 28

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U.S.C. § 1914(a) or request leave to proceed in forma pauperis and submit the affidavit and trust

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account statement required by 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a). Section 1915(a)(2) requires “a prisoner

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seeking to bring a civil action without prepayment of fees or security therefor, in addition to filing

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the affidavit filed under paragraph (1), shall submit a certified copy of the trust fund
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account statement (or institutional equivalent) for the prisoner for the 6-month period

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immediately preceding the filing of the complaint . . . , obtained from the appropriate official of

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each prison at which the prisoner is or was confined.” In order to proceed, plaintiff must either

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pay the filing fee or comply with the in forma pauperis statute.

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Until plaintiff submits a complaint and either pays the filing fee or meets the requirements
of 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a), there simply is no case before the court.

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Accordingly, it hereby is ORDERED that:

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1. The Clerk of the Court shall send to plaintiff the form complaint and application for

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leave to proceed in forma pauperis used in this court.
2. Within 30 days of the date of this order, plaintiff shall either pay the $400 filing fee or
submit a complete application for leave to proceed in forma pauperis; and
3. Within 30 days of the date of this order, plaintiff shall submit a complaint stating the

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nature of the action and his belief that he is entitled to redress. Failure to comply with this order

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may result in a recommendation that this action be dismissed.

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DATED: September 26, 2013.

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