Curtis v. Obama et al

Filing 6

OPINION AND ORDER denying 2 Ex Parte Motion to Proceed In Forma Pauperis; Clerk is Ordered to unseal the record in this case, and not to place any further filings herein under seal; and this action is DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B)(i). (cc: Curtis); Civil Case Terminated. Signed by Senior Judge James T Moody on 6/9/16. (mlc)

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
NORTHERN DISTRICT OF INDIANA
FORT WAYNE DIVISION
JEROME CURTIS,* Beneficiary
Pre-1933 Private American National
Citizen of the United States,
Plaintiff,
v.
BARACK OBAMA, Trustee
Commander in Chief, and
ROSA G. RIOS, Trustee Treasurer of
the Treasury,
Defendants.

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No. 1:16 CV 179

OPINION and ORDER
This matter is before the court on plaintiff curtis, jerome’s (hereinafter for
simplicity referred to only as “Plaintiff”) request to proceed in forma pauperis pursuant
to 28 U.S.C. § 1915. The statute allowing the court to authorize the commencement of a
suit in forma pauperis directs: “[T]he court shall dismiss the case at any time if the
court determines that . . . the action . . . is frivolous or malicious.” 28 U.S.C.
§ 1915(e)(2)(B)(i). (Emphasis added.)
Plaintiff initiated this action by filing a “Petition to Seal” and a document he
called a “Bill in Equity” (DE #1), along with a declaration of his status as a “Pre-1933
Private Citizen” and “American Freeman.” (DE # 4.) He also filed an “acceptance of
deed” along with a document appearing to show that he has legally changed his name

*

Plaintiff has attached an exhibit which appears to show that he has legally
changed his name to “curtis, jerome.” (DE # 3 at 2-4.) The caption used herein is as the
case has been docketed by the clerk. The court notes that plaintiff also in some places
adds “aka Jerome Curtis” to his signature.

from “JEROME CURTIS” to “curtis, jerome” (DE # 3), and a “declaration of exhibits”
(DE # 5) disavowing that either JEROME CURTIS or Jerome Curits is his name and
purporting to show that he is renouncing and voiding ab initio every “signature of
suretyship” ever made using either of those name formats. The only thing the court will
add is that the gist of the “Bill in Equity” Plaintiff filed is that he wants President
Obama and Treasurer Rosa Rios to provide a full accounting of the assets and property
they are holding in trust for him.
Plaintiff’s filings smack of the “free sovereign” or “redemptionist” movements
and are patently frivolous. See In re Cherney, No. 15-22401-SVK, 2015 WL 9312098, at *2
(Bankr. E.D. Wis. Dec. 21, 2015). In addition, secrecy in court proceedings is strongly
disfavored, Duff v. Cent. Sleep Diagnostics, LLC, 801 F.3d 833, 844 (7th Cir. 2015), and
Plaintiff has stated no non-frivolous reason for his filings to be under seal.
Accordingly:
1) the clerk is ORDERED to unseal the record in this case, and not to place any
further filings herein under seal;
2) Plaintiff’s motion to proceed in forma pauperis (DE # 2) is DENIED; and
3) this action is DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE pursuant to 28 U.S.C.
§ 1915(e)(2)(B)(i).

SO ORDERED.
Date: June 9, 2016
s/ James T. Moody
JUDGE JAMES T. MOODY
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT