Phillips v. Jones et al

Filing 3

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER: IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the Clerk of Court shall mail to Plaintiff blank copies of the Court's 'Prisoner Civil Rights Complaint Under 42 U.S.C. 1983' and 'Application to Proceed in District Court without Prepaying Fees or Costs' forms. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, within twenty-one (21) days of the date of this Order, Plaintiff shall file an amended complaint on the Court-provided form and in compliance with the Court's instructions. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, within twenty-one (21) days of the date of this Order, Plaintiff shall either pay the full filing fee or submit a completed 'Application to Proceed in District Court without Prepaying Fees or Costs' form. If Plaintiff files a motion to proceed in forma pauperis, he shall also submit a certified copy of his inmate account statement for the six-month period immediately preceding the filing of the complaint. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Plaintiff's failure to timely comply with this Order shall result in the dismissal of this action, without prejudice and without further notice. Signed by Magistrate Judge Noelle C. Collins on February 6, 2024. (Attachments: #1 Prisoner Civil Rights Complaint Under 42 U.S.C. 1983, #2 Application to Proceed in District Court without Prepaying Fees or Costs)(BRP)

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
EASTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI
EASTERN DIVISION
CLINT PHILLIPS, III,
Plaintiff,
v.
LT. UNKNOWN JONES, ST. LOUIS
COUNTY, and DEPUTY DIRECTOR
UNKNOWN HANEY,
Defendants.

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No. 4:24-CV-00186 NCC

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER
This matter is before the Court upon review of self-represented Plaintiff’s handwritten onepage complaint (Doc. 1). The complaint is defective because it was not drafted on the Court’s
form. See E.D. Mo. Local Rule 2.06(A) (“All actions brought by self-represented plaintiffs or
petitioners should be filed on Court-provided forms where applicable.”). In addition, Plaintiff has
neither paid the $405 filing fee nor filed a motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis.1 Because
Plaintiff is a self-represented litigant, the Court will allow him twenty-one (21) days from the date
of this Memorandum and Order to file an amended complaint on the Court’s form, and file a
motion to proceed in forma pauperis or pay the Court’s filing fee in full.

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A motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis should be filed on a Court form accompanied by a certified copy of
Plaintiff’s inmate account statement for the six-month period immediately preceding the filing of the complaint. See
28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(2); E.D. Mo. Local Rule 2.05(A). Alternatively, Plaintiff may pay the full $405 filing fee.
However, a review of this Court’s records shows that Plaintiff has previously brought at least three civil actions that
were dismissed on grounds that they were frivolous, malicious, or failed to state a claim upon which relief may be
granted. See Phillips v. St. Louis City Police Officers, No. 4:17-cv-1637-HEA (E.D. Mo.) (dismissed Jan. 10, 2018,
under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B)(i)); Phillips v. Romeo, No. 4:17-cv-1636-NAB (E.D. Mo.) (dismissed Aug. 4, 2017,
under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e) as frivolous); Phillips v. City of St. Louis, No. 4:11-cv-791-CEJ (E.D. Mo.) (dismissed May
19, 2011, under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B)). Therefore, the Court cannot permit Plaintiff to proceed in forma pauperis
unless he “is under imminent danger of serious physical injury.” 28 U.S.C. § 1915(g). Nothing in the currently filed
pleading indicates that Plaintiff qualifies under the imminent-danger exception.

Plaintiff is warned that the filing of an amended complaint completely replaces his original
pleading, so Plaintiff must include each and every one of the claims he wishes to pursue in the
amended complaint. See, e.g., In re Wireless Telephone Federal Cost Recovery Fees Litigation,
396 F.3d 922, 928 (8th Cir. 2005). Furthermore, Plaintiff’s allegations may not be conclusory.
Instead, Plaintiff must plead facts that show how all defendants are personally involved in or
directly responsible for the alleged harm. See Martin v. Sargent, 780 F.2d 1334, 1338 (8th Cir.
1985). If Plaintiff wishes to sue a defendant in his or her individual capacity, Plaintiff must
specifically say so in the amended complaint. If Plaintiff fails to sue a defendant in his or her
individual capacity, this action may be subject to dismissal as to that defendant. All of Plaintiff’s
claims should be clearly set forth in the “Statement of Claim” section of the Court-provided form.
If Plaintiff fails to file an amended complaint on the Court’s form within twenty-one (21)
days and in compliance with the Court’s instructions, the Court will dismiss this action without
prejudice and without further notice. Furthermore, if Plaintiff fails to file a motion to proceed in
forma pauperis or pay the Court’s filing fee in full, within twenty-one (21) days, the Court will
dismiss this action without prejudice and without further notice.
Accordingly,
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the Clerk of Court shall mail to Plaintiff blank copies of
the Court’s ‘Prisoner Civil Rights Complaint Under 42 U.S.C. § 1983’ and ‘Application to Proceed
in District Court without Prepaying Fees or Costs’ forms.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, within twenty-one (21) days of the date of this Order,
Plaintiff shall file an amended complaint on the Court-provided form and in compliance with the
Court’s instructions.

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IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, within twenty-one (21) days of the date of this Order,
Plaintiff shall either pay the full filing fee or submit a completed ‘Application to Proceed in District
Court without Prepaying Fees or Costs’ form. If Plaintiff files a motion to proceed in forma
pauperis, he shall also submit a certified copy of his inmate account statement for the six-month
period immediately preceding the filing of the complaint.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Plaintiff’s failure to timely comply with this Order
shall result in the dismissal of this action, without prejudice and without further notice.
Dated this 6th day of February, 2024.

/s/ Noelle C. Collins
NOELLE C. COLLINS
UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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