Matthews v. USA et al

Filing 3

ORDER denying ECF No. 1 Motion/Application for Leave to Proceed in forma pauperis; this action will be DISMISSED without prejudice unless Plaintiff pays the $400 filing fees by 3/18/2017; Clerk directed to send Plaintiff 2 cop ies of this order; Plaintiff to make the necessary arrangement to have 1 copy of this order attached to the check paying filing fee; Clerk shall retain the Complaint ECF No. 1 -1; a decision on Plaintiff's Motion to File Excess Pages ECF No. 1 -2 is DEFERRED until the matter of the filing fee is resolved. Signed by Judge Robert C. Jones on 02/16/2017. (Copies have been distributed pursuant to the NEF - KW)

1
2
3
4
5
6

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

7

DISTRICT OF NEVADA

13

)
)
Plaintiff,
)
)
v.
)
)
USA et al.,
)
)
Defendants.
)
)
___________________________________ )

14

I.

8
9
10
11
12

FELTON L. MATTHEWS, JR.,

3:17-cv-00050-RCJ-VPC
ORDER

DISCUSSION

15

Plaintiff is a prisoner proceeding pro se. Plaintiff has submitted a civil rights complaint

16

pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983, a motion to proceed in forma pauperis, and a motion to file

17

excess pages. (ECF No. 1, 1-1, 1-2). However, on at least three (3) occasions, the Court has

18

dismissed civil actions commenced by Plaintiff while in detention for failure to state a claim

19

upon which any relief may be granted.1

20

Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(g), “if [a] prisoner has, on 3 or more prior occasions, while

21

incarcerated or detained in any facility, brought an action or appeal in a court of the United

22

States that was dismissed on the grounds that it is frivolous, malicious, or fails to state a claim

23

upon which relief may be granted,” he may not proceed in forma pauperis and, instead, must

24

pay the full $400.00 filing fee in advance unless he is “under imminent danger of serious

25

physical injury.” 28 U.S.C. § 1915(g).

26

In his complaint, Plaintiff alleges that he has glaucoma and micro-aneurysms in his

27
28

1

See Matthews v. Avants, 2:01-cv-00474-RLH-LRL (failure to state a claim); Matthews
v. Avants, 2:02-cv-00209-LRH-PAL (failure to state a claim); and Matthews v. City of
Henderson, 3:02-cv-00538-HDM-RAM (failure to state a claim). The Court takes judicial notice
of these cases.

1

eyes and that he needs regular eye exams and surgery. (See generally ECF No. 1-1 at 17).

2

Plaintiff was having trouble with the “state mail system” and had to cancel his last eye doctor’s

3

appointment. (Id.) NDOC officials were using the state mail system to frustrate Plaintiff’s

4

litigation and caused dismissals in his criminal, small claims, and civil court cases. (Id.) The

5

Court finds that these allegations fail to plausibly allege that Plaintiff is in imminent danger of

6

serious physical injury. See Andrews v. Cervantes, 493 F.3d 1047, 1055 (9th Cir. 2007)

7

(holding that the exception to § 1915(g) applies if the complaint makes a plausible allegation

8

that the prisoner faced imminent danger of serious physical injury at the time of filing). As

9

such, Plaintiff must pre-pay the $400.00 filing fee in full.

10
11
12
13
14

II.

CONCLUSION
For the foregoing reasons, IT IS ORDERED that Plaintiff’s application to proceed in

forma pauperis (ECF No. 1) is DENIED.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that this action will be DISMISSED without prejudice unless
Plaintiff pays the $400.00 filing fee in full within thirty (30) days of entry of this order.

15

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Clerk of the Court shall send Plaintiff two copies

16

of this order. Plaintiff shall make the necessary arrangements to have one copy of this order

17

attached to the check paying the filing fee.

18
19
20
21
22
23

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Clerk of the Court shall retain the complaint (ECF
No. 1-1).
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that a decision on Plaintiff’s motion to file excess pages
(ECF No. 1-2) shall be DEFERRED until the matter of the filing fee is resolved.
Dated: This 16th day of February, 2017.
DATED: This _____ day of January, 2017.

24
25

_________________________________
UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

26
27
28
2