Meas v. State of Nevada et al

Filing 3

ORDER - Plaintiff has until May 24, 2024, to either pay the full $405 filing fee or file a fully complete IFP application as detailed herein. Clerk is directed to send Plaintiff the approved form application to proceed in forma pauperis for an inmate and instructions for the same and retain the complaint (ECF No. #1 -1) but not file it at this time. Signed by Magistrate Judge Carla Baldwin on 3/25/2024. (Attachments: #1 IFP Form w instructions)(Copies have been distributed pursuant to the NEF - DRM)

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

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DISTRICT OF NEVADA

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JERRY MEAS,

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Plaintiff

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Case No. 3:24-cv-00138-ART-CLB
ORDER

v.
STATE OF NEVADA, et al.,

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Defendants

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On March 22, 2024, pro se plaintiff Jerry Meas, an inmate in the custody of the

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Nevada Department of Corrections, submitted a complaint under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. (ECF

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No. 1-1). Plaintiff has neither paid the full $405 filing fee for this matter nor filed an

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application to proceed in forma pauperis. (See ECF No. 1).

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I.

DISCUSSION

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The United States District Court for the District of Nevada must collect filing fees

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from parties initiating civil actions. 28 U.S.C. § 1914(a). As of December 1, 2023, the fee

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for filing a civil-rights action is $405, which includes the $350 filing fee and the $55

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administrative fee. See 28 U.S.C. § 1914(b). “Any person who is unable to prepay the

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fees in a civil case may apply to the court for leave to proceed in forma pauperis.” Nev.

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Loc. R. Prac. LSR 1-1. For an inmate to apply for in forma pauperis status, the inmate

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must submit all three of the following documents to the Court: (1) a completed

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Application to Proceed in Forma Pauperis for Inmate, which is pages 1–3 of the

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Court’s approved form, that is properly signed by the inmate twice on page 3; (2) a

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completed Financial Certificate, which is page 4 of the Court’s approved form, that is

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properly signed by both the inmate and a prison or jail official; and (3) a copy of the

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inmate’s prison or jail trust fund account statement for the previous six-month

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period. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(1)–(2); Nev. Loc. R. Prac. LSR 1-2. In forma pauperis

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status does not relieve an inmate of his or her obligation to pay the filing fee, it just means

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that the inmate can pay the fee in installments. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b).

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II.

CONCLUSION

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It is therefore ordered that Plaintiff has until May 24, 2024, to either pay the full

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$405 filing fee or file a fully complete application to proceed in forma pauperis with all

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three required documents: (1) a completed application with the inmate’s two signatures

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on page 3, (2) a completed financial certificate that is signed both by the inmate and the

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prison or jail official, and (3) a copy of the inmate’s trust fund account statement for the

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previous six-month period.

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Plaintiff is cautioned that this action will be subject to dismissal without prejudice if

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Plaintiff fails to timely comply with this order. A dismissal without prejudice allows Plaintiff

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to refile the case with the Court, under a new case number, when Plaintiff can file a

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complete application to proceed in forma pauperis or pay the required filing fee.

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The Clerk of the Court is directed to send Plaintiff the approved form application to

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proceed in forma pauperis for an inmate and instructions for the same and retain the

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complaint (ECF No. 1-1) but not file it at this time.

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DATED THIS 25th day of March 2024.

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UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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