Morgan v. Moore et al

Filing 10

ORDER DIRECTING PLAINTIFF TO FILE A NON-PRISONER IN FORMA PAUPERIS AFFIDAVIT OR PAY THE $350 CIVIL FILING FEE. Signed by Judge James D. Todd on 9/30/15. (Todd, James)

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF TENNESSEE
EASTERN DIVISION
WILLIAM D. MORGAN, JR.,
Plaintiff,
VS.
JASON MOORE, ET AL.,
Defendants.

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No. 14-1151-JDT-egb

ORDER DIRECTING PLAINTIFF TO FILE A NON-PRISONER
IN FORMA PAUPERIS AFFIDAVIT OR PAY THE $350 CIVIL FILING FEE

On June 30, 2014, Plaintiff William D. Morgan, Jr., Tennessee Department of
Correction prisoner number 343433, who was, at the time, an inmate at the Weakley County
Detention Center in Dresden, Tennessee, filed a pro se complaint pursuant to 42 U.S.C.
§ 1983, accompanied by a motion seeking leave to proceed in forma pauperis. (ECF Nos.
1 & 2.) In an order issued on July 1, 2014, the Court granted leave to proceed in forma
pauperis and assessed the civil filing fee pursuant to the Prison Litigation Reform Act
(“PLRA”), 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)-(b). (ECF No. 5.) On August 6, 2014, Plaintiff notified the
Clerk that he had been released. (ECF No. 8.)
Under the PLRA, a prisoner bringing a civil action must pay the full filing fee of $350
required by 28 U.S.C. § 1914(a). The statute merely provides the prisoner the opportunity
to make a “downpayment” of a partial filing fee and pay the remainder in monthly

installments. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b). However, in this case, the filing fee was not paid prior
to Plaintiff’s release. Under these circumstances, the Sixth Circuit has held that “the
obligation to pay the remainder of the fees is to be determined solely on the question of
whether the released individual qualifies for pauper status.” McGore v. Wrigglesworth, 114
F.3d 601, 613 (6th Cir. 1997), partially overruled on other grounds by LaFountain v. Harry,
716 F.3d 944, 951 (6th Cir. 2013).
Plaintiff is ORDERED to submit, within 30 days after the date of this order, either a
non-prisoner in forma pauperis affidavit or the entire $400 civil filing fee.1 The Clerk shall
mail Plaintiff a copy of the non-prisoner in forma pauperis affidavit form along with this
order.
Failure to comply with this order in a timely manner will result in the dismissal of this
action without further notice, pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 41(b), for failure
to prosecute.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
s/ James D. Todd
JAMES D. TODD
UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

1

Twenty-eight U.S.C. § 1914(a) requires a civil filing fee of $350. However, pursuant to
§ 1914(b), “[t]he clerk shall collect from the parties such additional fees . . . as are prescribed by
the Judicial Conference of the United States.” The Judicial Conference has prescribed an
additional administrative fee of $50 for filing any civil case, except for cases seeking habeas
corpus and cases in which the plaintiff is granted leave to proceed in forma pauperis under 28
U.S.C. § 1915. Because Plaintiff initially was granted leave to proceed in forma pauperis in
accordance with the PLRA, the Court did not assess the additional $50 fee. However, if Plaintiff
now chooses to forgo his pauper status and pay the entire fee, he must also pay the $50
administrative fee.
2