Watson v. Corrections Corporation of America et al

Filing 5

ORDER GRANTING 2 LEAVE TO PROCEED IN FORMA PAUPERIS, ASSESSING $350 FILING FEE IN ACCORDANCE WITH PLRA AND GRANTING 3 MOTION TO FILE CASE WITHOUT ADDITIONAL COPIES. Signed by Judge James D. Todd on 9/22/2016. (Todd, James)

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF TENNESSEE EASTERN DIVISION TIMOTHY C. WATSON, Plaintiff, VS. CORRECTIONS CORPORATION OF AMERICA, ET AL., Defendants. ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) No. 16-1251-JDT-egb ORDER GRANTING LEAVE TO PROCEED IN FORMA PAUPERIS, ASSESSING $350 FILING FEE IN ACCORDANCE WITH PLRA AND GRANTING MOTION TO FILE CASE WITHOUT ADDITIONAL COPIES On September 16, 2016, Timothy C. Watson, Tennessee Department of Correction prisoner number 221443, who is incarcerated at the Whiteville Correctional Facility in Whiteville, Tennessee (“WCF”), filed a pro se complaint pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 and a motion to proceed in forma pauperis. (ECF Nos. 1 & 2.) Under the Prison Litigation Reform Act (“PLRA”), 28 U.S.C. §§ 1915(a)-(b), a prisoner bringing a civil action must pay the filing fee required by 28 U.S.C. § 1914(a).1 Although the obligation to pay the fee accrues at the moment the case is filed, see McGore v. Wrigglesworth, 114 F.3d 601, 605 (6th Cir. 1997), partially overruled on other grounds by LaFountain v. Harry, 716 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 in which the plaintiff is granted leave to proceed in forma pauperis under 28 U.S.C. § 1915. As the Court is granting leave to proceed in forma pauperis in this case pursuant to the terms of the PLRA, Plaintiff is not liable for the additional $50 fee. F.3d 944, 951 (6th Cir. 2013), the PLRA provides the prisoner the opportunity to make a “down payment” of a partial filing fee and pay the remainder in installments. Id. at 604. In this case, Plaintiff has properly submitted an in forma pauperis affidavit and an inmate trust account statement, as required by 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(2). The motion to proceed in forma pauperis is GRANTED in accordance with the terms of the PLRA. Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1), it is ORDERED that Plaintiff cooperate fully with prison officials in carrying out this order. It is further ORDERED that the trust account officer at Plaintiff’s prison shall calculate a partial initial filing fee equal to twenty percent (20%) of the greater of the average balance in or deposits to Plaintiff’s trust account for the six months immediately preceding the completion of the affidavit. When the account contains any funds, the trust account officer shall collect them and pay them directly to the Clerk of the Court. If the funds in Plaintiff’s account are insufficient to pay the full amount of the initial partial filing fee, the trust account officer is instructed to withdraw all of the funds in the Plaintiff’s account and forward them to the Clerk of the Court. On each occasion that funds are subsequently credited to Plaintiff’s account the trust account officer shall immediately withdraw those funds and forward them to the Clerk of Court, until the initial filing fee is paid in full. It is further ORDERED that after the initial partial filing fee is fully paid, the trust account officer shall withdraw from Plaintiff’s account and pay to the Clerk of this Court monthly payments equal to twenty percent (20%) of all deposits credited to Plaintiff’s account during the preceding month, but only when the amount in the account exceeds $10, until the $350 filing fee is paid. 2 Each time the trust account officer makes a payment to the Court as required by this order, he shall print a copy of the prisoner’s account statement showing all activity in the account since the last payment under this order and submit it to the Clerk along with the payment. All payments and accounts statements shall be sent to: Clerk, United States District Court, Western District of Tennessee 111 S. Highland Ave., Rm. 262, Jackson, TN 38301 and shall clearly identify Plaintiff’s name and the case number as included on the first page of this order. If Plaintiff is transferred to a different prison or released, he is ORDERED to notify the Court immediately, in writing, of his change of address. If still confined, he shall provide the officials at the new facility with a copy of this order. If Plaintiff fails to abide by these or any other requirements of this order, the Court may impose appropriate sanctions, up to and including dismissal of this action, without any additional notice or hearing by the Court. The Clerk shall mail a copy of this order to the prison official in charge of prison trust fund accounts at Plaintiff’s prison. The Clerk is further ORDERED to forward a copy of this order to the Warden of the WCF to ensure the custodian of Plaintiff’s inmate trust account complies with that portion of the PLRA pertaining to the payment of filing fees. Plaintiff has also filed a motion for leave to file this case without providing copies of the complaint for each of the eleven defendants named in the action. (ECF No. 3.) He states that due to the length of the complaint and the attached exhibits, he cannot afford to have the necessary copies made. Although it is unnecessary, that motion is GRANTED. The Local Rules of this Court do not currently require pro se litigants to provide a copy of the complaint for each defendant. Once 3 the complaint is screened, the Clerk will make the necessary copies for any defendants who are to be served with process. Plaintiff is cautioned, however, that if the case is ultimately permitted to go forward after screening, this ruling will not relieve him of the responsibility to properly serve the defendants or their counsel with copies of other documents or pleadings that he files with the Court. IT IS SO ORDERED. s/ James D. Todd JAMES D. TODD UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE 4

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