Form IN FORMA PAUPERIS ­ 1 (Rev. 12/1/13, OHSD) IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF OHIO ________________________________, Plaintiff(s), Case No. -vs________________________________, Defendant(s) APPLICATION AND AFFIDAVIT BY INCARCERATED PERSON TO PROCEED WITHOUT PREPAYMENT OF FEES NOTICE TO PRISONERS REGARDING PROCEEDINGS IN FORMA PAUPERIS Prisoner account statement required. A prisoner seeking to bring a civil action or file an appeal without prepayment of fees or security therefor must submit a certified copy of the trust fund account statement (or institutional equivalent) for the six-month period immediately preceding the filing of the complaint or the filing of a notice of appeal. Prison Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Pub L. No. 104-131, 110 Stat. 1321, § 804(a)(1)-(3), 28 U.S.C. §1915(a)-(h). The trust fund account statement is obtained from the cashier of the prison or prisons at which the prisoner was confined during the previous six months. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(2). Since an appeal is a separate action, another application to proceed without prepayment of fees or security therefor must be filed when you file a notice of appeal. A prisoner seeking habeas corpus relief is not required to file a prisoner account statement. Filing Fees. The current fees for filing a habeas corpus petition, civil complaint, and notice of appeal are: · · · · Habeas Corpus Petition ........................................... Civil Complaint (IFP Denied) .................................... Civil Complaint (IFP Granted) ................................... Appeal ............................................................... $ 5.00 $ 400.00 $ 350.00 $ 505.00 American LegalNet, Inc. www.FormsWorkFlow.com HABEAS CORPUS PETITIONS A prisoner seeking habeas corpus relief must file an affidavit to proceed without prepayment of fees. If the prisoner does not have sufficient funds in his prison account or elsewhere to pay the $5.00 filing fee, the Court will grant him in forma pauperis status and waive the entire fee. The prisoner may then proceed with his action without the prepayment of the filing fee. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(1). CIVIL COMPLAINTS AND APPEALS Prisoners must pay the full filing fee. If a prisoner brings a civil action in forma pauperis, the prisoner shall be required to pay the full amount of the filing fee. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1). Initial partial filing fee. The Court will assess and, when funds exist, collect, as partial payment of the filing fee, an initial partial filing fee of 20 percent of the greater of: (1) (2) The average monthly deposits to the prisoner's account; or The average monthly balance in the prisoner's account for the six-month period immediately preceding the filing of the complaint. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1). No matter how little money is in the prisoner's account, prison officials must forward payments to the Court until the initial partial filing is paid. In re Prison Litigation Reform Act, Administrative Order No. 97-01, Part II(C), 105 F.3d 1131, 1133 (6th Cir. 1997). Monthly payments. After payment of the initial partial filing fee, the prisoner shall be required to make monthly payments of 20 percent of the preceding month's income credited to the prisoner's account. The cashier of the prison shall forward payments from the prisoner's account to the Clerk of the Court each time the amount in the account exceeds $10 until the filing fees are paid. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(2). If you cannot pay the initial partial filing fee. In no event shall a prisoner be prohibited from bringing a civil action for the reason that the prisoner has no assets and no means by which to pay the initial partial filing fee. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(4). Example of how the filing fee will be assessed and collected. If Prisoner A had an average monthly balance in his/her prisoner's account for the previous six months of $2 and average monthly deposits of 10, then his/her initial partial filing fee would be $4 because the greater of his/her average monthly balance ($2) and average monthly deposits ($20) is $20 and 20% of $20 is $4. Average monthly deposit x 20% $20 x .20 = = Initial partial filing fee $4.00 2 American LegalNet, Inc. www.FormsWorkFlow.com The Court's Order granting leave to proceed without prepayment of fees or security therefor would require the prison cashier to forward $4 to the Clerk of Court. No matter how little money is in the Prisoner A's account when the Order is issued, prison officials must forward payments to the Court until the entire $4 initial partial fee is paid. In re Prison Litigation Reform Act, Administrative Order No. 97-01, Part II(C), 105 F.3d at 1133. The Court's Order would also require the cashier to collect each month a monthly payment of 20% of the preceding month's income credited to Prisoner A's account. If in the first month following the payment of the initial partial filing fee Prisoner A received $20 in State pay and no other monies were deposited in his account, his monthly payment would be $4 ($20 x .20 = $4). If in the second month following the payment of the initial partial filing fee Prisoner A received $20 in State pay and $50 from his family, his monthly payment would be $14 ($70 x .20 = $14). Every month the deposits in Prisoner A's account exceeds $10, the prison cashier would assess, collect, and forward to the Clerk of Court a monthly payment of 20% of that month's total deposits. Each month the cashier could continue to assess and collect monthly payments until the entire filing fee is paid. Filing a complaint waives any objection to the Court assessing the fee. By filing the complaint, a prisoner waives any objection to the fee assessment by the Court. Furthermore, the prisoner waives any objection to the withdrawal of funds from the trust account by prison officials to pay the prisoner's court fees and costs. Prisoners have a duty to cooperate during the litigation. In re Prison Litigation Reform Act, Administrative Order No. 97-01, Part II, 105 F.3d at 1132. Administrative remedies. Prisoners must exhaust available administrative remedies before bringing a civil action in federal court under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 or any other federal law. The failure to exhaust such administrative remedies will result in the dismissal of the civil action. 42 U.S.C. § 1997 (e)(a). In most instances, prisoners must exhaust the state formal grievance procedures set for in Ohio Admin. Code § 5120-9-31, which includes filing a formal