Baker v. EMTC Rikers Island
- Laura Swain
- 1:25-cv-01154
- U.S. District Court · Southern District of New York
- 1
In Baker v. EMTC Rikers Island, Judge Swain dismissed the complaint without prejudice because Baker neither paid filing fees nor submitted required forms.
Qaaim Baker’s complaint was dismissed because he did not pay the filing fees or submit the required forms; the order did not decide the underlying claims against EMTC Rikers Island.
What happened
In Baker v. EMTC Rikers Island, the court had directed Qaaim Baker to submit forms requesting permission to proceed without paying the filing fee and authorizing deductions from a prisoner account, or to pay the required fees. The order warned that failing to do so would result in dismissal.
Baker did not submit the required forms or pay the filing fees within the time allowed. The opinion does not discuss the underlying claims against EMTC Rikers Island.
Judge Laura Taylor Swain dismissed the complaint without prejudice and directed the Clerk of Court to enter judgment. She also denied permission to proceed without paying fees on appeal, finding that any appeal would not be taken in good faith.
The detailed version
- Baker v. EMTC Rikers Island · No. 1:25-cv-01154
- Laura Swain
- Apr. 11, 2025
Background
The court had previously ordered Qaaim Baker to submit a completed application to proceed without paying the filing fee and a prisoner authorization, or to pay the $405 required to file a civil action. The February 10, 2025 order warned that failing to comply would result in dismissal.
What the Court Did
Baker did not submit the required application and authorization and did not pay the filing fees. The court therefore dismissed the complaint without prejudice under 28 U.S.C. §§ 1914 and 1915. The opinion does not address the merits of Baker’s claims.
The court certified under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(3) that an appeal would not be taken in good faith and denied permission to proceed without paying fees for purposes of an appeal. It directed the Clerk of Court to enter judgment.
Effect of the Order
The dismissal was without prejudice, meaning the order did not bar refiling. The opinion does not state whether Baker was represented by counsel.
Read the full 1-page opinion on CourtListener, the free public archive maintained by the Free Law Project.