Goh v. Daley
- Laura Swain
- 1:25-cv-04747
- U.S. District Court · Southern District of New York
- 2
In Goh v. Daley, Judge Swain ordered Eric Goh to pay $405 or submit a complete fee-waiver application within 30 days.
Eric Goh, the self-represented plaintiff, must either pay the $405 in fees or submit a complete amended fee-waiver application within 30 days to avoid dismissal of the action.
What happened
In Goh v. Daley, Eric Goh, who is representing himself, asked to proceed without paying the court fees upfront. He submitted a fee-waiver application but answered only that he was employed, earned $2,500 per month before deductions, and had no other income.
The court said the application did not provide enough information to determine whether Goh could afford the $405 filing and administrative fees. He had not answered questions about his cash, bank accounts, property, monthly expenses, dependents, debts, or other financial obligations.
Judge Laura Taylor Swain ordered Goh, within 30 days, either to pay the $405 or submit an amended application answering all applicable questions. The court said no summons would issue at that time and that the action would be dismissed if he did not comply. It also denied fee-waiver status for any appeal from the order.
The detailed version
- Goh v. Daley · No. 1:25-cv-04747
- Laura Swain
- June 13, 2025
Background
Eric Goh brought this action without a lawyer. To proceed in the Southern District of New York, he had to pay $405 in filing and administrative fees or request permission to proceed without prepaying those fees. That request is commonly called an application to proceed in forma pauperis, or IFP.
Goh submitted an IFP application. He reported that he was employed, earned $2,500 in gross monthly wages, and had no other income. He did not answer the remaining questions about his cash and bank accounts, real or personal property, monthly expenses, dependents, debts, and other financial obligations.
Court’s Reasoning
Because the application was incomplete, the court could not determine whether Goh was unable to afford the filing fees. The court therefore did not authorize him to proceed without prepayment at this stage.
Order
The court ordered Goh to do one of two things within 30 days of June 13, 2025: pay the $405 in fees or submit an amended IFP application labeled with docket number 25-CV-4747 (LTS). The amended application must answer all applicable questions and provide facts showing that he cannot afford the fees. If the court grants the amended application, Goh may proceed without prepaying the fees.
No summons would issue at that time. The court stated that the case would be processed through the Clerk’s Office if Goh complied and that the action would be dismissed if he failed to comply within the allowed time. Judge Laura Taylor Swain also certified that an appeal from the order would not be taken in good faith and denied IFP status for purposes of an appeal.
Read the full 2-page opinion on CourtListener, the free public archive maintained by the Free Law Project.