Carter v. Doe

Background

John Carter filed a civil complaint against Doe. The opinion states that Carter is incarcerated at the Rikers Island – West Facility Annex and is proceeding without a lawyer. He submitted the complaint without paying the required fees and without submitting a completed application to proceed without prepaying fees or a prisoner authorization.

Fees and required filings

The court explained that a prisoner filing a civil action must either pay $405 in fees—$350 for the filing fee and $55 for the administrative fee—or request permission to proceed without prepaying fees. To make that request, Carter must submit a signed application and a prisoner authorization. The authorization allows the facility holding him to deduct the $350 filing fee from his account in installments and requires certified account statements for the previous six months. Even if permission to proceed without prepaying fees is granted, the full $350 filing fee must be paid through those installments.

Order

Within 30 days of the order, Carter must either pay the $405 in fees or submit the required application and prisoner authorization, labeled with docket number 1:25-CV-4524. No summons will issue at this time. If Carter complies, the Clerk’s Office will process the case under its procedures. If he does not comply within the allowed time, the action will be dismissed. The court also certified that an appeal from the order would not be taken in good faith and denied permission to proceed without prepaying fees for an appeal. Judge Laura Taylor Swain signed the order. The opinion does not decide the underlying claims against Doe.