Freeman v. Doe
- Laura Swain
- 1:25-cv-04721
- U.S. District Court · Southern District of New York
- 2
In Freeman v. Doe, Judge Swain ordered William Freeman to pay fees or submit paperwork to proceed without upfront payment.
William Freeman, an incarcerated plaintiff representing himself, must either pay the required fees or submit the required application and prisoner authorization within 30 days to continue the action.
What happened
In Freeman v. Doe, William Freeman, who is incarcerated and representing himself, filed a civil action without paying the required fees or submitting a completed application to proceed without paying them upfront.
The court ordered Freeman, within 30 days, either to pay $405 in fees or to submit the required application and authorization allowing installment payments from his account. The court also said that no summons would issue yet and that the case would be processed if he complied; otherwise, the action would be dismissed.
Judge Laura Taylor Swain also denied permission to proceed without paying fees for any appeal from this order, finding that an appeal would not be taken in good faith.
The detailed version
- Freeman v. Doe · No. 1:25-cv-04721
- Laura Swain
- June 17, 2025
Background
William Freeman filed this civil action without paying the required filing fees and without submitting a completed application to proceed without prepaying fees or a prisoner authorization. The opinion states that Freeman is incarcerated at the Rikers Island – West Facility Annex and is representing himself.
What the Court Ordered
The court explained that a prisoner bringing a civil action must either pay $405 in fees—a $350 filing fee and a $55 administrative fee—or request permission to proceed without prepayment of fees. To make that request, Freeman had to submit a signed application and a prisoner authorization. If granted, permission to proceed without prepayment would allow the $350 filing fee to be collected in installments from his account; the authorization also directs the facility to provide certified account statements for the previous six months.
Within 30 days of the order, Freeman must either pay the $405 or submit the attached application and authorization, labeled with docket number 1:25-CV-4721. No summons will issue at this time. If Freeman 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.
Appeal and Disposition
Judge Laura Taylor Swain certified that any appeal from the order would not be taken in good faith and denied permission to proceed without prepaying fees for an appeal. This order addresses filing-fee and paperwork requirements; it does not decide the underlying claims in the complaint.
Read the full 2-page opinion on CourtListener, the free public archive maintained by the Free Law Project.