Endeley v. New York University
- Laura Swain
- 1:25-cv-04889
- U.S. District Court · Southern District of New York
- 2
In Saint Jermaine Endeley v. New York University, Judge Swain barred future IFP filings against NYU without permission and directed judgment dismissing the case.
Saint Jermaine Endeley is barred from filing future civil actions without paying the filing fee in the Southern District of New York against New York University without prior court permission. The order also warns that a broader filing restriction could apply if further meritless litigation occurs.
What happened
In Saint Jermaine Endeley v. New York University, Saint Jermaine Endeley filed the case without a lawyer. The court had previously dismissed the action for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction and noted that six of his earlier civil actions and appeals had been dismissed as frivolous or for lack of jurisdiction. NYU was the defendant in four of those matters.
The court had ordered Endeley to explain, in a declaration, why he should not be barred from filing future cases without paying the filing fee against NYU in that court without prior permission. He did not file the required declaration. The court therefore barred him from making those filings unless he first receives permission, and directed the Clerk to enter judgment dismissing this case.
Judge Laura Taylor Swain also required any request for permission to include the proposed complaint and the bar order. She warned that violating the order could lead to dismissal and that further meritless litigation could result in a broader filing restriction. The court also denied fee-free status for an appeal, certifying that an appeal would not be taken in good faith.
The detailed version
- Endeley v. New York University · No. 1:25-cv-04889
- Laura Swain
- Oct. 27, 2025
Background
Saint Jermaine Endeley filed this action without a lawyer. In an earlier order, the court dismissed the action for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction, meaning the court concluded it did not have authority to decide the case. That order also stated that Endeley had previously filed six civil actions and appeals that were dismissed as frivolous or for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction, and that New York University was the named defendant in four of those matters.
The court ordered Endeley to show cause by declaration—meaning to explain in writing—why he should not be barred from filing additional civil actions without paying the filing fee against NYU in this court without first obtaining permission. Endeley did not file the required declaration.
Ruling
The court issued a filing bar under 28 U.S.C. § 1651. It barred Endeley from filing future civil actions without paying the filing fee in this court against NYU unless he first obtains leave, or permission, from the court. Any motion seeking permission must include a copy of the proposed complaint and a copy of the bar order, and must be filed with the court’s Pro Se Intake Unit. If Endeley files an action without first filing a motion for permission, the action will be dismissed for failure to comply with the order.
The court further warned that additional meritless litigation could lead to an order barring Endeley from filing complaints without paying the filing fee against any defendant unless he first obtains permission. The court certified under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(3) that an appeal from this order would not be taken in good faith and denied fee-free status for an appeal. The Clerk of Court was directed to enter judgment dismissing this case.
Read the full 2-page opinion on CourtListener, the free public archive maintained by the Free Law Project.