Bonilla v. Lee

Background

Steven Wayne Bonilla, a state prisoner, filed multiple civil-rights complaints under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 without a lawyer. The cases named various federal judges, state judges, counties, and federal agencies as defendants. The complaints presented similar claims concerning Bonilla’s underlying conviction and the handling of his other petitions and court cases.

The order states that Bonilla had a pending federal petition in this court concerning his conviction, in which counsel had been appointed. It also states that he was represented by counsel in state-court proceedings.

Filing-fee status

Bonilla was disqualified from proceeding in forma pauperis, meaning without paying the filing fee, under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(g). That statute permits a disqualified prisoner to proceed without the fee only if the complaint shows that the prisoner faced imminent danger of serious physical injury when the complaint was filed. The court found that the allegations did not show such danger.

Court’s ruling

The court further stated that, even if Bonilla’s applications to proceed without paying the filing fee were granted, the lawsuits would be barred under the legal rules and authorities identified in the order: Heck v. Humphrey, Younger v. Harris, Demos v. U.S. District Court, and Mullis v. U.S. Bankruptcy Court. The order does not provide a separate analysis of how each cited authority applied to each case.

The court dismissed the cases with prejudice. It directed the clerk to terminate all pending motions and close the cases. It also directed the clerk to return, without filing, any further documents Bonilla submitted in those closed cases.