Bonilla v. Siskiyou County Court

Background

Steven Wayne Bonilla, identified as a state prisoner and a condemned prisoner, filed multiple civil-rights complaints without a lawyer under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. The complaints presented nearly identical claims and named numerous county clerk’s offices as defendants. Bonilla sought relief concerning his underlying conviction and the handling of his other cases by state and federal courts.

The opinion also states that Bonilla had a pending federal petition challenging his custody and was represented by counsel in state-court proceedings concerning such a petition.

Ruling

The court explained that Bonilla had previously been disqualified from proceeding without paying the filing fee under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(g). That rule generally prevents a prisoner with qualifying prior dismissals from proceeding without paying unless the complaint shows that the prisoner faced imminent danger of serious physical injury when the complaint was filed.

The court found that Bonilla’s allegations did not show imminent danger at the relevant time. Therefore, he could not proceed without paying the filing fee. The court further stated that, even if an application to proceed without paying were granted, the lawsuits would be barred under several legal doctrines and precedents, including rules concerning challenges to criminal judgments, ongoing state proceedings, and certain claims against courts or court-related defendants.

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

Effect

The order ended the listed cases and barred their refiling based on the court’s stated disposition of dismissal with prejudice. It did not grant relief concerning Bonilla’s conviction or his allegations about the handling of his other cases.