Brown v. President/Founder Alma Realty Corp.

Background

Damonte Brown brought this action without a lawyer. To proceed without paying court fees in advance, he submitted an application for that status, commonly called an IFP application. The court stated that the required fees were $402: a $350 filing fee and a $52 administrative fee.

Application deficiencies

The court determined that Brown’s application did not establish that he was unable to pay. Although he stated that he was employed, he did not provide his monthly wages and also stated that his last employment date was December 11, 2019. He stated that he received no government benefits, had less than $100 in cash or a bank account, and owned no property. The court also noted that he did not provide information about any financial obligations. In response to some financial questions, he wrote “privacy observances.”

Order

The court ordered Brown, within 30 days of the order, to do one of two things: pay the $402 in fees, or complete, sign, and submit an amended IFP application addressing the missing information. If the court grants the amended application, Brown may proceed without paying the fees in advance.

No summons would issue at that time. The court stated that the action would be processed through the Clerk’s Office if Brown complied with the order and would be dismissed if he failed to comply within the allowed time. Judge Laura Taylor Swain also certified that an appeal from the order would not be taken in good faith and denied permission to proceed without paying fees for purposes of an appeal.