Culpepper v. Georgia Department of Corrections

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF GEORGIA DUBLIN DIVISION MARQUEL CULPEPPER, ) ) Plaintiff, ) ) v. ) CV 323-053 ) GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF ) CORRECTIONS; JUANITA SHARPE, ) Unit Manager at Smith State Prison; and ) UNIT MANAGER WESTIN, Telfair State ) Prison, ) ) Defendants. )

MAGISTRATE JUDGE’S REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION

Plaintiff, incarcerated at Telfair State Prison in Helena, Georgia, commenced the above-captioned case pro se and requested permission to proceed in forma pauperis (“IFP”).

On July 11, 2023, the Court directed Plaintiff to return his Prisoner Trust Fund Account Statement and Consent to Collection of Fees forms within thirty days and advised Plaintiff all prisoners, even those proceeding IFP, must pay the filing fee of $350.00 in full. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1). (See doc. no. 3, pp. 1-3.) Plaintiff was cautioned failure to respond would be an election to have this case voluntarily dismissed without prejudice. (See id. at 4.)

The time to respond has passed, and Plaintiff has not submitted the documents required by the Court’s July 11th Order. Nor has he provided the Court with any explanation why he has not complied.

Plaintiff cannot proceed IFP unless he submits the requisite Trust Fund Account Statement and consents to collection of the entire $350.00 filing fee in installments. Wilson v. Sargent, 313 F.3d 1315, 1319, 1321 (11th Cir. 2002) (citing 28 U.S.C. § 1915). Plaintiff has been warned that failing to return the necessary IFP papers would be an election to have his case voluntarily dismissed. (See doc. no. 3, p. 4.) As Plaintiff has neither fulfilled the requirements for proceeding IFP, nor paid the full filing fee, the Court REPORTS and RECOMMENDS this case be DISMISSED without prejudice and this civil action be CLOSED.

SO REPORTED and RECOMMENDED this 21st day of August, 2023, at Augusta, Georgia.

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF GEORGIA