Wyoming Financial Group, Inc. v. Sheri Smith, Donte Powell, Dane Devogelare,...

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK WYOMING FINANCIAL GROUP, INC., Plaintiff, -against- 25-CV-09622 (JAV) SHERI SMITH, DONTE POWELL, DANE DEVOGELAERE, HARRISHANA ALEENA ORDER OF DISMISSAL GRIFFIN, BANK OF AMERICA N.A., JP MORGAN CHASE BANK N.A., and BMO BANK N.A., Defendants.

JEANNETTE A. VARGAS, United States District Judge: Plaintiff Heights in Wyoming Financial Group, Inc., brings this action pro se.1 Because Wyoming Financial Group, Inc. cannot proceed pro se, the Court dismisses the action without prejudice to Wyoming Financial Group, Inc., retaining counsel within 30 days of the date of this order.

DISCUSSION Corporations, nonprofit organizations, and other artificial entities cannot proceed pro se.

Rowland v. California Men’s Colony, Unit II Men’s Advisory Council, 506 U.S. 194, 202 (1993) (noting that “lower courts have uniformly held that 28 U.S.C. § 1654, providing that “parties may plead and conduct their own cases personally or by counsel,” does not allow corporations, partnerships, or associations to appear in federal court otherwise than through a licensed attorney”) (citations omitted); see also Jones v. Niagara Frontier Transp. Auth., 722 F.2d 20, 22 (2d Cir. 1983) (noting that “it is established that a corporation, which is an artificial entity that Tasheeme M. Goings, who is not listed in the action as a plaintiff, signed the complaint.

Goings did not submit an application to proceed in forma pauperis (IFP) or pay the filing fees. can only act through agents, cannot proceed pro se’). Thus, the claims brought on behalf of Wyoming Financial Group, Inc., are dismissed without prejudice to Wyoming Financial Group, Inc., retaining counsel.

CONCLUSION The Court dismisses the action without prejudice to Wyoming Financial Group, Inc., retaining counsel within 30 days of the date of this order.

SO ORDERED.

Dated: December 3, 2025 New York, New York \_ ae JEANNETTE A. VARGAS UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE