Opinions and documents
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF OHIO
EASTERN DIVISION
Shawnathan Delrea Fort, Case No. 3:24-cv-1921
Plaintiff
v. ORDER OF DISMISSAL
Shawnathan Delrea Fort,
Defendant
Pro se plaintiff Shawnathan Delrea Fort, a prisoner currently incarcerated in the Toledo
Correctional Institution, filed this civil rights action against himself. (Doc. 1). Plaintiff states that
he seeks a “common law name change … that’s congruent with his pen name.” (Id.). He seeks to
prohibit “compan[ies]” from using his common law name. (Id. at PgID. 5). In his civil cover sheet
filed with the complaint, Plaintiff demands $3,000,000,000. (Doc. No. 1-1).
Plaintiff did not pay the filing fee. Rather, he filed an application to proceed in forma
pauperis. (Doc. No.2).
I previously banned Plaintiff from proceeding in forma pauperis under the three strikes
rule in 28 U.S.C. § 1915(g). See Fort v. Parter, et al., No. 3:24-cv-124, 2024 WL 810560 (N.D.
Ohio Feb. 27, 2024) (Carr, J.) (denying IFP and dismissing the case under Section 1915(g)).
Section 1915(g) prohibits a prisoner from bringing a civil action or appealing a judgment
in a civil action in forma pauperis “if the prisoner has, on 3 or more prior occasions, while
incarcerated or detained in any facility, brought an action or appeal in a court of the United States
that was dismissed on the grounds that it is frivolous, malicious, or fails to state a claim upon
which relief may be granted, unless the prisoner is under imminent danger of serious physical
injury.” 28 U.S.C. § 1915(g).
Nothing in his present complaint suggests that Plaintiff is in “imminent danger of serious
physical injury” that would permit Plaintiff to proceed in forma pauperis in this case under the
exception outlined in the three strikes rule of Section 1915(g).
Accordingly, I deny Plaintiff’s application to proceed in forma pauperis (Doc. No. 2), and
I dismiss this action without prejudice pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(g) and my order entered in
Fort, supra, 2024 WL 810560. When a district court dismisses a complaint under the three-strikes
rule, it should do so without prejudice because it has “no authority to consider the merits of the
complaint.” See Shabazz v. Campbell, 12 Fed. App’x 329, 330 (6th Cir. 2001).
If Plaintiff wishes to pursue this action, he must pay the full $405.00 filing fee and file a
motion to re-open the case within 30 days of the date of this order. Plaintiff is cautioned that if he
continues to file patently frivolous actions, I will permanently enjoin him from filing new actions
without first seeking and obtaining my leave.
It is, therefore, ORDERED THAT:
(1) Plaintiff’s application to proceed in forma pauperis (Doc. No. 2) be, and the same
hereby is, denied;
(2) Plaintiff’s complaint (Doc. No. 1) be, and the same hereby is, dismissed without
prejudice;
(3) Plaintiff shall have until December 14, 2024, to pay the $405.00 filing fee and file a
motion to re-open the case;
(4) The Clerk’s Office is directed not to accept a motion to re-open or any other document
for filing in this case unless and until the full filing fee is paid; and
(5) I hereby certify, in accordance with 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(3), that an appeal taken in
forma pauperis from this decision could not be taken in good faith.
SO ORDERED.
Date: 11/15/2024
/s/James G. Carr
Sr. U.S. District Judge
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