Rodriguez v. New York City
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. New York
Date FiledOctober 25, 2026
Docket1:26-cv-09181
StatusUnknown
📰 News Coverage: Read the LAWS.com news report on this case
Full Opinion
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
CANDIDO RODRIGUEZ,
Plaintiff,
26-CV-9181 (LTS)
-against-
ORDER DIRECTING PRISONER
AUTHORIZATION
ZORHAM MAMDANI, ET AL.,
Defendants.
LAURA TAYLOR SWAIN, Chief United States District Judge:
Plaintiff, who is currently incarcerated at Rikers Island, brings this action pro se. To
proceed with a civil action in this Court, a prisoner must either pay $405.00 in fees – a $350.00
filing fee plus a $55.00 administrative fee – or, to request permission to proceed without
prepayment of fees, submit a signed IFP application and a prisoner authorization. See 28 U.S.C.
§§ 1914, 1915. If the Court grants a prisoner’s IFP application, the Prison Litigation Reform Act
requires the Court to collect the $350.00 filing fee in installments deducted from the prisoner’s
account. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1). A prisoner seeking to proceed in this Court without
prepayment of fees must therefore also authorize the Court to withdraw these payments from his
account by filing a “prisoner authorization,” which directs the facility where the prisoner is
incarcerated to deduct the $350.00 filing fee1 from the prisoner’s account in installments and to
0F
send to this Court certified copies of the prisoner’s account statements for the past six months.
See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(2), (b).
Plaintiff submitted an IFP application, but did not submit a prisoner authorization. Within
thirty days of the date of this order, Plaintiff must either pay the $405.00 in fees or complete and
1 The $55.00 administrative fee for filing a civil action does not apply to persons granted
IFP status under 28 U.S.C. § 1915.
submit the attached prisoner authorization. If Plaintiff submits the prisoner authorization, it
should be labeled with docket number 26-CV-9181 (LTS).2
1F
No summons shall issue at this time. If Plaintiff complies with this order, the case shall be
processed in accordance with the procedures of the Clerk’s Office. If Plaintiff fails to comply
with this order within the time allowed, the action will be dismissed.
The Court certifies under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(3) that any appeal from this order would
not be taken in good faith, and therefore in forma pauperis status is denied for the purpose of an
appeal. Cf. Coppedge v. United States, 369 U.S. 438, 444–45 (1962) (holding that appellant
demonstrates good faith when seeking review of a nonfrivolous issue).
SO ORDERED.
Dated: October 23, 2026
New York, New York
/s/ Laura Taylor Swain
LAURA TAYLOR SWAIN
Chief United States District Judge
2 Plaintiff is cautioned that if a prisoner files an action that is dismissed as frivolous or
for failing to state a claim, the dismissal is a “strike” under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(g). A prisoner who
receives three “strikes” cannot file actions in forma pauperis as a prisoner, unless he is under
imminent danger of serious physical injury, and must pay the filing fee at the time of filing any
new action.