ETHRIDGE
v.
LEE COUNTY SHERIFF
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Plaintiff Ethridge sued the Lee County Sheriff Department claiming an injectable chip was being used to track and torture people. The district court dismissed the complaint as frivolous, finding the claims involved fanciful and delusional factual contentions.
The complaint was dismissed as frivolous with prejudice because it involved factual contentions that are fanciful, fantastic, irrational, and/or delusional, and amendment would be futile.
“A lawsuit is frivolous if its claims involve factual contentions that are fanciful, fantastic, irrational, and/or delusional.”
Establishes the legal standard for dismissing frivolous complaints
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligencePlaintiff Christopher T. Ethridge filed a complaint against the Lee County Sheriff Department. The complaint's claims centered on Ethridge's belief th…
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Before the Court is Plaintiff Christopher T. Ethridge's Complaint (Doc. 1). Ethridge's claims are difficult to parse, but they revolve around his belief that an injectable chip is being used to track and torture people. The Court dismisses this action as frivolous. See Porter v. Governor of the State of Fla., 667 F. App'x 766, 767 (11th Cir. 2016) (“A lawsuit is frivolous if its claims involve factual contentions that are fanciful, fantastic, irrational, and/or delusional."). Because amendment would be futile, dismissal is with prejudice. Accordingly, it is now
ORDERED:
Plaintiff Christopher T. Ethridge's Complaint (Doc. 1) is DISMISSED with prejudice. The Clerk is directed to terminate any pending deadlines, enter judgment, and close this case.
DONE and ORDERED in Fort Myers, Florida on May 6, 2025.
SHERI POLSTER CHAPPELL UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
SA: FTMP-1 Copies: All Parties of Record