BUTLER
v.
MATHIS

N.D. Fla. | 2025-05-05
No. 5:23-cv-240
2025 FFL 11622 District Court, N.D. Florida (2025)

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Synopsis

The district court adopted a magistrate judge's recommendation to dismiss plaintiff Butler's civil rights complaint without prejudice as malicious, finding that Butler failed to truthfully disclose his prior litigation history on the complaint form in violation of his oath.


Holding

The court held that the complaint should be dismissed without prejudice as malicious and abusive of the judicial process because Butler failed to completely and honestly disclose his litigation history while signing the complaint under penalty of perjury.


Key Quotes

“An action is malicious when a prisoner misrepresents his prior litigation history on a complaint form requiring disclosure of such history and signs the complaint under penalty of perjury, as such a complaint is an abuse of the judicial process.”

Establishes the legal standard for dismissal of complaints based on nondisclosure of litigation history

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Facts & Procedural History

Plaintiff Butler filed a civil rights case (5:23-cv-240) against defendants including Brian Mathis. Butler submitted a complaint form that required di…

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Opinion of the Court

This case is before the Court based on the magistrate judge's Report and Recommendation (Doc. 37). No objections were filed.

Upon due consideration of the Report and Recommendation and the case file, the Court agrees with the magistrate judge's determination that this case should be dismissed without prejudice as malicious because Plaintiff abused the judicial process in failing to disclose his litigation history complete and honestly. See Burrell v. Warden, 857 F. App'x 624, 625 (11th Cir. 2021) (“An action is malicious when a prisoner misrepresents his prior litigation history on a complaint form requiring disclosure of such history and signs the complaint under penalty of perjury, as such a complaint is an abuse of the judicial process.").

Accordingly, it is ORDERED that:

1. The magistrate judge's Report and Recommendation is adopted and incorporated by reference in this Order.

2. Defendants' motion to dismiss (Doc. 34) is GRANTED, and this case is DISMISSED without prejudice under 28 U.S.C. §§1915(e)(2)(B)(i) and 1915A(b) as malicious and an abuse of the judicial process.

3. The Clerk shall enter judgment in accordance with this Order and close this case.

DONE AND ORDERED this 5th day of May, 2025.

T. KENT WETHERELL, II UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE


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