NATHANIEL DAILY, APPELLANT,
v.
THE STATE OF FLORIDA, APPELLEE
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Nathaniel Daily, a pro se litigant who filed eleven post-conviction petitions or appeals since 1996, was ordered to show cause why he should not be prohibited from filing further pro se appeals. The court concluded that Daily's pattern of repetitious and frivolous filings constituted an abuse of the right to pro se court access and imposed a sanction requiring any future filings be reviewed and signed by a licensed Florida attorney.
The court held that Daily's repeated pattern of frivolous and repetitious filings constitutes an abuse of the right to pro se access, and that sanctions are appropriate. The court prohibited Daily from filing further pro se filings related to case number 93-15636A unless reviewed and signed by a licensed Florida Bar attorney, with additional sanctions including referral to the Florida Department of Corrections for potential disciplinary action.
[1] A party who repeatedly files frivolous appeals and abuses the judicial process may be barred from making further pro se filings.
[2] A court may direct its clerk to reject all future pro se filings from a litigant who has abused the judicial process, unless filed by a licensed attorney.
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence“[A]ny citizen, including a citizen attacking his or her conviction, abuses the right to pro se access by filing repetitious and frivolous, pleadings, thereby diminishing the ability of the courts to devote their finite resources to the consideration of legitimate claims.”
Establishes the legal standard for pro se abuse and the justification for court sanctions
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceNathaniel Daily filed eleven post-conviction petitions or appeals with the Third District Court of Appeal since 1996, the majority of which appeared t…
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ON ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE
Nathaniel Daily has filed eléven' post-conviction petitions or appeals with this court since 1996. The majority of these filings appear to’be frivolous. - On October 12, 2015, this court issued an opinion dismissing Daily’s latest appeal.' Our opinion contained an order to show cause why Daily should not be prohibited from filing with this Court any further pro se appeals, petitions, motions, or other proceedings related to his convictions and sentences in circuit court case number 93-15636A. Daily filed a response' to ■ the show cause order on October 28, 2015. His response provides no new information or argument for our consideration.
“[A]ny citizen, including a citizen attacking his or her conviction, abuses the right to pro se . access ,by filing repetitious and frivolous, pleadings, thereby diminishing the ability of the courts to devote their finite resources to the consideration of legitimate claims.” State v. Spencer, 751 So.2d 47, 48 (Fla.1999), This concern must be balanced against a defendant’s pro se right to access to courts. Id. (“[Djeny-ing a pro se litigant the opportunity to file future petitions is a serious sanction, especially where the litigant is a criminal de-fendant_”). Thus, a court may sanction a party for repetitious and frivolous pleadings by prohibiting further filings from that party only after an order to show cause and the opportunity to answer. Id.
Upon consideration of Daily’s eleven post-conviction filings before this court, and his response to this court’s order to show cause, we conclude that Daily has not demonstrated good cause to justify his actions. Based on his repeated attempts to abuse the judicial system with frivolous appeals or petitions, it is hereby ordered that the Clerk of the Third District Court *854of Appeal shall refuse to accept further pro se filings related to case number 93-15636A, unless the filings have been reviewed and signed by an attorney who is a licensed member of the Florida Bar in good standing. Any further unauthorized pro se filings by Daily will subject him to sanctions, including the issuance of written findings forwarded to the Florida Department of Corrections for consideration by it of disciplinary action. See § 944.279(1), Florida Statutes.
Order issued.