In Forma Pauperis

[Latin, In the character or manner of a pauper.] A phrase that indicates the permission given by a court to an indigent to initiate a legal action without having to pay for court fees or costs due to his or her lack of financial resources.

in forma pauperis

(in form-ah paw-purr-iss) adj. or adj. Latin for "in the form of a pauper," referring to a party to a lawsuit who gets filing fees waived by filing a declaration of lack of funds (has no money to pay). These declarations are most often found in divorces by young marrieds, or poor defendants who have been sued.

IN FORMA PAUPERIS. In the character or form of a pauper. In England, in some cases, when a poor person cannot afford to pay the costs of a suit as it proceeds, he is exempted from such payment, having obtained leave to sue in forma pauperis.

References in periodicals archive ?

The district court granted the prisoner permission to proceed in forma pauperis, but only with his claim against a prison captain.

Koutnik v. Brown

The district court granted the inmate permission to proceed in forma pauperis.

Williams v. Wade

State prisoners filed a [section] 1983 action and sought permission to proceed in forma pauperis under the Prison Litigation Reform Act (PLRA).

Boriboune v. Berge

A prisoner whose in forma pauperis [section] 1983 suit was dismissed for failure to state a claim, moved to prevent further withdrawals on his prison account to satisfy any unpaid portion of the filing fee in his case.

Ippolito v. Buss

A state inmate, proceeding in forma pauperis, brought a [section] 1983 action against prison officials asserting claims for retaliation, faulty prison drug-testing procedures, and violations of his due process and Fourth Amendment privacy rights.

Giano v. Goord

A prisoner brought an in forma pauperis civil rights suit against state prison officials, alleging numerous constitutional violations and seeking injunctive, declaratory and monetary relief.

Lindell v. Frank

A pro se prisoner sued prison officials under [section] 1983 and the district court granted the prisoner's request to proceed in forma pauperis, but ordered the prisoner to pay $5.