5th Cir.

Jennings v. Naman Howell Smith & Lee, P.L.L.C.

Jennings v. Naman Howell Smith & Lee, P.L.L.C.

July 13, 2026 ·25-11284 ·Per Curiam · By Aisha Johnson

The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit dismissed an appeal filed by a plaintiff proceeding in forma pauperis. The court found the appeal frivolous because the appellant failed to raise nonfrivolous arguments against the district court's dismissal of her claims.

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Background

The plaintiff appealed a district court dismissal of her complaint under twenty-eight U.S.C. Section one thousand nine hundred fifteen, subsection (e)(two)(B) for failure to state a claim. She sought to proceed in forma pauperis, which constituted a challenge to the district court’s certification that her appeal was not taken in good faith.

The court’s reasoning

The court held that the filing of documents and actions taken during representation fell within the scope of an attorney’s duties and were entitled to immunity. Regarding the Section nineteen eighty-three claim, the court found the plaintiff’s argument conclusory and insufficient to show the defendant was a state actor or that there was a conspiracy with state officials. The court also determined that allowing the plaintiff to file an amended complaint would have been futile.

What it means going forward

The appeal was dismissed as frivolous, and the plaintiff’s motion to proceed in forma pauperis was denied.