Amen El v. Schnell et al

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
DISTRICT OF MINNESOTA
Pharaoh El-Forever Left-i Amen El,
Plaintiff,
v.
Paul Schnell, Guy Bosch, Michelle Smith,
Wanchena, Connors Karel, Marisa
Williams, Jones, Dan Huff, Minnesota
Department of Health Commissioner,
N. Lewis, Bolin, Jane Doe 1-3, John Doe
1-3, and Officials Public Hazard Bonds,
Defendants.
Civ. No. 26-236 (PAM/ECW)
ORDER
_____________________________________________________________________
This matter is before the Court on Plaintiff Pharaoh El-Forever Left-i Amen El’s
Motion for Voluntary Dismissal and Refund. 	(Docket No. 14.) 	Amen El, a prisoner
proceeding pro se, seeks voluntary dismissal of this action without prejudice and a refund
of the $5.00 partial filing fee he paid on February 27, 2026. (See Docket No. 10.)
No Defendant has been served, and no answer or motion for summary judgment has
been filed. Amen El may therefore dismiss this action without prejudice as of right under
Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 41(a)(1)(A)(i). 	The Court memorializes that dismissal
here.
As for the refund request, the Court lacks authority to grant a refund. 	Neither 28
U.S.C. § 1914 (governing filing fees) nor 28 U.S.C. § 1915 (governing in forma pauperis
proceedings) authorizes the return of filing fees once paid. 	The Eighth Circuit has held
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that the obligation to pay filing fees attaches when a prisoner brings a civil action and
survives any subsequent dismissal. See, e.g., In re Tyler, 110 F.3d 528, 529–30 (8th Cir.
1997). No exception applies here. The refund request is denied.
Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:
1. 	Plaintiff 	Pharaoh 	El-Forever 	Left-i 	Amen 	El’s 	Motion 	for 	Voluntary
Dismissal and Refund (Docket No. 14) is GRANTED to the extent that
Amen El seeks this action’s dismissal. This action is DISMISSED without
prejudice under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 41(a)(1)(A)(i).
2. 	Amen El’s request, in the same filing, for a refund of his already-paid $5.00
partial filing fee is DENIED.
LET JUDGMENT BE ENTERED ACCORDINGLY.
Dated: April 2, 2026 	s/ Paul A. Magnuson
Paul A. Magnuson
United States District Court Judge
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