Hodgin v. Trousdale Turner Center Corrections et al

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
EASTERN DISTRICT OF TENNESSEE
AT CHATTANOOGA
SCOTTIE HODGIN,
Plaintiff,
v.
TROUSDALE TURNER CENTER
CORRECTIONS, et al.,
Defendants.
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Case No. 1:26-cv-33
Judge Atchley
Magistrate Judge Steger
MEMORANDUM AND ORDER
Plaintiff, a prisoner housed in the Trousdale Turner Correctional Center (“TTCC”) in
Hartsville, Tennessee, has filed a pro se complaint under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 [Doc. 1] and a motion
for leave to proceed in forma pauperis [Doc. 4]. For the reasons set forth below, Plaintiff’s motion
[Id.] will be GRANTED, and the Court will TRANSFER this action to the Nashville Division of
the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee.
I. 	MOTION TO PROCEED IN FORMA PAUPERIS
Under the Prison Litigation Reform Act (“PLRA”), a prisoner bringing a civil action may
apply for permission to file suit without prepaying the $350.00 filing fee required by 28 U.S.C. §
1914(a). It appears from Plaintiff’s motion and supporting documents that he is unable to pay the
fee, and therefore, the motion to proceed in forma pauperis [Doc. 4] will be GRANTED.
Plaintiff will be ASSESSED the civil filing fee of $350.00. The custodian of Plaintiff’s
inmate trust account will be DIRECTED to submit to the Clerk, U.S. District Court, 900 Georgia
Avenue, Suite 309, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37402 twenty percent (20%) of Plaintiff’s preceding
monthly income (or income credited to Plaintiff’s trust account for the preceding month), but only
when such monthly income exceeds ten dollars ($10.00), until the full filing fee of three hundred
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fifty dollars ($350.00) as authorized under 28 U.S.C. § 1914(a) has been paid to the Clerk. 	28
U.S.C. § 1915(b)(2).
To ensure compliance with this procedure, the Clerk will be DIRECTED to provide a copy
of this Order to the custodian of inmate accounts at the institution where Plaintiff is now confined
and the Court’s financial deputy. This Order shall be placed in Plaintiff’s prison file and follow
him if he is transferred to another correctional institution.
II. 	VENUE
The general venue statute for federal district courts provides in relevant part as follows:
A civil action may be brought in—
(1) a judicial district in which any defendant resides, if all
defendants are residents of the State in which the district is located;
(2) a judicial district in which a substantial part of the events or
omissions giving rise to the claim occurred, or a substantial part of
property that is the subject of the action is situated; or
(3) if there is no district in which an action may otherwise be brought
as provided in this section, any judicial district in which any
defendant is subject to the court’s personal jurisdiction with respect
to such action.
28 U.S.C. § 1391(b)(1)-(3). Plaintiff’s complaint asserts claims arising out of incidents occurring
while he was housed in the TTCC in Hartsville, Tennessee, and all individual Defendants are
employed at TTCC [Doc. 1]. The TTCC lies within Trousdale County, Tennessee, in the judicial
district for the Nashville Division of the United States District Courts for the Middle District of
Tennessee. 	28 U.S.C. § 123(b)(1); https://www.tnmd.uscourts.gov/divisions-court (last visited
Feb. 13, 2026). Therefore, the proper venue for this case is the Nashville Division of the Middle
District of Tennessee.
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A federal district court may transfer a civil action to any district or division where it could
have been filed originally “in the interest of justice[.]” 28 U.S.C. § 1406(a). It is appropriate to
do so here. 	Accordingly, the Clerk will be DIRECTED to transfer this action to the Nashville
Division of the Middle District of Tennessee and close this Court’s file.
III. 	CONCLUSION
For the reasons set forth above:
1. 	Plaintiff’s motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis [Doc. 4] is GRANTED;
2. 	Plaintiff is ASSESSED the civil filing fee of $350.00;
3. 	The custodian of Plaintiff’s inmate trust account is DIRECTED to submit the filing
fee to the Clerk in the manner set forth above;
4. 	The Clerk is DIRECTED to provide a copy of this Memorandum and Order to the
custodian of inmate accounts at the institution where Plaintiff is now confined and the
Court’s financial deputy; and
5. 	The Clerk is DIRECTED to transfer this action to the Nashville Division of the Middle
District of Tennessee and close this Court’s file.
SO ORDERED.
/s/ Charles E. Atchley, Jr. 	c
CHARLES E. ATCHLEY, JR.
UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
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