HALEY v. TAYLOR et al

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
WILLIAM C. HALEY, JR., 	)
)
Plaintiff, 	)
)
v. 	) 	Civil Action No. 26-1839 (UNA)
)
WILLIAM TAYLOR, et al., 	)
)
Defendants. 	)
MEMORANDUM OPINION
This matter is before the Court on review Plaintiff’s application to proceed in forma
pauperis (ECF No. 2), pro se complaint (ECF No. 1), and motion for CM/ECF password (ECF
No. 3). The Court GRANTS the application, DISMISSES the complaint and this civil action
without prejudice, and DENIES the motion as moot.
“A complaint must contain sufficient factual matter, accepted as true, to ‘state a claim to
relief that is plausible on its face.’” Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678 (2009) (quoting Bell
Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 570 (2007)). A complaint that lacks “an arguable basis
either in law or in fact” is frivolous, Neitzke v. Williams, 490 U.S. 319, 325 (1989), and the Court
cannot exercise subject matter jurisdiction over a frivolous complaint, Hagans v. Lavine, 415
U.S. 528, 536-37 (1974) (“Over the years, this Court has repeatedly held that the federal courts
are without power to entertain claims otherwise within their jurisdiction if they are ‘so attenuated
and unsubstantial as to be absolutely devoid of merit.’”) (quoting Newburyport Water Co. v.
Newburyport, 193 U.S. 561, 579 (1904)); Tooley v. Napolitano, 586 F.3d 1006, 1010 (D.C. Cir.
2009). Consequently, the Court is obligated to dismiss a complaint as frivolous when “the facts
alleged rise to the level of the irrational or the wholly incredible,” Denton v. Hernandez, 504
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U.S. 25, 33 (1992), or “postulat[e] events and circumstances of a wholly fanciful kind,” Crisafi
v. Holland, 655 F.2d 1305, 1307-08 (D.C. Cir. 1981).
Upon review of the complaint, with its allegations of surveillance, intercepted
communications, conspiracy, extortion, and sabotage of plaintiff’s business, the Court concludes
that this pleading is frivolous. The Court cannot exercise jurisdiction of a frivolous complaint.
An Order will be issued separately.
DATE: October 14, 2026
TREVOR N. McFADDEN
United States District Judge
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