Wilson, Karen et al v. United States of America et al

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF WISCONSIN
KAREN FRANCES WILSON and
ANTOINE SAMUEL WILSON,
ORDER
Plaintiffs,
Case No. 26-cv-145-jdp
v.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, et al.,
Defendants.
On February 2, 2026, "The Wilson Family d/b/a Trails End Motel" removed two civil cases
from Columbia County Circuit Court. See Western District of Wisconsin Case No. 26-cv-84-jdp,
Westby Co-op Credit Union v. The Wilson Family, et al. It was apparent that "The Wilson Family"
included Karen Wilson and Antoine Wilson, plaintiffs in the present action. Case No. 26-cv-84
was remanded to state court for lack of subject matter jurisdiction on February 6, 2026, but the
Wilsons continued to file documents in that case, including various motions. All were denied for
lack of jurisdiction. See 26-cv-84-jdp, dkts. 26 and 32.
Among the documents that plaintiffs submitted post-remand was a new civil complaint
against the United States, Camile Carter, Quenesha McNeal, and Westby Co-op Credit Union.
The clerk's office filed that complaint in the present case along with copies of plaintiffs' earlier-
filed motions for leave to proceed in forma pauperis, reasoning that plaintiffs were, in fact, seeking
leaving to proceed without prepaying the filing fees in both case, 26-cv-84-jdp and 26-cv-145-jdp.
For the reasons stated below, plaintiffs' motions for leave to proceed without prepaying the filing
fee in 26-cv-145-jdp are DENIED.
Plaintiffs’ combined income from social security and VA disability benefits is more than
$6,300 a month, while their combined expenses are $4,300 a month. They own a commercial bus
Case: 3:26-cv-00145-jdp Document #: 5 Filed: 03/05/26 Page 1 of 2

2
and home with an approximate value of $1,500,000 (in which they have $1,349,000 in equity)
and they reportedly have $1,000 in liquid assets ― cash, checking, or savings. These circumstances
do not warrant a determination of indigency. Plaintiffs clearly have the means to pay the modest
$405 filing fee 1 without suffering undue hardship. Accordingly, plaintiffs must prepay the filing
fee to commence this action.
ORDER
IT IS ORDERED that plaintiffs Karen Wilson and Antoine Wilson’s petitions for leave to
proceed without prepaying the filing fee in Case No. 26-cv-145-jdp are DENIED. Plaintiffs must
pay the $405 filing fee no later than March 31, 2026. If plaintiffs fail to do so, I will assume they
have chosen to withdraw this action voluntarily, and the case will be dismissed without prejudice.
Entered this 4th day of March, 2026.
BY THE COURT:
/s/
ANDREW R. WISEMAN
U.S. Magistrate Judge
1 Effective December 1, 2023, the total filing fee for a new civil action in a U.S. District Court is $405 ―
a $350 statutory fee plus a $55 miscellaneous administrative fee.
Case: 3:26-cv-00145-jdp Document #: 5 Filed: 03/05/26 Page 2 of 2