The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit dismissed a plaintiff’s appeal on grounds that it was frivolous and ordered her to pay a sanction of $105.

According to an opinion issued by a three-judge panel of the appellate court, plaintiff Maureen Greene was originally banned from filing additional cases by a lower district court because she continued to file meritless lawsuits.  Over the last twelve years, Greene brought a variety of civil rights cases against numerous employers and did not prevail in any of them.

The district court said that Greene has “abused judicial process, wasted limited judicial resources and has cost the numerous parties she has sued thousands of dollars in unnecessary attorneys’ fees.”

In upholding the lower court’s decision, the appellate court issued the following notice:  “The clerk of this court and the clerks of all federal district courts within this
Circuit are DIRECTED to refuse to file any pro se civil complaint or appeal by Greene unless she submits proof of satisfaction of this penalty. Greene should review any pending appeals to ensure that they are not frivolous.”

—Source: The Independent Weekly (New Orleans) and U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit