Thomas Pepe v. Christopher Decosta, et ano

2:25-cv-536-JES-NPM · United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Fort Myers Division · January 30, 2026 · No. 2:25-cv-536-JES-NPM

Summary

The United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida denied pro se plaintiff Thomas Pepe's construed motion for permission to file papers through the CM/ECF system. The court held that he had not shown the extenuating circumstances, corroboration, and litigation-history information required to justify an exception to ordinary filing procedures.

Holdings

  1. A pro se litigant seeking permission to use CM/ECF must show extenuating circumstances justifying waiver of the ordinary filing procedures, including, at minimum, extraordinarily difficult financial and physical barriers to filing by mail, a verified request corroborated by affidavits, and evidence addressing any misuse of the judicial system.
  2. Pepe's construed motion for CM/ECF access was denied because he failed to meet the required standard.

Questions Presented

  1. What showing must a pro se litigant make to obtain permission to file papers through the court's CM/ECF system?
  2. Whether Pepe demonstrated circumstances sufficient to justify waiving the court's ordinary CM/ECF procedures.

Disposition

other

Cases Cited (2)

  • Huminski v. Vermont, No. 2:13-cv-692-FTM-29, 2014 WL 169848, *4 (M.D. Fla. Jan. 15, 2014)(followed)
  • McMahon v. Cleveland Clinic Found. Police Dep't, 455 F. App'x 874, 878 (11th Cir. 2011)(followed)

Cited In (0)

No citing cases on record yet.

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