Matthew Cody Ball v. James Bachman, et al.

Summary

The United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee grants Matthew Cody Ball’s application to proceed in forma pauperis but dismisses his civil-rights action. The court holds that his claims arising from an allegedly warrantless arrest, search, and seizure accrued no later than his June 10, 2024 preliminary hearing and were filed outside Tennessee’s one-year statute of limitations. The court declines supplemental jurisdiction over the state-law claims and denies pending motions as moot.

Holdings

1. Tennessee's one-year statute of limitations applies to Ball's Section 1983 claims, and his claims accrued no later than June 10, 2024, when he became detained pursuant to legal process. Because he filed his complaint no earlier than July 10, 2025, the claims were untimely and were dismissed.
2. After dismissing the federal claims, the court declined to exercise supplemental jurisdiction over Ball's state-law claims under 28 U.S.C. § 1367(c)(3).
3. Ball was permitted to proceed in forma pauperis, but remained responsible for paying the full $350 civil filing fee through the initial payment and installment procedures required by the Prisoner Litigation Reform Act.

Questions Presented

1. Whether Ball's Section 1983 claims arising from his alleged unlawful arrest, search, and seizure were barred by Tennessee's one-year statute of limitations.
2. Whether the court should exercise supplemental jurisdiction over Ball's related state-law claims after dismissing the federal claims.
3. Whether Ball should be permitted to proceed in forma pauperis while remaining responsible for the full civil filing fee under the Prisoner Litigation Reform Act.

Disposition

dismissed