D'Clute v. Florida Power & Light Company

**Court Dismisses Discrimination Case Over Filing Fee Issue** A worker named D'Clute filed a discrimination lawsuit against Florida Power & Light Company. However, the case never reached the main legal issues because of a procedural problem with court fees. D'Clute asked the court to waive the $402 filing fee because she claimed she couldn't afford it. This is called proceeding "in forma pauperis," which allows people without money to access the courts. However, the court discovered that D'Clute reported having a monthly income of one million dollars. Because of this high income, the court denied her request for a fee waiver and gave her until January 27, 2023, to pay the full filing fee. When she apparently didn't pay, the court dismissed her case "without prejudice," meaning she could refile it later if she pays the proper fees. **What This Means for Workers:** This case shows that courts take financial information seriously when workers ask for fee waivers. If you need to file a lawsuit but can't afford court fees, you must provide accurate financial information. Being dishonest about your income can result in your case being thrown out before it's even heard.