Powers v. Smith
In brief
The Supreme Court refused to hear Powers's petition, so it did not rule on whether the lower courts properly handled his filing-fee and court-access claims.
- Where it stands
- Decided
Decided · May 18, 2020
- What it’s about
- This case involves a petition for a writ of certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. The specific legal and factual details of the dispute between Powers and Smith are not provided in the available record.
- Who it affects
- The order ended Powers's request for Supreme Court review but did not decide his claims about indigency, filing fees, or access to court.
Summary: written with AI from the case record.
What it's about
In his petition, Powers described himself as an indigent detainee who earned no money and challenged the lower courts' reliance on what he called fabricated Illinois Department of Human Services Treatment and Detention Facility trust-fund reports.
The petition sought review of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and included a request to proceed without paying filing fees.
Question presented
1. WHETHER THE DISTRICT COURT IS DENYING AN INDIGENT CIVIL DETAINEE (PRE TRIAL DETAINEE' ’) FOR SEVEN YEARS (JUNE 26,2012) FROM ACCESSING THE COURT WHEN PLAINTIFF EARNS NO MONIES AND IS WELL BELOW THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL? 2. WHETHER THE DISTRICT COURT AND THE COURT OF APPEALS ASSESSING $1,000.00 SETTLEMENT MONEY AS INCOME AND DID NOT TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE LITIGATION EXPENSES OF $1,300.00 ONLY TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION OF FABRICATED ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES TREATMENT AND DETENTION FACILITY TRUST FUND REPORTS? 3. WHETHER THE PLAINTIFF EARNS ANY MONEY AT THE "IDHS/TDF" FACILITY ONLY LIFE REWARD POINTS ONLY TO BE USED AT THE FACILITY STORE TO PURCHASE HYGIENE, LEGAL SUPPLIES,CLOTHES AND FOOD AND THE US DISTRICT COURT WOULD NOT ORDER THE "IDHS/TDF" TO CONVERT THESE POINTS TO MONEY FOR THE FILING FEES? 4. WHETHER THIS INDIGENT PLAINTIFF CAN EARN MONIES AND IS BEING HELD UNCONSTITUTIONALLY IN A ILLINOIS "SECONDARY PRISON SYSTEM" AND CANNOT ACCESS THE COURT BECAUSE OF HIS INDIGENCY?
What the Court decided
Holding
Petition DENIED.
What's next
The Supreme Court's action on this petition is complete. Any further action on Powers's claims is not addressed by this order.
Documents
Opinions
Key filings
Docket activity
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AI analysis generated: Case Briefing
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More questions
- What payment issue did Powers raise?
- He argued that the lower courts counted a $1,000 settlement as income without considering his claimed $1,300 in litigation expenses.
- How did Powers describe the facility reward points?
- He said they could be used only in the facility store for hygiene items, legal supplies, clothes, and food, rather than as cash for filing fees.
Sources
Primary materials plus reporting. Best-effort analysis: this explainer relies on a mix of primary materials and trusted secondary sources. Official filings and opinions remain authoritative.