Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial ProcedureRelease 119-110
§1915A Screening
Title 28 › PART V — PROCEDURE › CHAPTER 123 — FEES AND COSTS › § 1915A
Summary
Courts must review prisoner complaints against government officials before or soon after they are filed. If a complaint is pointless, meant to harm, doesn't show a real legal wrong, or asks for money from someone who is legally protected, the court must dismiss all or part of it. Prisoner: a person held in jail or a similar place who is accused, convicted, sentenced, found delinquent, or on parole, probation, pretrial release, or in a diversion program.
Full Legal Text
Title 28, §1915A
Judiciary and Judicial Procedure, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Screening.—
The court shall review, before docketing, if feasible or, in any event, as soon as practicable after docketing, a complaint in a civil action in which a prisoner seeks redress from a governmental entity or officer or employee of a governmental entity.
(b)Grounds for Dismissal.—
On review, the court shall identify cognizable claims or dismiss the complaint, or any portion of the complaint, if the complaint—
(1)is frivolous, malicious, or fails to state a claim upon which relief may be granted; or
(2)seeks monetary relief from a defendant who is immune from such relief.
(c)Definition.—
As used in this section, the term “prisoner” means any person incarcerated or detained in any facility who is accused of, convicted of, sentenced for, or adjudicated delinquent for, violations of criminal law or the terms and conditions of parole, probation, pretrial release, or diversionary program.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
28 U.S.C. § 1915A
Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure
Last Updated
Sep 22, 2026
Release point: 119-110