28 U.S.C. § 1915A
Section 1915A · Screening
Amended 2 times on record
Applied in 4,352 court decisions — leading case Jones v. Bock (2007)
Most recently applied in 2026 Ark. App. 56 - Charles E. Hamner v. Arkansas County Sheriff's Department & Detention Facility (January 2026)
Applied most in the Seventh Circuit Circuit (106 decisions)
Cases citing this section usually also cite 42 U.S.C. § 1983 · 28 U.S.C. § 1915 · 28 U.S.C. § 1291
(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.