Firsov v. Skyscanner, Inc
Firsov
Court
District Court, N.D. California
Decided
June 27, 2025
Jurisdiction
FD
Importance
44%
Case Summary
1 2 3 4 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 5 NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 6 7 SERGEY FIRSOV, Case No. 25-cv-03198-DMR 8 Plaintiff, ORDER DENYING AMENDED 9 v. APPLICATION TO PROCEED IN FORMA PAUPERIS, MOTION FOR 10 SKYSCANNER, INC, et al., RECONSIDERATION, AND MOTION FOR DISQUALIFICATION 11 Defendants. Re: Dkt. Nos. 17, 18, 21 12 13 Self-represented Plaintiff Sergey Firsov filed an amended IFP application, a motion for 14 reconsideration of the order denying his application to proceed in forma pauperis (“IFP”); and a 15 motion to disqualify the undersigned pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 455. [Docket No. 18 16 (“Reconsideration Mot.”); Docket No. 17 (Am. IFP Appl.”); Docket No. 20 (“DQ Mot.”).] These 17 matters are suitable for resolution without a hearing. Civ. L.R. 7-1(b). For the following reasons, 18 the three motions are denied. 19 I. DISCUSSION 20 On April 9, 2025, Firsov filed his complaint and IFP Application. [Docket Nos. 1 21 (“Compl.”); Docket No. 2 (“First IFP Appl.”).] On June 3, 2025, the court denied the IFP 22 Application and ordered Firsov to pay the $405 filing fee in full by June 24, 2025. [Docket No. 16, 23 “IFP Order.”] Six days later, Firsov filed an Amended IFP Application, as well as a Motion for 24 Reconsideration of the court’s IFP Order. On April 16, 2025, Firsov filed a First Amended 25 Complaint. [Docket No. 5, “FAC.”] 26 As of the date of this Order, Firsov has not paid the filing fee. 27 1 A. Disqualification Motion 2 The Disqualification Motion is denied.1 Section 455 requires a judge to “disqualify [herself] 3 in any proceeding in which [her] impartiality might reasonably be questioned,” or where the judge 4 “has a personal bias or prejudice concerning a party[.]” 28 U.S.C. § 455(a), (b)(1). Firsov 5 complains that the court refused to issue summons, and that “Plaintiff was denied to serve Defendant 6 from day one of filing case.” DQ Mot. at 2. A motion to recuse or disqualify must allege an 7 extrajudicial basis for the alleged bias or prejudice. See Toth v. Trans World Airlines, Inc., 862 F.2d 8 1381, 1387-88 (9th Cir. 1988) (district judge correctly rejected disqualification motion as legally 9 insufficient and had no duty to refer it to another judge because the alleged bias or prejudice did not 10 arise from an extrajudicial source). It is well-established that actions taken by a judge during the 11 normal course of proceedings are not proper grounds for disqualification. See United States v. 12 Scholl, 166 F.3d 964, 977 (9th Cir. 1999). The court denied Firsov’s IFP application, and Firsov 13 has not paid the required filing fee. The court has no duty to issue summons in these circumstances. 14 See 28 U.S. Code § 1914. The court’s refusal to issue summons is not grounds for disqualification. 15 Firsov also complains that his First IFP Application was not filed under seal. DQ Mot. at 3- 16 4. Civil Local Rule 79-5(b) explains: “A party must file a motion to seal a document at the same 17 time that the party submits the document. Filing a motion to seal permits the party to provisionally 18 file the document under seal, pending the Court’s ruling on the motion to seal.” Plaintiff’s First IFP 19 Application was not filed under seal, and Plaintiff did not move to file it under seal. [See Docket 20 No. 2.] Firsov indicated for the first time on the record a desire to file anything under seal in his 21 Amended IFP Application and his Reconsideration Motion. However, rather than filing a motion 22 for leave to file under seal as required by Civil Local Rule 79-5(b), he merely handwrote 23 “Confidential” on the first page of the Amended IFP Application. His Reconsideration Motion lacks 2
Case Details
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Status
Decided
Date Decided
June 27, 2025
Jurisdiction
FD
Court Type
federal
Legal Significance
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Case Summary
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1
2
3
4 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
5 NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
6
7 SERGEY FIRSOV, Case No. 25-cv-03198-DMR
8 Plaintiff,
ORDER DENYING AMENDED
9 v. APPLICATION TO PROCEED IN
FORMA PAUPERIS, MOTION FOR
10 SKYSCANNER, INC, et al., RECONSIDERATION, AND MOTION
FOR DISQUALIFICATION
11 Defendants.
Re: Dkt. Nos. 17, 18, 21
12
13 Self-represented Plaintiff Sergey Firsov filed an amended IFP application, a motion for
14 reconsideration of the order denying his application to proceed in forma pauperis (“IFP”); and a
15 motion to disqualify the undersigned pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 455. [Docket No. 18
16 (“Reconsideration Mot.”); Docket No. 17 (Am. IFP Appl.”); Docket No. 20 (“DQ Mot.”).] These
17 matters are suitable for resolution without a hearing. Civ. L.R. 7-1(b). For the following reasons,
18 the three motions are denied.
19 I. DISCUSSION
20 On April 9, 2025, Firsov filed his complaint and IFP Application. [Docket Nos. 1
21 (“Compl.”); Docket No. 2 (“First IFP Appl.”).] On June 3, 2025, the court denied the IFP
22 Application and ordered Firsov to pay the $405 filing fee in full by June 24, 2025. [Docket No. 16,
23 “IFP Order.”] Six days later, Firsov filed an Amended IFP Application, as well as a Motion for
24 Reconsideration of the court’s IFP Order. On April 16, 2025, Firsov filed a First Amended
25 Complaint. [Docket No. 5, “FAC.”]
26 As of the date of this Order, Firsov has not paid the filing fee.
27
1 A. Disqualification Motion
2 The Disqualification Motion is denied.1 Section 455 requires a judge to “disqualify [herself]
3 in any proceeding in which [her] impartiality might reasonably be questioned,” or where the judge
4 “has a personal bias or prejudice concerning a party[.]” 28 U.S.C. § 455(a), (b)(1). Firsov
5 complains that the court refused to issue summons, and that “Plaintiff was denied to serve Defendant
6 from day one of filing case.” DQ Mot. at 2. A motion to recuse or disqualify must allege an
7 extrajudicial basis for the alleged bias or prejudice. See Toth v. Trans World Airlines, Inc., 862 F.2d
8 1381, 1387-88 (9th Cir. 1988) (district judge correctly rejected disqualification motion as legally
9 insufficient and had no duty to refer it to another judge because the alleged bias or prejudice did not
10 arise from an extrajudicial source). It is well-established that actions taken by a judge during the
11 normal course of proceedings are not proper grounds for disqualification. See United States v.
12 Scholl, 166 F.3d 964, 977 (9th Cir. 1999). The court denied Firsov’s IFP application, and Firsov
13 has not paid the required filing fee. The court has no duty to issue summons in these circumstances.
14 See 28 U.S. Code § 1914. The court’s refusal to issue summons is not grounds for disqualification.
15 Firsov also complains that his First IFP Application was not filed under seal. DQ Mot. at 3-
16 4. Civil Local Rule 79-5(b) explains: “A party must file a motion to seal a document at the same
17 time that the party submits the document. Filing a motion to seal permits the party to provisionally
18 file the document under seal, pending the Court’s ruling on the motion to seal.” Plaintiff’s First IFP
19 Application was not filed under seal, and Plaintiff did not move to file it under seal. [See Docket
20 No. 2.] Firsov indicated for the first time on the record a desire to file anything under seal in his
21 Amended IFP Application and his Reconsideration Motion. However, rather than filing a motion
22 for leave to file under seal as required by Civil Local Rule 79-5(b), he merely handwrote
23 “Confidential” on the first page of the Amended IFP Application. His Reconsideration Motion lacks
2
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Case Details
Legal case information
Status
Decided
Date Decided
June 27, 2025
Jurisdiction
FD
Court Type
federal
Legal Significance
Case importance metrics
Metadata
Additional information
Quick Actions
Case management tools