Experian

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 10 MICHAEL LEON SMITH, JR. No. 2:25-cv-02629-TLN-SCR Plaintiff, v. ORDER EXPERIAN, et al., Defendants. 16 Plaintiff Michael Leon Smith, Jr., is proceeding pro se in this matter, which is referred to the undersigned pursuant to Local Rule 302(c)(21) and 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1). Plaintiff has filed a motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis (“IFP”) and has submitted a declaration listing his income and expenses and averring an inability to pay the costs of this proceeding. The motion to proceed IFP (ECF No. 2) will therefore be granted. However, for the reasons provided below, the Court finds Plaintiff’s complaint is legally deficient and will grant Plaintiff leave to file an amended complaint. I. SCREENING A. Legal Standard The federal IFP statute requires federal courts to dismiss a case if the action is legally “frivolous or malicious,” fails to state a claim upon which relief…