Case ID: f-appx_713/html/0382-01.html
Source: Caselaw Access Project
Author: {"author": "PER CURIAM: \n    ", "license": "Public Domain", "url": "https://static.case.law/"}
Date Created: 2024-08-24T03:29:51.129683

Ruben VELA, Sr., Plaintiff-Appellant v. Lorie DAVIS, Defendant-Appellee
    No. 17-50359 Summary Calendar
    United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit.
    Filed March 1, 2018
    Ruben Vela, Sr., Pro Se
    Joseph Peter Corcoran, Assistant Attorney General, Office of the Attorney General for the State of Texas, Austin, TX, Edward Larry Marshall, Office of the Attorney General, Postconviction Litigation Division, Austin, TX, for Defendant-Appel-lee
    Before DAVIS, CLEMENT, and COSTA, Circuit Judges.
   PER CURIAM:

Ruben Vela, Sr., Texas prisoner # 1582906, appeals the dismissal by the district court of his 28 U.S.C. § 2254 habe-as application for lack of jurisdiction. Vela argues that the district court erroneously construed his § 2254 application as a writ of mandamus and urges that the state court has refused him access to courts by not providing him a copy of the record.

“[A] federal court lacks the general power to issue writs of mandamus to direct state courts and their judicial officers in the performance of their duties where mandamus is the only relief sought.” Moye v. Clerk, DeKalb Cnty. Superior Court, 474 F.2d 1275, 1276 (5th Cir. 1973). Because Vela asked the district court to order the state court to provide a copy of the record, the district court correctly construed the application as a writ of mandamus and dismissed it for lack of jurisdiction. See id.

AFFIRMED. 
      
       Pursuant to 5th Cir. R. 47.5, the court has determined that this opinion should not be published and is not precedent except under the limited circumstances set forth in 5th Cir. R. 47.5.4.