Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca5-03-30805/USCOURTS-ca5-03-30805-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 440
Nature of Suit: Other Civil Rights
Cause of Action: 

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* 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that this opinion should not be published and is not precedent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.

United States Court of Appeals

Fifth Circuit

FILED

April 21, 2004

Charles R. Fulbruge III

Clerk

IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT

 

No. 03-30805

Conference Calendar

 

VERNON J. TATUM, JR., 

Plaintiff-Appellant,

versus

DALE N. ATKINS, Clerk of Civil District Court for the Parish of

Orleans, State of Louisiana; UNIDENTIFIED PARTIES,

Defendants-Appellees.

--------------------

Appeal from the United States District Court

for the Eastern District of Louisiana

USDC No. 02-CV-2401-S

--------------------

Before JOLLY, JONES, and SMITH, Circuit Judges.

PER CURIAM:*

Vernon J. Tatum, Jr. (“Tatum”), appeals the district court’s

grant of summary judgment to Dale N. Atkins (“Atkins”), the Clerk

of the Civil District Court for Orleans Parish, Louisiana, in his

civil action. Tatum argues that he was not properly served with

Atkins’ motion for summary judgment and the notice of a hearing

on that motion because the motion and notice were “other process”

 Case: 03-30805 Document: 0051112378 Page: 1 Date Filed: 04/21/2004
No. 03-30805

-2-

that had to be served on him personally pursuant to FED. R. CIV.

P. 4.1(a). 

The relevant definition of “process” is “[a] summons or

writ, esp. to appear or respond in court.” Black’s Law

Dictionary, 1222 (7th ed. 1999). The motion and notice in this

case were not process. See id. Rather, the motion and notice

were a “written motion” and a “written notice” that were allowed

to be served upon Tatum by mailing a copy to his last known

address. See FED. R. CIV. P. 5(a) & (b)(2)(B). This appeal is

frivolous and we dismiss it as such. See Howard v. King, 707

F.2d 215, 219-20 (5th Cir. 1983); 5TH CIR. R. 42.2. Tatum is

WARNED that sanctions may be imposed if he files frivolous

appeals in the future.

APPEAL DISMISSED; SANCTION WARNING ISSUED. 

 Case: 03-30805 Document: 0051112378 Page: 2 Date Filed: 04/21/2004