Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca5-03-41604/USCOURTS-ca5-03-41604-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 550
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Civil Rights (U.S. defendant)
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that this opinion should not be published and is not precedent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 20, 2004

Charles R. Fulbruge III

Clerk

IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT

 

No. 03-41604

Conference Calendar

 

DAVID GENE MORRIS,

Plaintiff-Appellant,

versus

MISTY D. WARREN, Mailroom Supervisor; 

JANE DOE, Unknown Mailroom Employee; 

BENNIE COLEMAN, Grievance Officer; 

ETHAN A. WASTFALL, Assistant Warden; 

ROSEMARY HEINSOHN, Program Administrator; 

DIRECTOR, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE, 

CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS DIVISION,

Defendants-Appellees.

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

Appeal from the United States District Court

for the Eastern District of Texas

USDC No. 6:03-CV-411

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

Before JOLLY, JONES, and SMITH, Circuit Judges.

PER CURIAM:*

David Gene Morris, Texas prisoner # 285845, appeals the

district court’s 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(b)(1) dismissal as frivolous

and for failure to state a claim of his civil rights lawsuit,

asserting that he had been denied access to the courts when his

legal mail was not properly processed. The district court’s

 Case: 03-41604 Document: 0051459555 Page: 1 Date Filed: 04/20/2004
No. 03-41604

-2-

dismissal is reviewed de novo. See Ruiz v. United States,

160 F.3d 273, 274-75 (5th Cir. 1998). 

To establish that he has been denied access to court, a

prisoner must show actual prejudice in his ability to pursue a

legal claim. See Walker v. Navarro County Jail, 4 F.3d 410, 413

(5th Cir. 1993). Morris has not shown that his position as a

litigant has been prejudiced in any way, and, as the district

court determined, his claim fails. See id. The appeal is

without arguable merit and is DISMISSED as frivolous. See Howard

v. King, 707 F.2d 215, 220 (5th Cir. 1983); 5TH CIR. R. 42.2. 

Both the district court’s dismissal and this court’s

dismissal of the instant appeal count as strikes for purposes of

28 U.S.C. § 1915(g). See Adepegba v. Hammons, 103 F.3d 383,

385-87 (5th Cir. 1996). Morris is CAUTIONED that if he

accumulates three strikes, he will not be able to proceed

in forma pauperis in any civil action or appeal filed while he

is incarcerated or detained in any facility unless he is under

imminent danger of serious physical injury. See 28 U.S.C. 

§ 1915(g).

APPEAL DISMISSED; THREE-STRIKES WARNING ISSUED.

 Case: 03-41604 Document: 0051459555 Page: 2 Date Filed: 04/20/2004