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Nature of Suit Code: 690
Nature of Suit: Other Forfeiture and Penalty Suits
Cause of Action: 

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IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT

No. 14-40998

Summary Calendar

TERESA WARD COOPER; JAY S. COOPER, 

 Plaintiffs - Appellants

v.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; CHARLES H. BROWN, III; 

APPROXIMATELY FIFTEEN UNKNOWN AGENTS OF THE U.S. 

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY; ONE UNKNOWN AGENT 

OF THE UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE; TWO UNKNOWN AGENTS 

OF THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF PRISONS, 

 Defendants - Appellees

Appeal from the United States District Court

for the Eastern District of Texas

USDC No. 4:13-CV-487

Before REAVLEY, SMITH, and HAYNES, Circuit Judges.

PER CURIAM:*

The judgment of the district court is affirmed for the following reasons.

Plaintiffs have complained of property taken from their home in Plano 

in 2010. Thereafter they have filed several lawsuits for related complaint. A 

 

* 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

January 6, 2016

Lyle W. Cayce

Clerk

 Case: 14-40998 Document: 00513331536 Page: 1 Date Filed: 01/06/2016
No. 14-40998

2

judgment was rendered in one case on October 14, 2011, dismissing without 

prejudice and ordering monetary sanctions against Plaintiffs. Plaintiffs failed 

to appeal and have never complied with the sanctions order.

Subsequently, the present suit has been dismissed without prejudice 

because Plaintiffs simply disregarded the court’s order. The court acted under 

the law and its discretion in doing so. See United Markets Int’l v. Smith, 24 

F.3d 650, 654 (5th Cir. 1994). If Plaintiffs could not afford costs of suit without 

hardship, they might be financially eligible to proceed IFP. In this case, 

however, no effort has been made to obey the previous court order, and the 

district court has certified that the appeal is not taken in good faith.

AFFIRMED.

 Case: 14-40998 Document: 00513331536 Page: 2 Date Filed: 01/06/2016