Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca10-07-01324/USCOURTS-ca10-07-01324-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 890
Nature of Suit: Other Statutory Actions
Cause of Action: 

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UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE TENTH CIRCUIT

DENNIS LEON SMITH; BRUCE

CLYDE SMITH,

 Plaintiffs - Appellants, 

 v.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA;

STATE OF COLORADO; STATE OF

OKLAHOMA; STATE OF KANSAS;

STATE OF NEW MEXICO; STATE

OF TEXAS, and John and Jane Does

1-50,

 Defendants - Appellees.

No. 07-1324

 (D. C. No. 07-cv-1446-BNB)

ORDER

Filed September 11, 2007

Before TACHA, Chief Circuit Judge, TYMKOVICH, and HOLMES, Circuit

Judges.

On July 10, 2007, a United States magistrate judge entered an order directing

the clerk of the district court to commence a civil action and instructing Plaintiffs

to file their claims on a court-approved form and to each file a motion and affidavit

for leave to proceed pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915. On August 6, 2007, Plaintiffs,

proceeding pro se, filed a notice of appeal. See Fed. R. App. P. 3(c). 

Except for proceedings conducted by a magistrate judge upon designation by

a district judge and consent of the parties pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(c), orders

Appellate Case: 07-1324 Document: 010130285 Date Filed: 09/11/2007 Page: 1 
2

entered by a magistrate judge are not final or immediately appealable. “[W]e have

consistently recognized that ‘[a] magistrate exercising “additional duties”

jurisdiction remains constantly subject to the inherent supervisory power of the

district judge and the judge retains the ultimate responsibility for decision making

in every instance.’ ” Colorado Bldg. & Const. Tr. Coun. v. Andersen Const., 879

F.2d 809, 811 (10th Cir. 1989); see Phillips v. Beierwaltes, 466 F.3d 1217, 1221

(10th Cir. 2006).

In this case, the parties did not consent to final disposition by a magistrate

judge. The magistrate judge’s July 10, 2007 Order is interlocutory and not

immediately appealable under 28 U.S.C. § 1291 or under any recognized exception

to the final judgment rule. This order may be appealed upon entry of a final

judgment by the district judge in Plaintiffs’ action.

This appeal is DISMISSED for lack of appellate jurisdiction. 

Entered for the Court,

Elisabeth A. Shumaker, Clerk

Kathleen T. Clifford

Attorney - Deputy Clerk

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