Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca10-91-03037/USCOURTS-ca10-91-03037-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 550
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Civil Rights (U.S. defendant)
Cause of Action: 

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- ILED 

tJ.nitcd Scares Court of Appeals 

'r~nth Circuit 

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS 

TENTH CIRCUIT 

AY Z 8 1991 

&OBERT L. HOECKER 

Clerk 

FELIX GOMEZ, ) 

) 

Plaintiff-Appellant, ) 

) 

V • ) 

) 

B. THOMAS, Lt.; G.L. HENMAN; ) 

and FLOYD GARDNER, Captain, ) 

) 

Defendants-Appellees. ) 

No. 91-3037 

(D.C. No. 91-3001-R) 

(D. Kan.) 

ORDER AND JUDGMENT* 

Before ANDERSON, TACHA, and BRORBY, Circuit Judges. 

After examining the briefs and appellate record, this panel 

has determined unanimously that oral argument would not materially 

assist the determination of this appeal. See Fed. R. App. P. 

34(a); 10th Cir. R. 34.1.9. The case is therefore ordered 

submitted without oral argument. 

Plaintiff-appellant Felix Gomez filed this action pursuant to 

28 U.S.C. § 1331 seeking declaratory and injunctive relief and 

monetary damages. The district court dismissed the action without 

prejudice, noting plaintiff had failed to exhaust his 

administrative remedies. 

* This order and judgment has no precedential value and shall 

not be cited, or used by any court within the Tenth Circuit, 

except for purposes of establishing the doctrines of the law of 

the case, res judicata, or collateral estoppel. 10th Cir. R. 

36.3. 

Appellate Case: 91-3037 Document: 010110116663 Date Filed: 05/28/1991 Page: 1 
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The record reveals plaintiff had in fact not exhausted the 

administrative remedies available to him at the time the district 

court entered its order on January 14, 1991. Prison officials 

indicated they were conducting an ongoing investigation concerning 

this matter. The district court properly dismissed this case. 

See McCarthy Y..!. Maddigan, 914 F.2d 1411, 1412 (10th Cir. 1990). 

On appeal, plaintiff claims he received verification on 

February 25, 1991 indicating all avenues of administrative relief 

had been exhausted. The district court dismissed this case 

without prejudice, thus allowing plaintiff to file a new action 

after all administrative remedies have been exhausted. If 

plaintiff believes his claims are meritorious and he has in fact 

exhausted his administrative remedies, he must file a new action 

with the district court rather than pursuing this case on appeal. 

Plaintiff has failed to present a reasoned argument on the 

law and facts in support of the issues raised on appeal. We 

therefore deny plaintiff leave to proceed in forma pauperis on 

appeal. Coppedge Y..!. United States, 369 U.S. 438 (1962). We waive 

the fees, reach the merits of this appeal, and AFFIRM. The 

mandate shall issue forthwith. 

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ENTERED FOR THE COURT 

Deanell Reece Tacha 

Circuit Judge 

Appellate Case: 91-3037 Document: 010110116663 Date Filed: 05/28/1991 Page: 2