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Nature of Suit Code: 950
Nature of Suit: Constitutionality of State Statutes
Cause of Action: 

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IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT

No. 15-50861

Summary Calendar 

ERIC ALAN TILLOTSON, 

Plaintiff-Appellant 

v. 

JAMIE ESPARZA, District Attorney of El Paso County, Texas; PATRICIA 

BACA, Assistant District Attorney Family Violence, County of El Paso, Texas; 

COUNTY OF EL PASO, 

Defendants-Appellees 

Appeal from the United States District Court 

for the Western District of Texas 

USDC No. 3:15-CV-178

Before HIGGINBOTHAM, PRADO, and HAYNES, Circuit Judges. 

PER CURIAM:*

Eric Alan Tillotson filed in the district court a complaint alleging 

violations of his Second, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendment rights. 

Construing the complaint as arising under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, the district court 

dismissed Tillotson’s claims for failure to state a claim upon which relief may 

be granted. Tillotson now appeals to this court. 

 

* 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

March 16, 2017

Lyle W. Cayce

Clerk

 Case: 15-50861 Document: 00513914996 Page: 1 Date Filed: 03/16/2017
No. 15-50861

2 

On appeal, Tillotson has submitted a brief that lays out the factual 

allegations of his various complaints. His brief consists of a statement of the 

issues and lists of interested persons and alleged facts. He does not address 

any of the reasons cited by the district court in dismissing his complaint, nor 

does he provide any legal analysis or argument. Rule 28 of the Federal Rules 

of Appellate Procedure requires a brief to set out the appellant’s contentions 

and reasons, with citations to the authorities and portions of the record on 

which the appellant relies. Although pro se briefs are afforded liberal 

construction, even pro se litigants must brief arguments in order to preserve 

them. Yohey v. Collins, 985 F.2d 222, 224-25 (5th Cir. 1993). Tillotson’s failure 

to identify any error in the district court’s analysis constitutes a failure to brief, 

and thus his claims are considered abandoned. See Brinkman v. Dallas County 

Deputy Sheriff Abner, 813 F.2d 744, 748 (5th Cir. 1987).

 The judgment of the district court is AFFIRMED. 

 Case: 15-50861 Document: 00513914996 Page: 2 Date Filed: 03/16/2017