Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca5-15-51168/USCOURTS-ca5-15-51168-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
John Deutsh
Appellant
Richard Watson Insurance Agency, Incorporated
Appellee

Document Text:

IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT

No. 15-51168

Summary Calendar

JOHN DEUTSH, 

 Plaintiff - Appellant

v.

RICHARD WATSON INSURANCE AGENCY, INCORPORATED, 

 Defendant - Appellee

Appeal from the United States District Court

for the Western District of Texas

USDC 1:15-CV-413

Before WIENER, HIGGINSON, and COSTA, Circuit Judges.

PER CURIAM:*

John Deutsh, who uses a wheelchair for mobility, alleges that he tried to 

visit Richard Watson Insurance Company’s place of business, but was unable 

to do so because there was no wheelchair accessible parking or ramp. He then 

brought this lawsuit against the company for violating accessibility 

requirements under Title III of the American Disabilities Act. After the 

 

* 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

May 13, 2016

Lyle W. Cayce

Clerk

 Case: 15-51168 Document: 00513505181 Page: 1 Date Filed: 05/13/2016
No. 15-51168

2

insurance company failed to respond to Deutsh’s suit, Deutsh filed a motion for 

entry of default judgment. The district court denied the motion—without 

prejudice—because it determined that Deutsh had not shown he was entitled 

to injunctive relief, which is the only relief available to him under the statute. 

42 U.S.C.A. § 12188; Perez v. Doctors Hosp. at Renaissance, Ltd., 624 F. App’x 

180, 183 (5th Cir. 2015) (per curiam).

This court is required to determine the basis for jurisdiction, even when 

the parties have failed to do so. Muse v. Aranda, 263 F.3d 164, at *1 (5th Cir. 

2001) (per curiam). We lack jurisdiction to review the denial of Deutsh’s 

motion for the entry of default judgment. See Adult Film Ass’n of Am., Inc. v. 

Thetford, 776 F.2d 113, 115 (5th Cir. 1985) (per curiam) (holding that a denial 

of a default judgment without final judgment on the merits is not an appealable 

final order); Muse, 263 F.3d at *1 (the same). This case is still live in district 

court, however, and Deutsh may file another motion for default judgment 

explaining why he is entitled to injunctive relief under the statute. 

The appeal is therefore DISMISSED FOR LACK OF JURISDICTION. 

 Case: 15-51168 Document: 00513505181 Page: 2 Date Filed: 05/13/2016