Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca5-15-50464/USCOURTS-ca5-15-50464-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Terry Hayes Estes
Appellant
United States of America
Appellee

Document Text:

IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT

No. 15-50464

Summary Calendar

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Plaintiff-Appellee

v.

TERRY HAYES ESTES,

Defendant-Appellant

Appeal from the United States District Court

for the Western District of Texas

USDC No. 6:03-CR-39

Before DAVIS, JONES, and HAYNES, Circuit Judges.

PER CURIAM:*

Terry Hayes Estes, now federal prisoner # 35537-180, seeks leave to 

proceed in forma pauperis (IFP) on appeal from the district court’s denial of his 

18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(2) motion to reduce his sentence based on retroactive 

Amendment 782 to U.S.S.G. § 2D1.1. By moving to proceed IFP, Estes is 

challenging the district court’s certification that his appeal was not taken in 

good faith because it is frivolous. Baugh v. Taylor, 117 F.3d 197, 202 (5th Cir.

 

* 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

February 10, 2016

Lyle W. Cayce

Clerk

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No. 15-50464

2

1997). Our inquiry into a litigant’s good faith “is limited to whether the appeal 

involves ‘legal points arguable on their merits (and therefore not frivolous).’” 

Howard v. King, 707 F.2d 215, 220 (5th Cir. 1983) (citation omitted).

The Supreme Court has prescribed a two-step inquiry for a district court 

that is considering a § 3582(c)(2) motion. Dillon v. United States, 560 U.S. 817, 

826 (2010). The court must first determine whether a prisoner is eligible for a 

reduction as set forth in U.S.S.G. § 1B1.10(a). Id. If he is eligible, then the 

district court must “consider any applicable § 3553(a) factors and determine 

whether, in its discretion,” any reduction is warranted under the particular 

facts of the case. Id. at 827. We review the decision whether to reduce a 

sentence under § 3582(c)(2) for abuse of discretion. United States v. Henderson, 

636 F.3d 713, 717 (5th Cir. 2011). 

The district court found Estes eligible for the reduction under 

Amendment 782 but declined to exercise its discretion to reduce his sentence, 

determining that relief was unwarranted based on the § 3553(a) factors. See 

Dillon, 560 U.S. at 826. Estes argues that he was automatically entitled to the 

sentencing reduction upon a finding that he was eligible, particularly as the 

Government had no objection. He urges that the district court was biased, 

exceeded its authority, and acted illegally in denying his § 3582(c)(2) motion, 

conclusionally asserting that the reasons offered by the district court for its 

denial were false and irrelevant. 

The record reflects that the district court considered Estes’s motion as a 

whole, gave specific reasons for its denial, and referenced the relevant 

§ 3553(a) factors. Estes thus cannot show an abuse of discretion on the district 

court’s part. See Henderson, 636 F.3d at 717; United States v. Evans, 587 F.3d 

667, 673 (5th Cir. 2009). Estes’s conclusional assertion that he was 

automatically entitled to a sentencing reduction is patently incorrect. See 

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3

Dillon, 560 U.S. at 826; see also United States v. Evans, 587 F.3d 667, 673 (5th 

Cir. 2009). His allegation of bias, which is based on the fact that his motion 

was denied, is unpersuasive. See Liteky v. United States, 510 U.S. 540, 555

(1994). 

Estes has failed to show that he will raise a nonfrivolous issue on appeal. 

See Howard v. King, 707 F.2d 215, 220 (5th Cir. 1983). Accordingly, his IFP 

motion is DENIED. Additionally, because this appeal is frivolous, it is 

DISMISSED. 5th Cir. R. 42.2.

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