Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca4-16-01489/USCOURTS-ca4-16-01489-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Howard Scott
Petitioner

Document Text:

UNPUBLISHED

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT

No. 16-1489

In re: HOWARD SCOTT, 

Petitioner. 

On Petition for Writ of Mandamus

(2:09-cr-00991-PMD-1)

Submitted: June 21, 2016 Decided: June 23, 2016

Before DUNCAN, KEENAN, and THACKER, Circuit Judges. 

Petition denied by unpublished per curiam opinion. 

Howard Scott, Petitioner Pro Se. 

Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit. 

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PER CURIAM: 

Howard Scott petitions for a writ of mandamus, seeking an 

order directing the district court to hold an evidentiary 

hearing to address whether Amendment 709 to the Sentencing 

Guidelines applies to him. We conclude that Scott is not 

entitled to mandamus relief. 

Mandamus relief is a drastic remedy and should be used only 

in extraordinary circumstances. Kerr v. U.S. Dist. Court,

426 U.S. 394, 402 (1976); United States v. Moussaoui, 333 F.3d 

509, 516-17 (4th Cir. 2003). Further, mandamus relief is 

available only when the petitioner has a clear right to the 

relief sought. In re First Fed. Sav. & Loan Ass’n, 860 F.2d 

135, 138 (4th Cir. 1988). Mandamus may not be used as a 

substitute for appeal. In re Lockheed Martin Corp., 503 F.3d 

351, 353 (4th Cir. 2007). The relief sought by Scott is not 

available by way of mandamus because Scott fails to show any 

clear right to relief in the form of an evidentiary hearing 

regarding the applicability of Amendment 709. Accordingly, 

although we grant leave to proceed in forma pauperis, we deny 

the petition for a writ of mandamus. We dispense with oral 

argument because the facts and legal contentions are adequately 

presented in the materials before this court and argument would 

not aid the decisional process. 

PETITION DENIED

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