Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca8-08-03481/USCOURTS-ca8-08-03481-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
American Family Mutual Insurance Company
Appellee
Tommy Williams
Appellant

Document Text:

1

The Honorable Fernando J. Gaitan, Chief Judge, United States District Court

for the Western District of Missouri.

United States Court of Appeals

FOR THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT

___________

No. 08-3481

___________

Tommy Williams, Individually and as *

Surviving Partner of Gloria Williams, *

*

Appellant, * Appeal from the United States

* District Court for the

v. * Western District of Missouri.

*

American Family Mutual Insurance * [UNPUBLISHED]

Company, *

*

Appellees. *

___________

Submitted: February 10, 2010

Filed: February 16, 2010

___________

Before MELLOY, BOWMAN, and SMITH, Circuit Judges.

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PER CURIAM.

In this diversity action against American Family Mutual Insurance Company

(American Family), Tommy Williams appeals the District Court’s1

 adverse grant of

summary judgment based on res judicata. Proceeding pro se on appeal following his

attorney’s suspension from this court’s bar, Williams contends that his attorney failed

to prosecute his prior state court case, which resulted in a final adverse judgment on

Appellate Case: 08-3481 Page: 1 Date Filed: 02/16/2010 Entry ID: 3634310
-2-

the merits of virtually identical claims. After careful de novo review, Johnson v.

Blaukat, 453 F.3d 1108, 1112 (8th Cir. 2006), we find no basis for reversal. See Niere

v. St. Louis County, Missouri, 305 F.3d 834, 837–838 (8th Cir. 2002) (elements of res

judicata under Missouri law); cf. Glick v. Henderson, 855 F.2d 536, 541 (8th Cir.

1988) (no constitutional right to effective assistance of counsel in civil case; remedy

is malpractice claim). Accordingly, we affirm.

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Appellate Case: 08-3481 Page: 2 Date Filed: 02/16/2010 Entry ID: 3634310