Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca10-16-02073/USCOURTS-ca10-16-02073-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Tillman Naskia Begaye
Appellant
United States of America
Appellee

Document Text:

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE TENTH CIRCUIT

_________________________________

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 

 Plaintiff - Appellee,

v.

TILLMAN NASKIA BEGAYE, 

 Defendant - Appellant.

No. 16-2073

(D.C. No. 1:13-CR-02645-JAP-1)

(D. N.M.)

_________________________________

ORDER

_________________________________

Before MATHESON, PHILLIPS, and McHUGH, Circuit Judges.

_________________________________

Tillman Naskia Begaye, proceeding pro se, appeals the judgment entered in his 

criminal case on November 24, 2014. The district court received a letter from Mr. Begaye 

on April 27, 2016, indicating that his attorney was supposed to file an appeal but never 

did. The district court treated this letter as a notice of appeal and filed it as of April 27, 

2016.

In a criminal case, a defendant’s notice of appeal must be filed in the district court 

within 14 days after entry of the judgment. Fed. R. App. P. 4(b)(1)(A). The timely filing 

of a notice of appeal by the defendant is an inflexible claim-processing rule that may be 

forfeited if not properly raised by the government. United States v. Garduño, 506 F.3d 

1287, 1290-91 (10th Cir. 2007). However, because Rule 4(b) implicates important 

judicial interests beyond those of the parties, the court may raise the time bar sua sponte

FILED

United States Court of Appeals

Tenth Circuit

May 2, 2016

Elisabeth A. Shumaker

Clerk of Court

Appellate Case: 16-2073 Document: 01019612509 Date Filed: 05/02/2016 Page: 1 
2

in certain circumstances. United States v. Mitchell, 518 F.3d 740, 750 (10th Cir 2008). 

This power is limited and should not be invoked unless judicial resources and 

administration are implicated and the delay has been inordinate. Id.

Under the circumstances of this case, dismissal of this appeal as untimely is 

appropriate. Mr. Begaye’s notice of appeal, filed 17 months after entry of judgment, was 

inordinately late and his attorney’s alleged failure to file an appeal is generally not 

appropriate for review on direct appeal. Cf. United States v. Galloway, 56 F.3d 1239, 

1240-41 (10th Cir. 1995) (holding that ineffective assistance of counsel claims should be 

brought in collateral proceedings in the district court, not on direct appeal). Accordingly, 

this appeal is dismissed.

A copy of this order shall stand as and for the mandate of the court.

Entered for the Court

ELISABETH A. SHUMAKER, Clerk

by: Jane K. Castro

 Counsel to the Clerk

Appellate Case: 16-2073 Document: 01019612509 Date Filed: 05/02/2016 Page: 2