Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca5-03-31001/USCOURTS-ca5-03-31001-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Theodore Johnson
Appellant
Louisiana Department of Social Services
Appellee

Document Text:

* 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that this opinion should not be published and is not precedent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

April 20, 2004

Charles R. Fulbruge III

Clerk

IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT

 

No. 03-31001

Conference Calendar

 

THEODORE JOHNSON,

Plaintiff-Appellant,

versus

STATE OF LOUISIANA, DEPARTMENT OF 

SOCIAL SERVICES, LOUISIANA REHABILITATION 

SERVICES,

Defendant-Appellee.

--------------------

Appeal from the United States District Court

for the Eastern District of Louisiana

USDC No. 02-CV-3082-B

--------------------

Before JOLLY, JONES, and SMITH, Circuit Judges.

PER CURIAM:*

Theodore Johnson seeks to appeal the district court’s order

closing his lawsuit seeking review of the Secretary of the

Louisiana Department of Social Services’ decision to deny him

tuition assistance without prejudice to his right to reopen

proceedings after his state-court remedies are exhausted. 

This court must raise, sua sponte, the issue of its own

jurisdiction, if necessary. Mosley v. Cozby, 813 F.2d 659, 660

 Case: 03-31001 Document: 0051472202 Page: 1 Date Filed: 04/20/2004
No. 03-31001

-2-

(5th Cir. 1987). A timely notice of appeal is a mandatory

precondition to the exercise of appellate jurisdiction. 

Nelson v. Foti, 707 F.2d 170, 171 (5th Cir. 1983). Federal Rule

of Appellate Procedure 4(a)(1) requires that the notice of appeal

in a civil action be filed within 30 days of entry of the

judgment or order from which appeal is taken. 

Johnson did not file his notice of appeal within 30 days of

the entry of the order closing his case. The October 14, 2003,

notice of appeal is timely only as to the denial of his second

motion to reopen. However, Johnson makes no argument challenging

the denial of his motion to reopen and has thus waived the sole

ground for appeal. See Yohey v. Collins, 985 F.2d 222, 224-25

(5th Cir. 1993); FED. R. APP. P. 28(a)(9)(A). Consequently, the

appeal is DISMISSED. See Howard v. King, 707 F.2d 215, 219-20

(5th Cir. 1983); 5TH CIR. R. 42.2.

APPEAL DISMISSED.

 Case: 03-31001 Document: 0051472202 Page: 2 Date Filed: 04/20/2004