United States Court of Appeals

for the Fifth Circuit

No. 20-60465

Jeffrey K. Davis, 

Plaintiff—Appellant,

versus

United States Marshals Service, an Agency of the United States 

of America; United States Department of Justice, an Agency of 

the United States of America, both by and through Loretta 

Lynch, the Attorney General of the United States of America; 

Metropolitan Security Services, Incorporated, doing 

business as Walden Security; Thomas Wight; David 

Harlow, 

Defendants—Appellees,

consolidated with

_____________

No. 20-60507

_____________

Jeffrey K. Davis, 

Plaintiff—Appellant,

versus

United States Court of Appeals

Fifth Circuit

FILED

March 25, 2021

Lyle W. Cayce

Clerk

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United States Marshals Service, an Agency of the United States 

of America; United States Department of Justice, an Agency of 

the United States of America; Metropolitan Security Services, 

Incorporated, doing business as Walden Security, 

Defendants—Appellees.

Appeal from the United States District Court

for the Northern District of Mississippi

USDC No. 3:16-CV-300

Before Elrod, Willett, and Engelhardt, Circuit Judges.

Per Curiam:*

Jeffrey Davis was offered a position as a district supervisor under a 

court security contract between the United States Marshals Service and 

Metropolitan Security Services d/b/a Walden Security. Davis brought a 

claim against the Department of Justice, United States Marshals Service, 

Metropolitan Security Systems, Inc., and two United States Marshals 

Service employees in their individual capacity for alleged denial of due 

process, breach of contract, and violation of rights under the Whistleblower 

Act after his contingent offer of employment was withdrawn. The district 

court dismissed the case. We vacate and remand with instructions to dismiss 

Davis’s breach-of-contract claim against the Federal Defendants for lack of 

jurisdiction, and affirm the district court’s dismissal of Davis’s other claims.

I. Background and Procedural History 

Jeffrey K. Davis (Davis) is a former employee of the United States

Marshals Service (Marshals Service). He began working for the Marshals 

* Pursuant to 5th Circuit Rule 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opinion should not be published and is not precedent except under the limited 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 Circuit Rule 47.5.4.

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Service in 1991. From 1998 to 2003, Davis was assigned as the Contracting 

Officer’s Technical Representative with oversight responsibilities for the 

Court Security Officers program in the U.S. District Court for the Northern 

District of Mississippi. Davis served in various non-supervisory positions in 

the Northern District of Mississippi, until the last three years of his service 

with the Marshals Service when he transferred to serve as the Operations

Supervisor for the Memphis, Tennessee office. In June or July 2011, Davis 

received written notification that he had been deemed “suitable” for 

continued employment. Davis’s suitability determination was to remain 

effective for five years. He retired in good standing with top secret security 

clearance in January 2013. 

While employed by the Marshals Service, Davis lodged various 

complaints, first raising contract violations, and subsequently claiming 

retaliation by Chief Deputy Marshal Kelly York for having made those 

complaints. According to Davis, all grievances were resolved in his favor. 

Despite these complaints, Davis continued his employment with the 

Marshals Service and was later promoted. 

Three years after retiring from the Marshals Service, Davis was 

approached by Marshals Service officials from the Northern District of 

Mississippi to inquire whether he was interested in the District Supervisor 

position, which was staffed under the Marshals Service’s court security 

agreement with Walden Security (Walden). Walden is a private security 

company that contracts with the Marshals Service to provide court security 

personnel as deputized Special U.S. Marshals. Walden provides these 

services under a written contract between Walden and the Marshals Service 

(the “Walden Contract”). The Walden Contract requires Walden to: (1) 

interview applicants, (2) conduct preliminary background checks, and (3) 

certify that the selected candidate meets the Marshals Service’s job 

qualifications. 

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On December 29, 2015, Walden indicated its intent to offer Davis a 

position, “contingent upon approval from the [Marshals Service].” Davis 

alleges that Walden informed him that he had been approved by the Marshals 

Service and allowed Davis to begin his contingent employment on January 5, 

2016, so that he could receive training from the retiring district supervisor. 

On January 7, 2016, however, Davis was informed by Mark Mancuso of 

Walden that the company had received notice from the Marshals Service that 

Davis was to be suspended from the contract. Walden employees told Davis 

that the “the Acting Director of the [Marshals Service], David Harlow, or 

the Office of General Counsel, informed Walden to ‘suspend’ Davis from 

the contract” and that “Acting Assistant Director of Judicial Security Tom 

Wight” had told Walden that Walden Security could find a more qualified 

candidate for the position, but refused to give any further information. 

After being notified of Walden’s non-employment decision, Davis 

filed a complaint with the Office of Special Counsel (OSC), alleging the 

Marshals Service retaliated against him for his prior whistleblowing 

activities. The OSC dismissed Davis’s complaint because the OSC does 

“not have investigative jurisdiction over complaints filed by contract 

employees.” Davis appealed the dismissal to the Merit System Protection 

Board (MSPB), which concluded that it had no jurisdiction because Davis 

was not an applicant for a position at a federal agency within the meaning of 

the federal whistleblower statute on which Davis relied. Davis was informed 

he had 30 days to file a petition of review of this decision by the United States 

Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Davis did not file a request for 

review by the Federal Circuit, but asserts he was not required to do so.

On December 28, 2016, Davis filed this action in the Northern District 

of Mississippi against the Marshals Service, the Department of Justice (DOJ) 

(collectively, “Federal Defendants”), David Harlow and Thomas Wight 

(collectively, “Individual Defendants”), and Walden. He alleged a denial of 

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due process under Bivens v. Six Unknown Named Agents of Federal Bureau of 

Narcotics, 403 U.S. 388 (1971) against the individually-named defendants, a 

breach of contract by Walden, and a breach of contract claim and a claim 

under the Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989, 5 U.S.C. § 2302(b)(8), 

against the Federal Defendants. He sought reinstatement, $500,000 in 

damages, and attorney’s fees and costs. 

On May 1, 2018, the district court dismissed Davis’s suit with 

prejudice as to the Federal Defendants and Individual Defendants for failure 

to state a claim. After the Federal Defendants and Individual Defendants 

were dismissed and the only remaining claim was against Walden for breach 

of contract, Davis sought discovery from the Federal Defendants. In 

response to Davis’s request under United States ex rel. Touhy v. Ragen, 340 

U.S. 462 (1951), the Marshals Service provided all of its personnel 

documents pertaining to Davis while he was employed by the Marshals 

Service, as well as the pertinent communications between the Marshals 

Service and Walden. Davis next filed a motion to compel a Rule 30(b)(6) 

deposition of the Marshals Service.

On July 17, 2019, the district court denied Davis’s motion to compel, 

concluding that the internal reasoning behind the Marshals Service’s 

communications to Walden was not relevant to Davis’s breach of contract 

claims against Walden for terminating him after receiving those 

communications.

On January 27, 2020, Walden filed its motion for summary judgment 

and memorandum in support. Davis responded to the motion and Walden 

replied. On April 23, 2020, the district court granted Walden’s motion for 

summary judgment and entered final judgment. Davis appeals several of the 

district court’s judgments—the motions to dismiss, the motion to compel, 

and the motion for summary judgment. 

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II. Government Defendants 

Davis first argues the district court erred in dismissing his claims 

against Federal Defendants and Individual Defendants under Rule 12(b)(6) 

for failing to state a claim. We review the district court’s grant of a motion 

to dismiss de novo. See Budhathoki v. Nielsen, 898 F.3d 504, 507 (5th Cir. 

2018). Rule 8(a)(2) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure provides, in a 

general way, the applicable standard of pleading. It requires that a complaint 

contain “a short and plain statement of the claim showing that the pleader is 

entitled to relief,” FED. R. CIV. P. 8(a)(2), “in order to ‘give the defendant 

fair notice of what the ... claim is and the grounds upon which it rests,’” Bell 

Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 555 (2007) (quoting Conley v. Gibson, 355 

U.S. 41, 47 (1957)). Although a complaint need not contain detailed factual 

allegations, the “showing” contemplated by Rule 8 requires the plaintiff to 

do more than simply allege legal conclusions or recite the elements of a cause 

of action. Twombly, 550 U.S. at 555.

A. Federal Defendants 

The district court dismissed the claims against Federal Defendants 

after finding that “Davis [was] not a party to the contract. Nor can he be 

considered a third-party beneficiary who would be entitled to enforce the 

contract, as the background investigation provisions are clearly not a promise 

made for Davis’ benefit.” Davis asserts the Walden Contract conferred 

procedural rights to Davis in the event of the Marshals Service’s unsuitability 

determination. For the purposes of his employment with Walden, Davis 

argues, the Marshals Service was a joint employer based on its degree of 

control over Walden’s employees and he was a third-party beneficiary under 

the Walden Contract. While Davis concedes that his employment as District 

Supervisor does not meet the technical definition of “covered position” set 

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forth in 5 U.S.C. § 2302(a)(2)(B), he argues that he should be able to proceed 

with his claim to “comport with the meaning and spirit of the Act.” 

1. Subject Matter Jurisdiction

Davis’s breach-of-contract claim raises a jurisdictional issue. For a 

cause of action to proceed against the United States and its agencies or 

officials in their official capacities, there must be a clear waiver of sovereign 

immunity, or the court lacks subject matter jurisdiction. See United States v. 

Sherwood, 312 U.S. 584, 586 (1941). Claims against the Government based in 

contract are within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Court of Federal Claims 

pursuant to the Tucker Act, 28 U.S.C. § 1491(a)(1). U.S. Marine, Inc. v. 

United States, 478 F. App’x 106, 108 (5th Cir. 2012). 

Davis’s complaint with the OSC was dismissed for lack of jurisdiction 

as a contract employee. Davis appealed the dismissal to the MSPB, which 

came to the same conclusion. Appellate jurisdiction over an adverse decision 

by the agency board is vested exclusively with the United States Court of 

Appeals for the Federal Circuit. 41 U.S.C. § 7107(a)(1); 

28 U.S.C. § 1295(a)(10). Alternatively, after an initial adverse decision by 

the contracting official, the contractor may seek de novo review in the Court 

of Federal Claims, with appellate review in the Federal Circuit. 28 U.S.C. § 

1295(a)(3). Davis did not appeal that decision to either this Court or the 

Federal Circuit, as required by 5 U.S.C. § 7703(b)(1)(A).

Davis asserts that the Tucker Act, 28 U.S.C. § 1346(a), provides that 

the district courts have subject matter jurisdiction over claims brought 

against the United States founded on express or implied contracts, and in 

support cites Awad v. United States, 2001 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8989 (N.D. Miss. 

2001) (Apr. 27, 2001). But Awad, unlike Davis, was directly contracting with 

the federal government. The Tucker Act, which waives the immunity of the 

United States for certain damages suits in the Court of Federal Claims, does 

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not create substantive rights, and a plaintiff relying on the Tucker Act must 

premise his damages action on other sources of law, like statutes or contracts. 

28 U.S.C. § 1491(a)(1); Maine Cmty. Health Options v. United States, 140 S. 

Ct. 1308 (2020). 

This court has previously examined a similar argument with a plaintiff 

attempting to invoke a statute implicated in her contract with a government 

agency (Title VII in her settlement agreement with her employment agency). 

See Charles v. McHugh, 613 F. App’x. 330, 332 (5th Cir. 2015). We held that 

her claims were not Title VII claims, but contractual claims, and dismissed 

the contract claim against the government agency for lack of jurisdiction.

Congress’s waiver of sovereign immunity for another statute could not 

confer jurisdiction on the contract case, and the plaintiff had no basis to 

enforce her contract with a government agency. Id. 

Davis further argues that Federal Defendants are incorrect that the

Contract Disputes Act of 1978 (CDA), 41 U.S.C. § 7101 et seq., applies to his 

breach of contract claim because Davis is not a “contractor” within the 

meaning of the Act. The Walden Contract is a federal contract between the 

United States and a government contractor for services. State law or a 

contract with a third party does not convey jurisdiction to sue the United 

States, because the right “can be acquired only by the specific consent of 

Congress,” which is not present in this case. United States. v. Transocean Air 

Lines, Inc., 386 F.2d 79, 81 (5th Cir. 1967) (denying jurisdiction for a suit 

against the U.S. government by third-party attorneys with a right to a portion 

of a government contractor’s claim against the United States, based on 

sovereign immunity).

The CDA applies to “express or implied” contracts, 

41 U.S.C. § 7102(a), and establishes a multi-tiered administrative review 

process. Congress expressly limited potential relief to “a party to a Federal 

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Government contract other than the Federal Government.” 41 U.S.C. § 

7101(7). Davis’s invocation of the Tucker Act does not confer jurisdiction 

over his breach of contract claim in light of the administrative and judicial 

scheme to resolve disputes between contractors and the federal government 

in the CDA, which imposes particular jurisdictional limitations upon suits 

involving government contracts for the performance of services. 

Our sister circuit recently analyzed a factually similar case. In 

Atterbury, a former employee of a private security contractor brought an

action against the Marshals Service and a contracting officer regarding the 

Marshals Service’s removal of the employee from a court security program, 

in which he served as a court security officer, which led to termination of his 

employment. Atterbury v. U.S. Marshals Serv., 805 F.3d 398 (2d Cir. 2015). 

Davis, like Atterbury, is not in privity with the United States. In its holding, 

the Second Circuit found that the provisions of the CDA apply only to 

contractors; i.e., a party to a federal government contract other than the 

federal government. 41 U.S.C. § 7101(7). Id. We agree. 

The CDA exclusively governs government contracts and government 

contract disputes and, when the CDA applies, it provides “the exclusive 

mechanism for dispute resolution.” Tex. Health Choice, L.C. v. Office of Pers. 

Mgmt., 400 F.3d 895, 898-99 (Fed. Cir. 2005). Further, the CDA does not 

permit appeals by anyone who is not a party to a Government contract other 

than the Government. Winter v. FloorPro, Inc., 570 F.3d 1367, 1371 (Fed. Cir. 

2009). Because Davis has not demonstrated his standing to enforce the terms 

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of the Walden Contract, we vacate and remand with instructions to the 

district court to dismiss Davis’s breach-of-contract claim without prejudice.

1

2. Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989

Davis concedes that his employment as district supervisor does not 

meet the definition of “covered position” set forth in 

5 U.S.C. § 2302(a)(2)(B), but argues he should be allowed to proceed with 

his claim “to comport with the spirit and meaning of the Act.” Davis cites 

no legal authority for this court to go beyond the clear intent of Congress to 

define a ‘covered position’ under 5 U.S.C. § 2302(a)(2)(B). 

We review questions of statutory interpretation de novo. In re Glenn, 

900 F.3d 187, 189 (5th Cir. 2018). The ordinary-meaning rule is the most 

fundamental semantic rule of interpretation. A. Scalia & B. Garner, Reading 

Law: The Interpretation of Legal Texts 69 (2012). “The task of statutory 

interpretation begins and, if possible, ends with the language of the statute.” 

Trout Point Lodge, Ltd. v. Handshoe, 729 F.3d 481, 486 (5th Cir. 2013). 

“When the language is plain, we ‘must enforce the statute’s plain meaning, 

unless absurd.’” Id. (quoting In re Nowlin, 576 F.3d 258, 261–62 (5th Cir. 

2009)); see also BedRoc Ltd. v. United States, 541 U.S. 176, 183 (2004) (“The 

preeminent canon of statutory interpretation requires [the court] to 

‘presume that [the] legislature says in a statute what it means and means in a 

statute what it says there.’” (quoting Conn. Nat’l Bank v. Germain, 503 U.S. 

249, 253–54 (1992)). Because Davis is not covered under the statute, we 

affirm dismissal of this claim.

B. Individual Defendants 

1 We must always be sure of our appellate jurisdiction and, if there is doubt, we 

must address it, sua sponte if necessary. In re Cortez, 457 F.3d 448 (5th Cir. 2006) (quoting

In re Chunn, 106 F.3d 1239, 1241 (5th Cir.1997)). 

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Next, Davis argues the district court erred in dismissing Davis’s due 

process claim against Harlow and Wight. Davis’s claim that he was denied 

Fifth and Fourteenth Amendment due process rights is brought pursuant to 

42 U.S.C. § 1983 and Bivens. The district court found that Davis failed to 

state a claim against the Individual Defendants and that Section 1983 cannot 

serve as a basis for Davis’s constitutional claims against the Individual 

Defendants. Section 1983 only applies to state actors. Davis concedes his 

Section 1983 claim and is no longer pursuing this claim because there are no 

state actors involved. As for Bivens, Davis has conceded that his claim 

“should be dismissed.”2

III. Discovery Ruling

Davis next argues that the district court abused its discretion by 

denying his motion to compel the DOJ to comply with a Rule 45 subpoena. 

The denial of this motion was made after the district court had dismissed the 

2 The Supreme Court has admonished the courts to exercise caution in the 

disfavored judicial activity of extending Bivens to any new set of facts. See Cantúv. Moody, 

933 F.3d 414, 421-22 (5th Cir. 2019) (citing Ziglar v. Abbasi, 137 S. Ct. 1843, 1857 (2017)). 

Davis argues that his case is analogous with the claims raised in Davis v. Passman, 442 U.S. 

228 (1979). In Passman, the equal protection component of the due process clause 

conferred on a female congressional staff member a federal constitutional right, personal to 

her, to be free from gender-based discrimination which was not substantially related to the 

achievement of an important governmental objective. Id. Davis asserts, under Passman, 

that he is not a “new category of defendant” nor would this case be a “new context” in 

applying Bivens. 

Davis’s claim would present a new Bivens context, despite the caution expressed 

in Cantú. “[T]he existence of a statutory scheme” governing breach of contract claims 

against the United States and for claims of reprisal in limited circumstances is, itself, a 

special factor counseling against recognizing an implied right under Bivens to sue individual 

officers. See Cantú, 933 F.3d at 423; Ziglar, 137 S. Ct. at 1858 (noting “that alone may limit 

the power of the Judiciary to infer a new Bivens cause of action”). That Congress has 

chosen not to provide a Bivens-type remedy against individuals in this highly regulated 

context weighs heavily against implying such a remedy here. Accordingly, Davis’s claims 

against Individual Defendants were properly dismissed.

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Federal Defendants and Individual Defendants from the case, leaving only 

the breach-of-contract claim against Walden remaining. We review the denial 

of a motion to compel discovery for abuse of discretion, Barrett v. Indep. 

Order of Foresters, 625 F.2d 73, 75 (5th Cir. 1980), mindful that a district court 

is afforded “broad discretion when deciding discovery matters.” Crosby v. 

La. Health Serv. & Indem. Co., 647 F.3d 258, 261 (5th Cir. 2011).

After dismissal, the only remaining claim was whether Walden had 

breached any contractual relationship with Davis. Davis contends a 

deposition of the DOJ is the only means by which he can discover why he was

found unsuitable. Davis sought to “obtain information concerning why the 

[DOJ] required his termination, information only the [DOJ] has in its 

possession.” Davis explains the DOJ objected to the Rule 30(6)(b) 

deposition of the Marshals Services because Davis could discover all the 

communication being sought “from other sources” and the requests were 

“unduly burdensome.” 

This court recognizes broad and liberal treatment of the federal 

discovery rules. U.S. v. Holley, 942 F.2d 916, 924 (5th Cir. 1991). In civil 

cases, parties are entitled to discover all information relevant to any party’s 

claim or defense that is not privileged. FED. R. CIV. P. 26(b)(1). Discovery 

requests are relevant when they seek evidence that is admissible or 

reasonably calculated to lead to the discovery of admissible evidence. Crosby 

v. Louisiana Health Serv. & Indem. Co., 647 F.3d 258 (5th Cir. 2011) (quoting 

Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(b)(1)).

As the party seeking to compel discovery, Davis has the burden of 

demonstrating clearly that the information sought is relevant to the case and 

would lead to admissible evidence. See SEC v. AmeriFirst Funding, Inc., 2008 

WL 926587, at *2 (N.D. Tex. Apr. 7, 2008). Likewise, as the parties resisting 

discovery, Federal Defendants must specifically articulate how each 

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discovery request is not relevant or is overly broad, burdensome, or 

oppressive. In re Micron Tech, Inc. v. Sec. Litigation, 264 F.R.D. 7, 9 (D.D.C. 

2010); Export Worldwide, Ltd. v. Knight, 241 F.R.D. 259, 263 (W.D. Tex. 

2006); Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(b)(1). 

Davis has not met his burden to demonstrate why the materials were 

necessary to his remaining breach of contract claim against Walden. The 

DOJ’s decision that Davis was not suitable to perform under the contract

might be questionable to Davis, but the contract gave Walden no right of 

input to nor oversight of the government’s suitability decision. The DOJ’s 

reasoning does not have anything to do with whether Walden Security 

breached its contract with Davis.

In light of the circumstances at the time of the ruling,3 including the 

reasonableness of the discovery after Federal Defendants had been 

dismissed, we find that the district court did not abuse its discretion in 

denying Davis’s motion to compel discovery. 

IV. Walden 

Lastly, Davis argues the district court erred in granting Walden’s 

motion for summary judgment and dismissing the breach of contract claim.

3 There is also a procedural defect in Davis’s motion. Subpoenas seeking to compel 

government employees to produce information have been quashed where a Touhy

determination has been made by a federal agency that information should not be provided, 

as occurred here. See Boron Oil Co. v. Downie, 873 F.2d 67, 69 (4th Cir. 1989) (quashing 

subpoena against EPA employees on the basis of a Touhy determination); State of La. v. 

Sparks, 978 F.2d 226 (5th Cir. 1992) (Touhy regulations give DOJ authority to refuse to 

comply with a subpoena ordering disclosure of confidential files when the United States is 

not a party to a legal action). Once the government issued a decision under Touhy, Davis 

was required to file a separate suit under the Administrative Procedure Act to challenge 

that final decision made by the agency. See Moore v. Armour Pharm. Co., 927 F.2d 1194,

1197-98 (11th Cir. 1991). He failed to do so, instead filing a motion to compel in the District 

of Columbia.

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We review the district court’s grant of a motion for summary judgment de 

novo, and we apply the same standard as the district court, viewing the 

evidence in the light most favorable to the nonmovant. First Am. Title Ins. 

Co. v. Continental Cas. Co., 709 F.3d 1170, 1173 (5th Cir. 2013). Summary 

judgment is appropriate where “there is no genuine dispute as to any material 

fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” FED. R.

CIV. P. 56(a). 

1. Suitability Determination 

Davis’s Amended Complaint and testimony allege that the Marshals 

Service wrongfully caused his removal from his employment with Walden.

Other than following the Marshals Service’s order to remove him, Davis 

asserts no other grounds that Walden wrongfully removed him. It is 

undisputed that Walden sent Davis a letter stating that Walden removed him 

because the Marshals Service did not approve his recommendation for 

employment after concluding their final review.

The suitability determination in the Walden Contract is not made for 

Davis’s benefit. Rather, it is made for the Marshals Service to “determine 

whether the individual’s presence or performance under this contract could 

pose a potential threat or risk to the U.S. Courts, the Marshals Service, or the 

public.” Walden was not responsible for conducting a suitability 

determination – or for ensuring that the Marshals Service conducted one.

2. Breach of Contract 

Davis does not allege that he had a written contract with Walden.

Because Davis did not have a written contract with Walden and was not a 

third-party beneficiary of the Walden Contract, he argues that the 

contractual obligations of the Walden Contract were incorporated through 

his offer letter from Walden which expressly stated (1) that it was not an 

employment contract, (2) that his employment was at-will, and (3) that it was 

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“contingent upon approval by the Marshals Service.” The offer letter did 

not mention the Walden Contract. 

It is undisputed that Walden was Davis’s employer. Davis bases his 

breach of contract claim entirely on the Walden Contract, and claims to be a 

third-party beneficiary of the Walden Contract. The right of the third-party 

beneficiary to maintain an action on the contract must spring from the terms 

of the contract itself. Burns v. Washington Sav., 251 Miss. 789, 796, 171 So. 

2d 322, 325 (1965). Here, the terms did not include Davis, and Davis does 

not argue that Walden breached the Walden Contract. Davis’s claims against 

Walden were properly dismissed. 

V. Conclusion 

For the foregoing reasons, we VACATE and REMAND with 

instructions for the district court to dismiss Davis’s breach-of-contract claim

against the Federal Defendants without prejudice for lack of jurisdiction, and 

AFFIRM the district court’s dismissal of the remainder of Davis’s claims.

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