Opinion ID: 785861
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Officers Longo and Capuana

Text: 33 The Rivas family has moved to dismiss the appeals of Officers Longo and Capuana. 4 Although both officers filed a notice of appeal, they did not submit written briefs. Pursuant to Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 31(c), [i]f an appellant fails to file a brief within the time provided by this rule, or within an extended time, an appellee may move to dismiss the appeal. 34 Unlike a notice of appeal, which if not filed divests our Court of jurisdiction, an appellant's failure to file an appellate brief does not deprive a federal appellate court of jurisdiction and consequently, without more, we do not dismiss an appeal if an appellant fails to file a brief within the prescribed time limits. See Marcaida v. Rascoe, 569 F.2d 828, 830 (5th Cir.1978). We do, however, retain discretion to dismiss such appeals and we choose to invoke that sanction here against Officer Longo because he has neither submitted a written brief nor provided an explanation for his failure to do so. Indeed, Officer Longo did not even respond to the motion to dismiss his appeal. 35 We will not, however, dismiss Officer Capuana's appeal. Unlike Officer Longo, Officer Capuana submitted a letter from his attorney advising us that he was joining in Officer Callaghan's brief. Although the Rivas family contends that Officer Capuana's reliance on the Callaghan brief is tantamount to filing no brief at all because Officer Callaghan's brief contains no reference to the actions of Officer Capuana, we are not persuaded by that argument. It is true that Officer Callaghan's brief does not focus on Officer Capuana's conduct, but the record contains substantial testimony from, and concerning, Officer Capuana. Moreover, Officers Capuana and Callaghan are similarly situated as they, together with Officer Slater, were the first three officers on the scene and together they restrained Mr. Rivas on the living room floor. Consequently, the legal arguments presented in Officer Callaghan's brief apply, in large part, to Officer Capuana as well. For these reasons, we deny the Rivas family's motion to dismiss Officer Capuana's appeal.