Opinion ID: 29331
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: jurisdictional or procedural error

Text: 9 The next question is whether a district judge's tardy referral order pursuant to § 636(b)(3) constitutes jurisdictional error. We review this question de novo. See e.g., Requena-Rodriguez v. Pasquarell, 190 F.3d 299, 302 (5th Cir.1999). 10 Generally, our precedent instructs that when analyzing a challenge to the district judge's delegation of authority to a magistrate judge pursuant to § 636(b), the dispositive question is whether the duty assigned to a magistrate judge is subject to meaningful review by a district judge. Jones v. Johnson, 134 F.3d 309, 311 (5th Cir.1998); accord Dees, 125 F.3d at 268. More specifically, we have explained repeatedly that when a district judge enters a judgment, defects in the order of referral are procedural matters that can be waived if not properly preserved. See e.g., Archie v. Christian, 808 F.2d 1132, 1134-35 (5th Cir.1987) (en banc); McLeod, Alexander, Powel & Apffel, P.C. v. Quarles, 925 F.2d 853, 857 (5th Cir.1991); EEOC v. West Louisiana Health Services, Inc., 959 F.2d 1277, 1282 (5th Cir.1992); Mendes Junior International Co. v. M/V Sokai Maru, 978 F.2d 920, 924 (5th Cir.1992); Koetting v. R.G. Thompson, 995 F.2d 37, 39 (5th Cir.1993). 3 11 Here, the magistrate judges' actions were subject to meaningful review by the district judge. A magistrate judge's taking of a guilty plea does not bind the district judge. Dees, 125 F.3d at 268. Instead, the district judge reserves ultimate control over the plea proceedings, which are submitted to the court for its approval. Id. (citation omitted). Further, a district judge reviews guilty plea proceedings de novo. Id. 12 In the cases at bar, the district judge reviewed the magistrate judges' reports and recommendations with respect to the appellants' guilty pleas and entered the respective judgments. By failing to object to the magistrate judges' actions, the appellants waived the right to raise this procedural defect as a basis for relief from their guilty pleas. 4 13 For the above reasons, we affirm the judgments of the district court.