Opinion ID: 699226
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Disentitlement of access to federal trial courts.

Text: 51 Disentitlement applies to federal trial courts in civil cases as well as to appellate courts. 8 52 Civil litigation, in general: Schuster v. U.S., 765 F.2d 1047 (11th Cir.1985) (affirming the dismissal of a petition by a fugitive for review of a tax assessment); Doyle v. U.S. Dep't of Justice, 668 F.2d 1365 (D.C.Cir.1981) (affirming the dismissal of an FOIA suit by a fugitive seeking records), cert. denied, 455 U.S. 1002, 102 S.Ct. 1636, 71 L.Ed.2d 870 (1982); Dawkins v. Mitchell, 437 F.2d 646 (D.C.Cir.1970) (affirming the dismissal of a civil suit by a fugitive to enjoin enforcement of a warrant). 53 Section 1983 cases: Seibert v. Johnston, 381 F.Supp. 277 (E.D.Okla.1974) (dismissed for fugitivity); Beckett v. Cuyler, 523 F.Supp. 104 (E.D.Pa.1981) (Sec. 1983 case alleging unconstitutional conditions of confinement, case closed when petitioner escaped; Rule 60(b) motion to reopen denied based on Molinaro ). 9 54 Habeas corpus cases: Bailey v. U.S. Commanding Officer, 496 F.2d 324 (1st Cir.1974) (affirming the dismissal of a petition for habeas corpus by person AWOL from the Army); Clark v. Dalsheim, 663 F.Supp. 1095 (S.D.N.Y.1987) (fugitive from state conviction and from arrest warrants on other charges; petition for habeas dismissed); U.S. v. Collins, 651 F.Supp. 1177 (S.D.Fla.1987) (28 U.S.C. Sec. 2255 petition granted by court without knowledge that petitioner had just escaped; court sua sponte reinstated conviction and sentence and vacated relief granted); Potter v. Davis, 519 F.Supp. 621 (E.D.Tenn.1981) (state criminal appeal dismissed for fugitivity; federal habeas denied because decision proper under state law and federal law), aff'd, 701 F.2d 180 (6th Cir.1982) (table); Lewis v. Delaware State Hosp., 490 F.Supp. 177 (D.Del.1980) (petitioner fugitive from confinement in state mental hospital pursuant to finding of not guilty by reason of insanity). 55 Civil forfeiture cases: U.S. v. Timbers Preserve, 999 F.2d 452 (10th Cir.1993) (affirming the forfeiture of real estate in a default judgment against claimant for fugitivity); U.S. v. Eng, 951 F.2d 461 (2d Cir.1991) (affirming the default judgment against a fugitive in a forfeiture case); U.S. v. One Parcel of Real Estate, 868 F.2d 1214 (11th Cir.1989) (affirming the denial to a fugitive of access to trial of an in rem forfeiture action); U.S. v. $129,374 in U.S. Currency, 769 F.2d 583 (9th Cir.1985) (affirming the denial of a petition by a conservator of a fugitive's estate to intervene in a civil forfeiture case), cert. denied, 474 U.S. 1086, 106 S.Ct. 863, 88 L.Ed.2d 901 (1986); U.S. v. $45,940 in U.S. Currency, 739 F.2d 792 (2d Cir.1984) (affirming judgment on the pleadings for the government against a fugitive seeking remission of forfeited funds); U.S. v. Real Property Located at Incline Village, 47 F.3d 1511 (9th Cir.1995) (affirming order striking opposition to forfeiture of drug-related realty, filed by defendant who had fled to Switzerland from indictment on drug charges); U.S. v. One Parcel of Real Property, 776 F.Supp. 482 (W.D.Mo.1991) (opposition to forfeiture barred when filed by petitioner avoiding service of an outstanding warrant), aff'd, 982 F.2d 526 (8th Cir.1992) (table); U.S. v. $182,980 in U.S. Currency, 727 F.Supp. 1387 (D.Colo.1990) (default judgment against claimant for fugitivity). 10 56 Two forfeiture cases have emphasized the unwillingness of a fugitive to return to the United States to process a claim that he is himself asserting. In U.S. v. Eng, 951 F.2d 461 (2d Cir.1991), the litigant had fled to Hong Kong from a U.S. indictment charging RICO and narcotics violations. The district court denied his claim to property which was the subject of a civil forfeiture proceeding. In affirming, the Court of Appeals noted that he--like Mr. Prevot--was unwilling to return voluntarily to the United States to face criminal charges and would not agree to return to contest the forfeiture. Id. at 464-65. The Ninth Circuit, in Real Property Located at Incline Village, commented upon the petitioner's status as fugitive from an indictment: 57 At [the time of the district court's order] he was apparently free to return to the United States to contest the forfeiture action, but chose not to do so, presumably to avoid arrest on the criminal charges. Under these circumstances, Brian was a fugitive. See $129,374, 769 F.2d at 587-88 (It is important to recognize that Lewis has complete control over the protection of his property interests in this forfeiture proceeding; if he finds his interests are sufficiently worth defending, he can terminate his fugitive status and present his own defense.).... 58 Id. at 1516. 59