Opinion ID: 796936
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Motions Panel Rulings

Text: 23 Finally, Beverly asks us to reconsider the following two orders issued by motions panels of this court during the pendency of her appeal: (1) a February 6, 2006, order holding that she is not legally authorized to act for Joseph and dismissing him from the appeal; and (2) a March 30, 2006, order imposing sanctions on Beverly for filing frivolous motions and unnecessarily burdening this court. 24 Motions panel decisions are tentative and subject to reexamination by the merits panel. Stifel, Nicolaus & Co. v. Woolsey & Co., 81 F.3d 1540, 1544 (10th Cir.1996). With respect to the first order, Beverly argues that under Colorado law, she has standing to pursue claims on behalf of her father, and therefore, the motions panel committed error in dismissing him from the appeal. In support, she cites In re Estate of Milstein v. Ayers, 955 P.2d 78, 81 (Colo.Ct.App.1998), a case in which the court permitted a son to bring claims on behalf of his incapacitated mother over the objections of her guardian. In Ayers, the court held that [b]ecause a guardianship proceeding involves a potential deprivation of fundamental rights and liberties, it implicates constitutional issues. Id. at 81. Therefore, it held that the concept of third-party standing applied to guardianship proceedings. Id. 25 We agree with Beverly that under Ayers, she has standing to pursue claims on behalf of her father involving alleged deprivations of his constitutional rights. Neither Ayers nor any other case that she cites, however, sanctions the practice of asserting such claims pro se. 5 As the motions panel held in its February 6, 2006, order, under this court's precedent, even if Beverly were Joseph's legal guardian, she would not be able to bring suit on his behalf without the assistance of counsel. See Meeker v. Kercher, 782 F.2d 153, 154 (10th Cir.1986) (holding that father did not have right to represent minor daughters pro se). 26 It goes without saying that it is not in the interests of minors or incompetents that they be represented by non-attorneys. Where they have claims that require adjudication, they are entitled to trained legal assistance so their rights may be fully protected. 27 Cheung v. Youth Orchestra Found. of Buffalo, 906 F.2d 59, 61 (2d Cir.1990). As the Cheung court noted, to allow guardians to bring pro se litigation also invites abuse, as the present case may demonstrate. Although Beverly claims to be a licensed attorney, she is not licensed in the State of Colorado and she has neither sought nor been granted permission to practice before this court. Accordingly, she has no right to prosecute this appeal on Joseph's behalf, and the motions panel correctly dismissed him from the appeal. 28 In the March 30, 2006, order, the motions panel sanctioned Beverly in the amount of $500 for filing frivolous motions seeking unwarranted relief. See 10th Cir. R. 46.5(B)(2). Within three months of her appeal being docketed, Beverly filed between five and seven motions, depending on how you count them, seeking everything from an emergency writ of mandamus on Joseph's behalf to an order requiring the clerk of this court to serve her via email. A motions panel denied the motions and warned Beverly that repeated violations of 10th Cir. R. 46.5 would potentially lead to sanctions. On March 7, 2006, after Beverly twice sought reconsideration of a decided issue, she was ordered to show cause why sanctions should not be imposed. The motions panel ordered the sanctions upon receiving Beverly's response. 29 This court has the inherent power to impose sanctions that are necessary to regulate its docket, promote judicial efficiency, and deter frivolous filings. Christensen v. Ward, 916 F.2d 1462, 1469 (10th Cir.1990). Beverly's repeated frivolous motions have caused this court to expend valuable time and resources that could have been better spent addressing meritorious arguments advanced by rule-abiding litigants. We therefore uphold the March 30, 2006, order. We further ORDER that Beverly shall not be permitted to pursue additional appeals in this court until she provides adequate proof that she has complied with the sanctions imposed in this case. Christensen v. Ward, 916 F.2d 1485, 1485 (10th Cir.1990) 30 The judgment of the district court is AFFIRMED. Beverly's request to vacate the orders of February 6, 2006, and March 30, 2006, is DENIED, and all other pending motions are DENIED as moot.