Court Opinion

ID: 9375345
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-02-27 16:00:54.335049+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:16:57.990949
License: Public Domain

Case: 22-40594         Document: 00516656445             Page: 1      Date Filed: 02/27/2023

              United States Court of Appeals
                   for the Fifth Circuit
                                      ____________                           United States Court of Appeals
                                                                                      Fifth Circuit

                                       No. 22-40594
                                                                                      FILED
                                                                             February 27, 2023
                                     Summary Calendar
                                     ____________                               Lyle W. Cayce
                                                                                     Clerk
   Richard Scott Shafer,

                                                                    Plaintiff—Appellant,

                                             versus

   Lieutenant Javier Muro; Sergeant Nestor S. Ochoa,

                                               Defendants—Appellees.
                      ______________________________

                      Appeal from the United States District Court
                          for the Southern District of Texas
                                USDC No. 2:20-CV-167
                      ______________________________

   Before Jones, Haynes, and Oldham, Circuit Judges.
   Per Curiam: *
          Richard Scott Shafer, Texas prisoner # 01680002, appeals the
   dismissal of his 42 U.S.C. § 1983 complaint. The appellees argue that this
   court lacks jurisdiction because Shafer failed to timely file a notice of appeal.
   Responsive to this argument, Shafer asserts that his multiple postjudgment
   motions filed pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 59(e) tolled the

          _____________________
          *
              This opinion is not designated for publication. See 5th Cir. R. 47.5.
Case: 22-40594      Document: 00516656445           Page: 2    Date Filed: 02/27/2023

                                     No. 22-40594

   time for filing a notice of appeal and that his notice was timely filed following
   the denial of those motions. He also moves for the appointment of counsel.
          A timely “notice of appeal in a civil case is a jurisdictional
   requirement.” Bowles v. Russell, 551 U.S. 205, 214 (2007); Fed. R. App.
   P. 4(a)(1)(A). Under Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 4, the filing of
   certain postjudgment motions, including a timely Federal Rule of Civil
   Procedure 59(e) motion, renders a notice of appeal ineffective until an order
   is entered disposing of the motion. Fed. R. App. P. 4(a)(4)(B)(i); see Fed.
   R. App. P. 4(a)(4)(A)(iv); see also Simmons v. Reliance Standard Life Ins. Co.
   of Tex., 310 F.3d 865, 868 (5th Cir. 2002). Although Shafer filed a timely
   Rule 59(e) motion following entry of final judgment, he did not appeal after
   the court denied that motion but instead filed objections to the denial. Those
   objections, even if construed as a second Rule 59(e) motion, did not suspend
   the 30-day period for appeal. See Charles L.M. v. Northeast Independent School
   Dist., 884 F.2d 869, 870-71 (5th Cir. 1989); Ellis v. Richardson, 471 F.2d 720,
   721 (5th Cir. 1973). Shafer’s notice of appeal was filed on August 24, 2022,
   more than 30 days after the final judgment and the May 9, 2022 denial of the
   initial Rule 59(e) motion. Thus, this court lacks jurisdiction over any such
   appeal. See Bowles, 551 U.S. at 214; Fed. R. App. P. 4(a)(1)(A). Likewise,
   the notice of appeal is untimely as to the denial of Shafer’s second
   postjudgment motion. See Fed. R. App. P. 4(a)(1)(A).
          Accordingly, the appeal is DISMISSED for lack of jurisdiction. The
   motion for appointment of counsel is DENIED.

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