Court Opinion

ID: 9949193
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2024-03-09 01:00:30.639061+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:28:47.479085
License: Public Domain

Case: 23-50708            Document: 35-1         Page: 1      Date Filed: 03/08/2024

           United States Court of Appeals
                for the Fifth Circuit
                                   ____________
                                                                             United States Court of Appeals
                                                                                      Fifth Circuit
                                    No. 23-50708
                                  Summary Calendar                                  FILED
                                  ____________                                  March 8, 2024
                                                                               Lyle W. Cayce
James E. Russell,                                                                   Clerk

                                                                  Plaintiff—Appellant,

                                          versus

Austin Community College, (ACCelerator Staff),

                                             Defendant—Appellee.
                   ______________________________

                   Appeal from the United States District Court
                        for the Western District of Texas
                             USDC No. 1:23-CV-788
                   ______________________________

Before Clement, Duncan, and Douglas, Circuit Judges.
Per Curiam: *
       James E. Russell filed a pro se civil complaint in the district court,
alleging that staff members at Austin Community College (ACC) violated
Texas Penal Code § 37.08 by filing a false police report against him, and that
they violated his constitutional right to free speech. He also suggested in

       _____________________
       *
           This opinion is not designated for publication. See 5th Cir. R. 47.5.
Case: 23-50708        Document: 35-1       Page: 2    Date Filed: 03/08/2024

                                 No. 23-50708

conclusory terms that he was a target of harassment and racial profiling. The
district court dismissed the complaint for lack of subject matter jurisdiction.
       On appeal, Russell contends for the first time that the ACC staff
violated his constitutional right to privacy, Texas Penal Code § 42.06, and
the Privacy Act of 1974. See 5 U.S.C. § 552a. This court, however, will not
consider new theories of relief presented for the first time on appeal. See
Leverette v. Louisville Ladder Co., 183 F.3d 339, 342 (5th Cir. 1999); Yohey v.
Collins, 985 F.2d 222, 225 (5th Cir. 1993).
       As to the claims he did raise, we review “de novo a district court’s
order dismissing a case for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction.” Khalil v.
Hazuda, 833 F.3d 463, 466 (5th Cir. 2016). Russell failed to allege facts that
would support either diversity of citizenship jurisdiction or federal question
jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. §§ 1331, 1332. Further, his brief on appeal does
not meaningfully address the district court’s jurisdictional analysis.
       Accordingly, the judgment of the district court is AFFIRMED.

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