Court Opinion

ID: 9383646
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-03-30 21:01:14.664031+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:17:47.158420
License: Public Domain

USCA4 Appeal: 22-6852     Doc: 9        Filed: 03/29/2023   Pg: 1 of 4

                                           UNPUBLISHED

                              UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
                                  FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT

                                             No. 21-7716

        LINWOOD WHITEHEAD,

                           Plaintiff - Appellant,

                     v.

        MS. ROOKS, Correction Officer,

                           Defendant - Appellee.

                                             No. 22-6852

        LINWOOD WHITEHEAD,

                           Plaintiff - Appellant,

                     v.

        MS. ROOKS, Correction Officer,

                           Defendant - Appellee.

        Appeals from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, at
        Norfolk. Raymond A. Jackson, Senior District Judge. (2:19-cv-00326-RAJ-RJK)

        Submitted: February 27, 2023                                Decided: March 29, 2023
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        Before HARRIS, QUATTLEBAUM, and HEYTENS, Circuit Judges.

        Dismissed by unpublished per curiam opinion.

        Linwood Whitehead, Appellant Pro Se.

        Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit.

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        PER CURIAM:

               In these consolidated appeals, Linwood Whitehead seeks to appeal the district

        court’s orders dismissing his 42 U.S.C. § 1983 action without prejudice for failure to

        prosecute * (No. 22-7716) and denying his Fed. R. App. P. 4(a)(6) motion (No. 22-6852).

        We dismiss the appeals for lack of jurisdiction because the notices of appeal were not

        timely filed.

               In civil cases, parties have 30 days after the entry of the district court’s final

        judgment or order to note an appeal, Fed. R. App. P. 4(a)(1)(A), unless the district court

        extends the appeal period under Fed. R. App. P. 4(a)(5) or reopens the appeal period under

        Rule 4(a)(6). “[T]he timely filing of a notice of appeal in a civil case is a jurisdictional

        requirement.” Bowles v. Russell, 551 U.S. 205, 214 (2007).

               The district court entered its order dismissing Whitehead’s § 1983 action on July 27,

        2021. Whitehead filed the notice of appeal on December 10, 2021. The district court

        entered its order denying Whitehead’s motion to reopen the appeal period on June 22, 2022.

        Whitehead filed the notice of appeal on July 25, 2022. Because Whitehead failed to file a

        timely notice of appeal or to obtain an extension or reopening of the appeal period in either

        case, we dismiss the appeals.

               *
                 We previously remanded to the district court to determine whether Whitehead was
        entitled to a reopening of the appeal period under Fed. R. App. P. 4(a)(6). Whitehead v.
        Rooks, No. 22-7716, 2022 WL 989351 (4th Cir. Apr. 1, 2022). On remand, the district
        court denied Whitehead’s motion to reopen the appeal period.

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              We dispense with oral argument because the facts and legal contentions are

        adequately presented in the materials before this court and argument would not aid the

        decisional process.

                                                                                 DISMISSED

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