Court Opinion

ID: 9890559
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-10-13 16:01:30.135483+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:20:40.950095
License: Public Domain

Case: 23-129    Document: 20-1     Page: 1    Filed: 10/13/2023

            NOTE: This order is nonprecedential.

    United States Court of Appeals
        for the Federal Circuit
                   ______________________

               In re: JOSEPH WITCHARD,
                          Petitioner
                   ______________________

                          2023-129
                   ______________________

    On Petition for Writ of Mandamus to the United States
 Court of Federal Claims in No. 1:22-cv-01818-MHS, Judge
 Matthew H. Solomson.
                  ______________________

               ON PETITION AND MOTION
                  ______________________

 PER CURIAM.
                         ORDER
     Joseph Witchard petitions this court for a writ of man-
 damus and moves for leave to amend his petition. Mr.
 Witchard also moves pursuant to Rule 8 of the Federal
 Rules of Appellate Procedure to enjoin his “unjust impris-
 onment sentence of 331-months . . . in lieu of awaiting . . .
 decision in this petition for a writ of mandamus.” ECF No.
 18 at 1 (some capitalization omitted). For the following
 reasons, we deny his petition and motion for an injunction.
     Mr. Witchard, who is currently incarcerated, filed this
 suit in the United States Court of Federal Claims, alleging
 unjust fraud convictions and imprisonment. In April 2023,
Case: 23-129    Document: 20-1     Page: 2   Filed: 10/13/2023

 2                                           IN RE: WITCHARD

 the Court of Federal Claims stayed proceedings pending its
 determination on jurisdiction. Mr. Witchard then filed this
 petition seeking to vacate the stay. While the petition was
 pending, the Court of Federal Claims dismissed for, inter
 alia, lack of jurisdiction. Mr. Witchard subsequently
 sought to amend his petition to challenge the dismissal and
 for this court to remand with instructions to grant default
 judgment against the United States.
     A party seeking a writ of mandamus bears the burden
 of demonstrating to the court that it has no “adequate al-
 ternative” means to obtain the desired relief, Mallard v.
 U.S. Dist. Court for the S. Dist. of Iowa, 490 U.S. 296, 309
 (1989), and that the right to issuance of the writ is “clear
 and indisputable,” Will v. Calvert Fire Ins., 437 U.S. 655,
 666 (1978). Mr. Witchard has not met that standard. The
 challenge to the stay is now moot in light of the entry of
 final judgment. Moreover, any request for relief from the
 final judgment could have been sought by filing a timely
 notice of appeal. Mr. Witchard did not file a notice of ap-
 peal, however, and his time for doing so has now expired.
     We further decline to construe his request to amend his
 petition as a timely notice of appeal. Mr. Witchard has
 shown the ability on multiple occasions to file a notice of
 appeal. Moreover, allowing this case to proceed on appeal
 would be futile. Mr. Witchard can make no cognizable,
 non-frivolous argument that the Court of Federal Claims
 had jurisdiction to review his prior criminal cases and
 grant his request to discharge him from prison. See Joshua
 v. United States, 17 F.3d 378, 380 (Fed. Cir. 1994). Nor has
 he alleged that his conviction was reversed or set aside or
 that he has been pardoned as is required under 28 U.S.C.
 § 2513 to state a claim under 28 U.S.C. § 1495.* For the

     *   The final judgment of the Court of Federal Claims
 also imposed a filing restriction on Mr. Witchard, which he
 has not challenged in any of his papers submitted.
Case: 23-129   Document: 20-1     Page: 3    Filed: 10/13/2023

 IN RE: WITCHARD                                           3

 same reasons, we deny Mr. Witchard’s request for an in-
 junction. See Nken v. Holder, 556 U.S. 418, 434 (2009) (re-
 quiring, among other things, a movant to show a
 reasonable likelihood of success on the merits).
     Accordingly,
     IT IS ORDERED THAT:
     The court grants leave to amend the petition and will
 provide Mr. Witchard a copy of this court’s docket sheet
 with this order. All other requested relief is denied.
                                        FOR THE COURT

 October 13, 2023                       /s/ Jarrett B. Perlow
      Date                              Jarrett B. Perlow
                                        Clerk of Court