Court Opinion

ID: 2964156
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2015-09-21 21:21:27.537786+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T11:42:51.476586
License: Public Domain

USCA1 Opinion

	

          June 28, 1996
                                [NOT FOR PUBLICATION]

                            UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
                                FOR THE FIRST CIRCUIT
                                 ____________________

        No. 95-2159
        No. 95-2160

                                CHRISTOPHER HIGHTOWER,

                                Plaintiff, Appellant,

                                          v.

                             GEORGE A. VOSE, JR., ET AL.,

                                Defendants, Appellees.

                                 ____________________

                    APPEALS FROM THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

                           FOR THE DISTRICT OF RHODE ISLAND

                     [Hon. Ernest C. Torres, U.S. District Judge]
                                             ___________________

                                 ____________________

                                        Before

                                Torruella, Chief Judge,
                                           ___________
                           Stahl and Lynch, Circuit Judges.
                                            ______________

                                 ____________________

            Christopher Hightower on brief pro se.
            _____________________
            Michael B.  Grant, Senior Legal  Counsel, Rhode Island  Department
            _________________
        of Corrections, on brief for appellees.

                                 ____________________

                                 ____________________

                      Per Curiam.   On September 14,  1995, United States
                      __________

            marshals  removed  appellant Christopher  Hightower,  a Rhode

            Island state prisoner, from the Menard Correctional Center in

            Illinois and transported him to Rhode Island for bench trials

            in civil  actions Nos.  93-0286T,  94-0364T.   On October  2,

            1995, the district court  dismissed both cases with prejudice

            after Hightower  failed to  present any evidence.   Hightower

            appeals both dismissals.    

                      We treat the district court's  dismissals as issued

            pursuant  to Rule 41(b),  and we find no  error.1  See, e.g.,
                                                            1  ___  ____

            Zagano  v. Fordham University, 900 F.2d 12, 14 (2d Cir.) ("It
            ______     __________________

            is  beyond dispute that a  district court may  dismiss a case

            under Rule  41(b) when  the plaintiff  refuses to  go forward

            with a  properly scheduled  trial."), cert. denied,  498 U.S.
                                                  ____________

            899 (1990).  In civil action No. 93-0286T, Hightower had more

            than  ample time to conduct discovery  and prepare for trial.

            Although the  discovery period  in civil action  No. 94-0364T

            was  relatively   brief,  Hightower  does   not  state   what

            additional discovery was necessary  to prepare for trial much

                                
            ____________________

               1Appellant suggests without  developed argumentation  that
               1
            the district court might have relied on Fed. R. Civ. P. 52(c)
            as authority for the  dismissals.  We need not  consider this
            possibility   since  it  would  not  alter  our  disposition.
            Appellant also  suggests that  the dismissal of  civil action
            No. 93-0286T was based,  in the alternative, on Fed.  R. Civ.
            P. 12(b)(6) and  Sandin v.  Conner, 115 S.  Ct. 2293  (1995).
                             ______     ______
            Since the dismissal can  be upheld under Rule 41(b),  we need
            not resolve  whether the  complaint in civil  action No.  93-
            0286T states a claim.  

                                         -3-

            less adequately explain why he was  unable to accomplish it.2
                                                                        2

            Under  the circumstances,  we  cannot say  that the  district

            court  abused  its  discretion  by  insisting  that Hightower

            proceed to trial, and then dismissing the case when Hightower

            failed to present any evidence.  See Capo v. United States, 7
                                             ___ ____    _____________

            F.3d 283,  284  (1st  Cir.  1993) (stating  that  Rule  41(b)

            dismissals  are reviewed  for  abuse  of discretion);  Amarin
                                                                   ______

            Plastics,  Inc. v. Maryland Cup Corp., 946 F.2d 147, 151 (1st
            _______________    __________________

            Cir.  1991) (observing  that the  district court  is accorded

            broad discretion to grant or deny continuances).

                      Contrary to Hightower's suggestion, we do not think

            his pending motions for a  continuance can excuse his failure

            to  be prepared for trial.  Rule  21(a) of the Local Rules of

            the District  of Rhode Island  warns litigants that  "a trial

            date  will not be vacated nor a continuance granted except in

            the  most extraordinary  circumstances," and  Hightower could

            not rely on the possibility that the  court would rule in his

            favor.   To hold otherwise,  would be to  permit litigants to

            manipulate trial dates.  

                      Hightower  also complains  that he  was transported

            from  Illinois  to Rhode  Island  without  any of  his  legal

            documents.  We are  unmoved by this complaint in  the absence

                                
            ____________________

               2Contrary to Hightower's suggestion, Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(d)
               2
            is  inoperative in the District of Rhode Island insofar as it
            restricts the  commencement of discovery.   See General Order
                                                        ___
            of the District of Rhode Island dated May 9, 1994.

                                         -4-

            of  some explanation of what these documents are and why they

            were necessary.    Hightower also  fails  to state,  and  the

            record before us fails to show, that he brought the matter to

            the  district  court's   attention  and  explained   why  the

            documents were essential.   We add that  Hightower could have

            proceeded to offer his own testimony as  evidence.  If he had

            done  so, and if the record had contained some description of

            the documents left in  Illinois, we would be in a position to

            assess whether Hightower suffered  any prejudice.  As it  is,

            there is no basis for a finding of error.  

                      Finally, we  add that  Local Rule 9  authorizes the

            placement of cases on a continuous trial calendar.  Hightower

            has not identified what witnesses he wished to call or stated

            whether he attempted to subpoena them once it became apparent

            that  the cases  were  proceeding towards  trial.   Under the

            circumstances,  we are  unpersuaded  that he  was "forced  to

            trial without  any witnesses."  We  have carefully considered

            Hightower's remaining arguments and reject them either on the

            ground that they are  meritless or are waived for  failure to

            raise in the court below.      

                      Affirmed.
                      _________

                                         -5-