Court Opinion

ID: 9882138
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-10-05 15:01:27.227485+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:58:51.945027
License: Public Domain

Case: 23-1371    Document: 12     Page: 1   Filed: 10/05/2023

           NOTE: This order is nonprecedential.

   United States Court of Appeals
       for the Federal Circuit
                  ______________________

        PEARLETTE SARACEIN MOURNING,
                   Petitioner

                             v.

             DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE,
                      Respondent
                ______________________

                        2023-1371
                  ______________________

    Petition for review of the Merit Systems Protection
 Board in No. CH-0752-22-0129-I-1.
                 ______________________

                      ON MOTION
                  ______________________

   Before DYK, CUNNINGHAM, and STARK, Circuit Judges.
 PER CURIAM.
                        ORDER
     Pearlette Saracein Mourning filed an appeal with the
 Merit Systems Protection Board to challenge her removal,
 alleging racial discrimination and retaliation as affirma-
 tive defenses. The administrative judge affirmed. Ms.
 Mourning then petitioned this court for review. On March
 17, 2023, we dismissed for failure to file the required
Case: 23-1371    Document: 12      Page: 2    Filed: 10/05/2023

 2                                      MOURNING v. DEFENSE

 statement concerning discrimination and to pay the dock-
 eting fee. On June 1, 2023, Ms. Mourning submitted,
 among other things, a motion to proceed in forma pauperis,
 her statement concerning discrimination, and her informal
 opening brief. The Department of Defense (DOD) now
 moves to waive the requirements of Federal Circuit Rule
 27(f) and dismiss this petition for lack of jurisdiction. Ms.
 Mourning has not responded to that motion.
     In her filings before this court, Ms. Mourning indicates
 that she does not wish to abandon her discrimination
 claims. See ECF No. 10 at 1–3; ECF No. 7 at 2. We have
 jurisdiction to review final decisions from the Board, except
 in “[c]ases of discrimination subject to the provisions of [5
 U.S.C. §] 7702,” 5 U.S.C. §§ 7703(b)(2), (b)(1)(A). Those
 cases, which involve appeals to the Board and allegations
 of covered discrimination, 5 U.S.C. § 7702(a)(1), belong in
 district court. 5 U.S.C. § 7703(b)(2); Perry v. Merit Sys.
 Prot. Bd., 582 U.S. 420, 432 (2017); Diggs v. Dep’t of Hous.
 & Urb. Dev., 670 F.3d 1353, 1357 (Fed. Cir. 2011). Alt-
 hough DOD requests dismissal, we deem it appropriate to
 reinstate and to transfer the case, pursuant to 28 U.S.C.
 § 1631, to the United States District Court for the Southern
 District of Illinois, where Ms. Mourning resides and where
 the employment action occurred.
     Accordingly,
     IT IS ORDERED THAT:
     (1) The court’s mandate is recalled, the March 17,
 2023, dismissal order is vacated, and the petition is rein-
 stated.
     (2) DOD’s motion, ECF No. 11, is denied.
    (3) This case and all filings are transferred to the
 United States District Court for the Southern District of
Case: 23-1371      Document: 12   Page: 3      Filed: 10/05/2023

 MOURNING v. DEFENSE                                         3

 Illinois pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1631.
                                          FOR THE COURT

 October 5, 2023                          /s/ Jarrett B. Perlow
       Date                               Jarrett B. Perlow
                                          Clerk of Court