Court Opinion

ID: 9403533
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-06-21 15:02:38.152227+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:20:08.825282
License: Public Domain

Case: 23-1616    Document: 10     Page: 1   Filed: 06/13/2023

           NOTE: This order is nonprecedential.

   United States Court of Appeals
       for the Federal Circuit
                  ______________________

                    JAMES MCHUGH,
                       Petitioner

                             v.

        SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS,
                    Respondent
              ______________________

                        2023-1616
                  ______________________

                    Petition for review.
                  ______________________

                      ON MOTION
                  ______________________

     Before PROST, REYNA, and STARK, Circuit Judges.
 PER CURIAM.
                        ORDER
     The Secretary of Veterans Affairs moves to dismiss for
 lack of jurisdiction. The Secretary states that James
 McHugh opposes the motion.
     Mr. McHugh filed his “notice of appeal,” ECF No. 1-2
 at 1, on December 8, 2022, identifying an October 13, 2022,
 final agency decision of the Department of Veterans Affairs
 Office of Employment Discrimination Complaint
Case: 23-1616      Document: 10      Page: 2     Filed: 06/13/2023

 2                  MCHUGH   v. SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

 Adjudication. * The decision stated that Mr. McHugh had
 a right to file a civil action within 90 days of receipt.
      The Secretary correctly argues that this court lacks ju-
 risdiction to review this decision. Cf. 28 U.S.C. § 1295; 38
 U.S.C. §§ 502, 7292. However, the Secretary also correctly
 notes that pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-16(c), Mr.
 McHugh could have brought this case in a United States
 district court at the time it was filed here. When we lack
 jurisdiction, this court shall, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1631,
 transfer a civil action, if in the interest of justice, to another
 court where it could have been filed. Under the circum-
 stances, we conclude that transfer is appropriate and agree
 with the Secretary’s uncontradicted contention that the ap-
 propriate destination is the United States District Court
 for the Southern District of Ohio. See, e.g., ECF No. 1-2 at
 2 (noting that the relevant events occurred at a Veterans
 Affairs medical center in Cincinnati, Ohio).
     Accordingly,
     IT IS ORDERED THAT:
     (1) The Secretary’s motion is granted only to the ex-
 tent that this case and all transmittals are transferred pur-
 suant to 28 U.S.C. § 1631 to the United States District
 Court for the Southern District of Ohio.

     *   Mr. McHugh’s notice is dated “8/12/2022,” and in-
 dicates he seeks review of a decision issued on that date,
 ECF No. 1-2 at 1, but he attaches the October 13, 2022,
 decision.
Case: 23-1616    Document: 10    Page: 3     Filed: 06/13/2023

 MCHUGH   v. SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS                 3

    (2) Any other pending motion is denied.
                                     FOR THE COURT

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