Court Opinion

ID: 9397584
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-05-25 17:07:00.547154+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:19:26.016458
License: Public Domain

Case: 22-40190         Document: 00516763569             Page: 1      Date Filed: 05/25/2023

              United States Court of Appeals
                   for the Fifth Circuit                                   United States Court of Appeals
                                                                                    Fifth Circuit
                                      ____________                                FILED
                                                                              May 25, 2023
                                       No. 22-40190
                                                                             Lyle W. Cayce
                                      ____________
                                                                                  Clerk

   Randall T. Greenough,

                                                                     Plaintiff—Appellant,

                                             versus

   Sharilla Gray,

                                                Defendant—Appellee.
                      ______________________________

                      Appeal from the United States District Court
                           for the Eastern District of Texas
                                USDC No. 9:21-CV-75
                      ______________________________

   Before Wiener, Elrod, and Engelhardt, Circuit Judges.
   Per Curiam:*
          Our prior panel opinion, Greenough v. Gray, No. 22-40190, 2023 WL
   2573923 (5th Cir. Mar. 30, 2023), is WITHDRAWN.                          The following
   opinion is SUBSTITUTED:
          Randall T. Greenough, an inmate confined at the Polunsky Unit of the
   Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Correctional Institutions Division,
   appeals the district court’s denial of his motion for default judgment.

          _____________________
          *
              This opinion is not designated for publication. See 5th Cir. R. 47.5.
Case: 22-40190     Document: 00516763569           Page: 2   Date Filed: 05/25/2023

                                    No. 22-40190

          It is not clear that the district court’s order denying default judgment
   is appealable at this time because it is not clear that Greenough’s case has
   progressed to final judgment. See Adult Film Ass’n of America, Inc. v.
   Thetford, 776 F.2d 113, 115 (5th Cir. 1985) (holding that orders denying
   default judgment are not subject to interlocutory appeal). While the district
   court issued an order adopting the magistrate judge’s report and
   recommendation dismissing Greenough’s claims on March 23, 2022, the
   magistrate judge extended Greenough’s time to file objections to the report
   and recommendation on March 25, 2022, explaining that “the plaintiff did
   not have an opportunity to file objections” due to mailing delays. Those
   objections have now been filed, and the district court has not ruled on them.
          Because it is not clear, from the record, whether Greenough’s case
   remains pending, we remand to the district court to clarify whether a final
   judgment has been issued. Upon doing that, the district court shall return
   the case to this court for further proceedings, or dismissal, as may be
   appropriate.
          LIMITED REMAND.

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