Court Opinion

ID: 9954377
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2024-03-26 00:02:00.07976+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:12:06.455231
License: Public Domain

Case: 23-50623   Document: 48-1     Page: 1    Date Filed: 03/25/2024

       United States Court of Appeals
            for the Fifth Circuit
                         ____________
                                                           United States Court of Appeals
                                                                    Fifth Circuit
                          No. 23-50623
                        Summary Calendar                          FILED
                        ____________                        March 25, 2024
                                                             Lyle W. Cayce
Tyrone Stafford,                                                  Clerk

                                                  Plaintiff—Appellant,

                               versus

Arnold S. Zwicke, Executive Sheriff, Guadalupe County Sheriff’s
Office; Magistrate Judges, Guadalupe County;
County/District Attorney, Guadalupe County; District
Court of Texas Judges 274th, 25th, 2nd 25th, Guadalupe County;
Guadalupe County Commissioners; Greg Abbott; Ken
Paxton; Dave Wilborn, Guadalupe County Attorney; Arlene
Gay; Tillie Luke; Guadalupe County Court at Law #1;
Guadalupe County Court at Law #2; Supreme Court of
Texas; Corporal F/N/U Doss, Guadalupe County Sheriff’s Office;
G. I. Castillo, Guadalupe County Sheriff’s Office;
Deputy F/N/U/ Gipson, Guadalupe County Sheriff’s Office,

                                     Defendants—Appellees.
            ______________________________

            Appeal from the United States District Court
                 for the Western District of Texas
                      USDC No. 5:22-CV-314
            ______________________________
Case: 23-50623            Document: 48-1         Page: 2      Date Filed: 03/25/2024

Before Smith, Southwick, and Wilson, Circuit Judges.
Per Curiam: *
       Tyrone Stafford filed a 42 U.S.C. § 1983 complaint alleging that depu-
ties of the Guadalupe County Sheriff’s Office used excessive force during a
traffic stop in January 2022. The district court granted summary judgment
in favor of the defendants, concluding that Stafford failed to demonstrate a
constitutional violation.        Stafford moves to proceed in forma pauperis
(“IFP”) on appeal, which constitutes a challenge to the district court’s certi-
fication that any appeal would not be taken in good faith because Stafford will
not present a nonfrivolous appellate issue. See Baugh v. Taylor, 117 F.3d 197,
202 (5th Cir. 1997). Stafford’s motion to supplement his reply brief is
GRANTED.
       Stafford devotes a majority of his initial brief to challenging the legality
of his arrest. He does not meaningfully question the district court’s reasons
for finding that the deputies did not use excessive force and therefore were
entitled to qualified immunity. Thus, Stafford abandons the primary issue
on appeal. See Brinkmann v. Dallas Cnty. Deputy Sheriff Abner, 813 F.2d 744,
748 (5th Cir. 1987). Furthermore, Stafford abandons his § 1983 claims
against the remaining defendants by not raising them on appeal. See Yohey v.
Collins, 985 F.2d 222, 224–25 (5th Cir. 1993). Accordingly, Stafford fails to
raise a nonfrivolous issue with respect to the summary judgment. See Baugh,
117 F.3d at 202 n.24; Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(a).
       The appeal is without arguable merit and is thus frivolous. See Howard
v. King, 707 F.2d 215, 220 (5th Cir. 1983). Accordingly, the motion to pro-
ceed IFP on appeal is DENIED, and the appeal is DISMISSED. See
Baugh, 117 F.3d at 202 n.24; 5th Cir. R. 42.2.

       _____________________
       *
           This opinion is not designated for publication. See 5th Cir. R. 47.5.