Court Opinion

ID: 9352775
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-01-09 19:02:34.478104+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T16:59:54.656079
License: Public Domain

Case: 22-50760         Document: 00516602170             Page: 1      Date Filed: 01/09/2023

              United States Court of Appeals
                   for the Fifth Circuit
                                      ____________
                                                                               United States Court of Appeals
                                                                                        Fifth Circuit
                                       No. 22-50760
                                      ____________                                    FILED
                                                                                January 9, 2023
   Travell D. Harvey,                                                            Lyle W. Cayce
                                                                                      Clerk
                                                                    Plaintiff—Appellant,

                                             versus

   United States Treasury,

                                                Defendant—Appellee.
                      ______________________________

                      Appeal from the United States District Court
                           for the Western District of Texas
                                USDC No. 6:22-CV-789
                      ______________________________

   Before Haynes, Engelhardt, and Oldham, Circuit Judges.
   Per Curiam: *
          Travell D. Harvey, currently incarcerated at the McLennan County
   Jail, moves to proceed in forma pauperis (IFP) on appeal following the district
   court’s dismissal, as frivolous, of his pro se complaint. Harvey’s IFP motion
   challenges the district court’s determination that the appeal is not taken in
   good faith. See Baugh v. Taylor, 117 F.3d 197, 202 (5th Cir. 1997). This
   court’s inquiry into whether the appeal is taken in good faith “is limited to

          _____________________
          *
              This opinion is not designated for publication. See 5th Cir. R. 47.5.
Case: 22-50760      Document: 00516602170          Page: 2   Date Filed: 01/09/2023

                                    No. 22-50760

   whether the appeal involves ‘legal points arguable on their merits (and
   therefore not frivolous).’” Howard v. King, 707 F.2d 215, 220 (5th Cir. 1983)
   (citation omitted).
          In his appellate filings, Harvey renews the claim he raised in his
   complaint, wherein he demanded at least $250,000 but not more than $1
   million under the Uniform Commercial Code, and he asserts that he is
   entitled to proceed IFP on appeal merely because he is indigent. As discussed
   by the district court, Harvey’s claim revolves around the legally unfounded
   “redemptionist theory.” Cf. Monroe v. Beard, 536 F.3d 198, 203 n.4 (3d Cir.
   2008) (explaining the theory).
          Harvey does make the requisite showing that he has a nonfrivolous
   issue for appeal. See Howard, 707 F.2d at 220. Accordingly, his motion to
   proceed IFP is DENIED, and his appeal is DISMISSED as frivolous. See
   Baugh v. Taylor, 117 F.3d 197, 202 n.24 (5th Cir. 1997); 5th Cir. R. 42.2.
          The district court’s dismissal of Harvey’s complaint as frivolous and
   the dismissal of this appeal as frivolous each count as strikes under 28 U.S.C.
   § 1915(g). See Adepegba v. Hammons, 103 F.3d 383, 388 (5th Cir. 1996),
   abrogated in part on other grounds by Coleman v. Tollefson, 575 U.S. 532, 537
   (2015). Harvey is WARNED that if he accumulates three strikes, he will
   not be permitted to proceed IFP in any civil action or appeal filed while
   incarcerated or detained in any facility unless he is under imminent danger of
   serious physical injury. See § 1915(g).

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