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United States v. Gay, 10th Cir. (2007)
United States v. Gay, 10th Cir. (2007)
No. 05-6103
(D.C. No. 98-CR-118-T)
(W .D. Okla.)
Defendant-Appellant.
After examining the briefs and appellate record, this panel has determined
unanimously that oral argument would not materially assist the determination of
this appeal. See Fed. R. App. P. 34(a)(2); 10th Cir. R. 34.1(G). The case is
therefore ordered submitted without oral argument. This order and judgment is
not binding precedent except under the doctrines of law of the case, res judicata
and collateral estoppel. It may be cited, however, for its persuasive value
consistent with Fed. R. App. P. 32.1 and 10th Cir. R. 32.1.
under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 60(b)(4) and (6), seeking relief from the
denial of his 2255 motion (September 2004 M otion). 1 This motion was denied
on the ground that it was not timely under Fed. R. Civ. P. 60(b)(4) and not filed
within a reasonable time under Rule 60(b)(6). R., Doc. 116. On January 27,
2005, M r. Gay filed a second motion, also ostensibly under Rule 60(b) (January
2005 M otion) asking the district court to reconsider its denial of his September
2004 M otion, because he had not been given the opportunity to file a reply brief. 2
This motion was denied. M r. Gay then filed his notice of appeal on M arch 22,
2005. Although the notice of appeal is less than clear, M r. Gay appears to appeal
the denial of both his September 2004 M otion and his January 2005 M otion.
1
Rule 60(b)(4) allows for relief from a final judgment, order, or proceeding
of the district court when the judgment is void. Rule 60(b)(6) allows for relief
for any other reason justifying relief from the operation of the judgment.
2
Analysis
To the extent M r. Gay appeals the denial of his September 2004 M otion,
the appeal is untimely and is dismissed for lack of jurisdiction. Under Federal
Rule of Appellate Procedure 4(a)(1)(B): W hen the United States or its officer or
agency is a party, the notice of appeal may be filed by any party within 60 days
after the judgment or order appealed from is entered. M r. Gays notice of appeal
was filed almost five months after the October 27, 2004, order denying the
September 2004 M otion. This Court can exercise jurisdiction only if a notice of
appeal is timely filed. Allender v. Raytheon Aircraft Co., 439 F.3d 1236, 1239
(10th Cir. 2006).
To the extent M r. Gay appeals the denial of his January 2005 M otion, his
appeal is moot. In his January 2005 M otion, M r. Gay sought reversal of the
denial of his September 2004 M otion under Rule 60(b) because the district court
denied that motion two days after the government filed its response. M r. Gay
argued that the district court committed procedural error because he was not
allowed time to file a reply to the governments response before his motion was
ruled upon.
A plaintiff may appeal the denial of a Rule 60(b) motion seeking relief
from an underlying order or judgment and such an appeal raises for review only
the district courts order of denial, not the underlying order or judgment itself.
See Van Skiver, 952 F.2d at 1243. A review of the record shows that the
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actual injury that can be redressed by a favorable judicial decision. Iron Arrow
Honor Socy v. Heckler, 464 U.S. 67, 70 (1983) (citation omitted). It is not
enough that a plaintiff wishes to have the moral satisfaction of a judicial ruling
that he was right and his adversary was wrong; the relief sought must have legal
effect in determining the present and future rights and obligations of the parties
Utah Animal Rights Coal. v. Salt Lake City Corp., 371 F.3d 1248, 1263 (10th Cir.
2004); see Air Line Pilots Assn v. UAL Corp., 897 F.2d 1394, 1396 (7th Cir.
1990) (holding that the test is whether the relief sought would make a difference
to the legal interests of the parties (as distinct from their psyches, which might
remain deeply engaged with the merits of the litigation)).
Here, by appealing from the denial of the January 2005 M otion, M r. Gay is,
in effect, requesting that this court reverse the denial of his January 2005 M otion,
vacate the denial of his September 2004 M otion, and order the district court to
consider a reply brief from him before ruling on the September 2004 M otion.
This court has no power to accommodate that request because the district court
had no jurisdiction to rule on the September 2004 M otion. The district court only
had jurisdiction to transfer the September 2004 M otion to this court, which is not
the relief that M r. Gay sought in his January 2005 M otion. 3
3
Despite the fact that we have determined that the September 2004 M otion
was a second or successive 2255 petition, the order denying that motion is
undisturbed because there is no timely appeal from that denial before this court.
The timely appeal from the order denying the January 2005 M otion, raises for
(continued...)
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Conclusion
To the extent that M r. Gays appeal seeks review of the denial of his
September 2004 M otion, his appeal is DISM ISSED for lack of jurisdiction
because it is untimely. To the extent that M r. Gays appeal seeks review of the
denial of his January 2005 M otion, his appeal is DISM ISSED for lack of
jurisdiction because it is moot. M r. Gays application to proceed in forma
pauperis is G RA N TED .
(...continued)
review only the district courts order of denial [of that motion] not the underlying
judgment [denying the September 2004 M otion]. See Van Skiver, 952 F.2d at
1243.
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