Wesley Carroll v. Jeffrey Manning, 3rd Cir. (2011)
Wesley Carroll v. Jeffrey Manning, 3rd Cir. (2011)
NOT PRECEDENTIAL
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE THIRD CIRCUIT
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No. 10-4252
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On Appeal from the United States District Court
for the Western District of Pennsylvania
(D.C. Civil No. 10-cv-00490)
District Judge: Honorable Arthur J. Schwab
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Submitted for Possible Summary Action Pursuant to
Third Circuit LAR 27.4 and I.O.P. 10.6
February 3, 2011
Before: AMBRO, CHAGARES and GREENBERG, Circuit Judges
(Opinion filed: February 16, 2011)
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OPINION
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PER CURIAM
Reverend Wesley Carroll, proceeding pro se, appeals the District Courts order
denying several motions filed after the dismissal of his mandamus petition. Because the
appeal does not present a substantial question, we will summarily affirm.
Carroll, a Pennsylvania state prisoner, is a frequent filer of pro se actions in
District Court and appeals to this Court. The present appeal concerns a mandamus
petition and four motions filed in District Court. Carroll filed his mandamus petition
against a host of state and local authorities, judges, and the United States Department of
Justice. He generally alleged major problems with the Judicial System and Courts, and
specifically alleged that he had been granted Habeas Corpus Release in 2003 but
remains in prison and that the Clerk of the District Court has refused to docket his
submissions. A Magistrate Judge recommended that the petition be dismissed because it
was repetitious of two earlier mandamus petitions, one of which was dismissed by this
Court after transfer. See In re Carroll, 272 F. Appx 148 (3d Cir. 2008) (per curiam).1
Alternatively, the Magistrate Judge stated that the petition should be dismissed per our
reasoning in Carroll v. Puraty i.e., that Carrolls claim that the District Court is not filing
Carrolls other petition was dismissed pre-service by the District Court. See Order,
Carroll v. Barth, No. 09-cv-1465 (W.D. Pa. Feb. 16, 2010). We summarily affirmed this
order. See Carroll v. Barth, 383 F. Appx 106 (3d Cir. 2010) (per curiam). Carroll filed a
third mandamus petition raising similar claims, which the District Court also dismissed
pre-service. See Order, Carroll v. Puraty, No. 09-cv-1509, (W.D. Pa. Feb. 17, 2010). We
summarily affirmed this order as well. See Carroll v. Puraty, 383 F. Appx 107 (3d Cir.
2010) (per curiam).
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The filings were entitled: (1) Application for Order to Take Deposition/Petition to
Proceed In Forma Pauperis, Without Fees, Costs and Affidavit; (2) Motion for
Permission to File the Motion to Reopen Out of Time and Motion for Appointment of
Legal Counsel and Interpreter and Order for Submissions and Legal Research Via
Computer Access; (3) Petition for En Banc Reconsideration, Hearing or Re-hearing:
and (4) Bill of Costs. See District Court Docket, # 8-10 and 12.
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Carroll also seeks review of the District Courts order dismissing his mandamus
petition. However, we lack jurisdiction to review that order because Carrolls notice of
appeal was filed more than thirty days after the order was entered. See Fed. R. App. P.
4(a)(1)(A) (a notice of appeal in a civil case to which the United States is not a party must
be filed within thirty days after the order appealed from is entered); Bowles v. Russell,
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of the motions for an abuse of discretion. See, e.g., Brumfield v. Sanders, 232 F.3d 376,
380 (3d Cir. 2000) (orders concerning the scope or opportunity for discovery are
reviewed for an abuse of discretion); In re Paoli R.R. Yard PCB Litig., 221 F.3d 449, 458
(3d Cir. 2000) (a districts court ordering regarding taxation of costs is reviewed for an
abuse of discretion). The District Court denied Carrolls motions, at least in part, because
they were filed well after the court had dismissed his mandamus petition. There was thus
no pending matter in which to take depositions or receive the assistance of counsel. Nor
was Carroll the prevailing party for purposes of awarding costs. See Fed. R. Civ. P.
54(d). Finally, Carrolls motion for reconsideration and petition in support thereof
appears to merely reiterate the allegations made in the mandamus petition and does not
set forth any basis justifying reconsideration. The District Court did not abuse its
discretion in denying Carrolls motions.
There being no substantial question presented by this appeal, we will summarily
affirm the District Courts order. See 3d Cir. L.A.R. 27.4; IOP 10.6. Carrolls motion for
the appointment of counsel is denied.
551 U.S. 205, 214 (2007) (the timely filing of a notice of appeal in a civil case is a
jurisdictional requirement). None of Carrolls motions tolled the time for him to file his
notice of appeal. See Fed. R. App. P. 4(a)(4).
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