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THOMAS v. UNITED STATES FNU (2021)

United States Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit.2021-07-27No. No. 21-3067

Summary

Holding. The court affirmed the district court's dismissal for lack of venue without prejudice and denied Thomas's motion to proceed in forma pauperis, ordering him to pay all remaining appellate filing and docketing fees.

Terence L. Thomas, an inmate at a federal medical facility in Massachusetts, filed suit in Kansas federal court against the United States, the warden, and a unit manager, challenging restrictions on his law library access, the condition of his housing unit microwave, and claiming First Amendment violations. The district court dismissed the case for improper venue, finding that no defendant resided in Kansas and no events giving rise to the claims occurred there. On appeal, Thomas raised new claims about forced medication and alleged bias by a marshal but did not contest the venue determination, thereby waiving the issue that formed the basis of the dismissal.

Because Thomas failed to challenge the venue finding on appeal, he forfeited that issue. The appellate court affirmed the dismissal without addressing the merits of his underlying claims. Additionally, Thomas sought to proceed without paying filing fees but was denied that relief, as he failed to present a reasoned, nonfrivolous argument by not contesting the dispositive venue issue. The court ordered him to pay all outstanding appellate fees immediately.

Summary generated by law.co from the public-domain opinion. The opinion text itself is public domain.

Key issues

  • Improper venue when defendant and events are outside the forum district
  • Waiver of venue challenge through failure to appeal the dismissal ground
  • Requirement for nonfrivolous argument to proceed in forma pauperis on appeal

Procedural posture

Thomas appealed a district court dismissal for lack of venue in the District of Kansas, while also seeking in forma pauperis status for the appeal.

Authorities cited

No cited authorities resolved to law.co cases yet.

Opinion

ORDER AND JUDGMENT **

Plaintiff-appellant Terence L. Thomas is an inmate at Federal Medical Center–Devens (“FMC–Devens”) in Massachusetts. Appearing pro se, he brought suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas against the defendants-appellees—the United States of America; A. Boncher, the Warden of FMC–Devens; and FNU Arpano, a Unit Manager at FMC–Devens—alleging that they unlawfully (1) limited his access to the FMC–Devens law library and (2) failed to replace his housing units broken microwave. He also sought “the relief of [his] letters to the Court granted as reserved as well as the thought, Ideas, Expressions, title markers and place names of [himself],” maintaining that he was entitled to such relief under the First Amendment. R. at 9; see also Aplt. Br. at 2 (“I asked my rights to be reserved ․ because I believe my First [Amendment] right would be violated.”). After reviewing the complaint, the district court dismissed Thomass case for lack of venue, reasoning that “the District of Kansas is not a proper venue for this action because no defendant resides in the District of Kansas, nor did any of the events giving rise to the claim occur in the District of Kansas.” Thomas v. United States, No. 21-3059-SAC, 2021 WL 1210277, at *1 (D. Kan. Mar. 31, 2021).

On appeal, Thomas continues to press his claims concerning his limited library access, his housing units broken microwave, and his desire to “reserve” his rights. Additionally, he attempts to inject new matters into this suit, alleging (1) that the defendants-appellees are forcing him to take medication in violation of the Eighth Amendment and (2) that a United States marshal who is biased against him improperly influenced court officials at the time of his sentencing, causing him to receive a lengthier term of imprisonment than would have otherwise been imposed. Thomas does not, however, challenge the district courts determination that venue was improper in the District of Kansas. As a result, he has waived the issue that was the basis for the district courts ruling. See Sawyers v. Norton, 962 F.3d 1270, 1286 (10th Cir. 2020). In light of Thomass waiver, we affirm the dismissal of Thomass suit without prejudice for lack of venue. And because the venue issue is dispositive, we do not address the merits of Thomass claims. See Ballard v. Anderson, ––– F. Appx ––––, ––––, No. 21-4017, 2021 WL 2623156, at *2 (10th Cir. June 25, 2021) (unpublished) (explaining that when we affirm for lack of venue, we “need not expend effort considering the other aspects of the district courts decision”).

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Also pending before us is Thomass motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis (“ifp”) for purposes of this appeal. An appellant wishing to proceed ifp must show not just “a financial inability to pay the required [filing] fees”; in addition, he must demonstrate “the existence of a reasoned, nonfrivolous argument on the law and facts in support of the issues raised on appeal.” Watkins v. Leyba, 543 F.3d 624, 627 (10th Cir. 2008) (alteration in original) (quotations omitted) (quoting McIntosh v. U.S. Parole Commn, 115 F.3d 809, 812 (10th Cir. 1997)). By not challenging the basis for the district courts decision, Thomas has failed to satisfy this latter requirement. See Ballard, ––– F. Appx at ––––, 2021 WL 2623156, at *2. Accordingly, we deny Thomass ifp motion and order him “to immediately pay the full amount of all remaining appellate filing and docketing fees.” Robinson v. Doe, 761 F. Appx 855, 857 (10th Cir. 2019) (unpublished).

For the foregoing reasons, we AFFIRM the judgment of the district court dismissing the case without prejudice for improper venue. We further DENY Thomass ifp motion and DIRECT him to pay the entire amount of the filing and docketing fees forthwith.

FOOTNOTES

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.   Unpublished cases cited in this decision are not binding precedent, but we consider them for their persuasive value. See Fed. R. App. P. 32.1(a); 10th Cir. R. 32.1(A).

Allison H. Eid, Circuit Judge