F I L E D
United States Court of Appeals
Tenth Circuit
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
OCT 8 2002
TENTH CIRCUIT
PATRICK FISHER
Clerk
VAN STAFFORD; LOIS STAFFORD,
Plaintiffs - Appellants,
No. 02-6143
v. (D.C. No. 01-CV-1586-W)
(W.D. Oklahoma)
CIMARRON ELEVATOR, INC., an
Oklahoma corporation,
Defendant - Appellee.
ORDER AND JUDGMENT*
Before SEYMOUR, HENRY and BRISCOE, Circuit Judges.
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.
Plaintiffs Van and Lois Stafford, appearing pro se, seek to appeal the district
court’s dismissal of their complaint. Because the Staffords have failed to comply with
*
This order and judgment is not binding precedent, except under the doctrines of
law of the case, res judicata, and collateral estoppel. The court generally disfavors the
citation of orders and judgments; nevertheless, an order and judgment may be cited under
the terms and conditions of 10th Cir. R. 36.3.
our previously-imposed restrictions on their appellate filings, we dismiss the appeal.
In Stafford v. United States, 208 F.3d 1177 (10th Cir. 2000), we recounted the
Staffords’ history of filing legally frivolous complaints and appeals in an attempt to avoid
paying federal income taxes, and noted we repeatedly had sanctioned them for their
conduct. Because we concluded that our sanctions had not reduced their “frivolous and
vexatious litigation” efforts, we found it necessary to “impose . . . filing restrictions using
our inherent power to regulate federal dockets, promote judicial efficiency, and deter
frivolous filings.” Id. at 1179. In particular, we “enjoined [the Staffords] from filing any
further appeals or original actions in this court involving related tax matters until all
previously-imposed sanctions have been paid in full.” Id.
The Staffords now seek to appeal the dismissal of a complaint they filed in the
Western District of Oklahoma collaterally attacking a 1987 judgment entered against
them in a tax-related matter. Because the Staffords have not fully paid the sanctions
previously imposed against them by this court, they are enjoined from pursuing this
appeal.
The appeal is DISMISSED.
Entered for the Court
Mary Beck Briscoe
Circuit Judge
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