Clay v. Wilkerson

IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT United States Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit FILED August 3, 2009 No. 08-31120 Summary Calendar Charles R. Fulbruge III Clerk ALLARICK CLAY Plaintiff-Appellant v. TIM WILKERSON; VIRGIL LUCAS; CORRECTIONS CORPORATION OF AMERICA; K BRADFORD; R FISHER Defendants-Appellees Appeal from the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana USDC No. 1:07-CV-730 Before KING, STEWART, and HAYNES, Circuit Judges. PER CURIAM:* Allarick Clay moves this court for leave to proceed in forma pauperis (IFP) in his appeal from the district court’s dismissal of his 42 U.S.C. § 1983 complaint. The complaint, which alleged that corrections officers, prison officials, and the Corrections Corporation of America were liable to Clay because another inmate at the Winn Correctional Center attacked him, was dismissed as frivolous and for failure to state a claim upon which relief may be granted. * Pursuant to 5 TH C IR. R. 47.5, the court has determined that this opinion should not be published and is not precedent except under the limited circumstances set forth in 5 TH C IR. R. 47.5.4. No. 08-31120 We must examine the basis of our jurisdiction sua sponte if necessary. Mosley v. Cozby, 813 F.2d 659, 660 (5th Cir. 1987). A timely notice of appeal is mandatory and jurisdictional in a civil case. Bowles v. Russell, 127 S. Ct. 2360, 2363-66 (2007). The notice of appeal in a civil action must be filed within 30 days of entry of the judgment from which the appeal is taken. 28 U.S.C. § 2107(a); F ED. R. A PP. P. 4(a)(1)(A). The final judgment dismissing Clay’s complaint was entered on April 29, 2008, but Clay’s notice of appeal was not filed until November 2008, more than six months after that date. Because Clay did not file a timely notice of appeal, we are without jurisdiction to consider his appeal. See Bowles, 127 S. Ct. at 2363-66. Accordingly, we dismiss Clay’s appeal for lack of jurisdiction and deny his IFP motion. APPEAL DISMISSED; MOTION DENIED. 2