Filed: Apr. 28, 2020
Latest Update: Apr. 28, 2020
Summary: CLD-172 NOT PRECEDENTIAL UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE THIRD CIRCUIT _ No. 19-3539 _ GEORGE A. JACKSON, Appellant v. M.D. KEITH IVENS; PRISON HEALTH SERVICES, INCORPORATED; STANLEY TAYLOR; STATE OF DELAWARE; CORRECTIONAL MEDICAL SERVICES INC, Correctional Medical Services, Inc. and Correctional Medical Services of Delaware, Inc.; CARL C. DANBERG; JAMES C. WELCH; CORRECTIONAL MEDICAL SERVICES; CORRECTIONAL MEDICAL SERVICES OF DELAWARE, INC.; MD KEITH IVENS; PRISON HEALTH SERVICES, INC.;
Summary: CLD-172 NOT PRECEDENTIAL UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE THIRD CIRCUIT _ No. 19-3539 _ GEORGE A. JACKSON, Appellant v. M.D. KEITH IVENS; PRISON HEALTH SERVICES, INCORPORATED; STANLEY TAYLOR; STATE OF DELAWARE; CORRECTIONAL MEDICAL SERVICES INC, Correctional Medical Services, Inc. and Correctional Medical Services of Delaware, Inc.; CARL C. DANBERG; JAMES C. WELCH; CORRECTIONAL MEDICAL SERVICES; CORRECTIONAL MEDICAL SERVICES OF DELAWARE, INC.; MD KEITH IVENS; PRISON HEALTH SERVICES, INC.; W..
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CLD-172 NOT PRECEDENTIAL
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE THIRD CIRCUIT
___________
No. 19-3539
___________
GEORGE A. JACKSON,
Appellant
v.
M.D. KEITH IVENS; PRISON HEALTH SERVICES, INCORPORATED;
STANLEY TAYLOR; STATE OF DELAWARE; CORRECTIONAL MEDICAL
SERVICES INC, Correctional Medical Services, Inc. and Correctional Medical Services
of Delaware, Inc.; CARL C. DANBERG; JAMES C. WELCH; CORRECTIONAL
MEDICAL SERVICES; CORRECTIONAL MEDICAL SERVICES OF DELAWARE,
INC.; MD KEITH IVENS; PRISON HEALTH SERVICES, INC.; WARDEN RICK
KEARNEY; DE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
____________________________________
On Appeal from the United States District Court
for the District of Delaware
(D.C. Civil No. 1-01-cv-00559)
District Judge: Honorable Leonard P. Stark
____________________________________
Submitted for Possible Dismissal Due to a Jurisdictional Defect,
Possible Dismissal Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B), or
Summary Action Pursuant to Third Circuit LAR 27.4 and I.O.P. 10.6
April 23, 2020
Before: JORDAN, KRAUSE, and MATEY, Circuit Judges
(Opinion filed: April 28, 2020)
_________
OPINION *
_________
PER CURIAM
George Jackson appeals the District Court’s denial of his motion filed pursuant to
Fed. R. Civ. P. 60 as well as its order denying his motion for reconsideration. For the
reasons below, we will summarily affirm the District Court’s orders.
Jackson, a Delaware inmate, filed a pro se complaint in 2001, alleging that
Appellees were deliberately indifferent to his serious medical needs. While represented
by counsel, Jackson entered into settlements with some defendants, and in 2012, the
District Court granted the remaining defendants’ motion for summary judgment. We
affirmed the District Court’s judgment. See C.A. No. 12-4155. In 2018, Jackson filed a
pro se motion pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 60. The District Court denied the motion as
untimely and meritless. Jackson filed a motion for reconsideration and a notice of appeal.
After the District Court denied the motion for reconsideration, Jackson filed an amended
notice of appeal. 1
*
This disposition is not an opinion of the full Court and pursuant to I.O.P. 5.7 does not
constitute binding precedent.
1
Because Jackson filed a timely motion for reconsideration of the District Court’s denial
of the Rule 60(b) motion, the time period to file his notice of appeal began when the
motion for reconsideration was denied. See Fed. R. App. P. 4(a)(4)(A). Thus, his notices
of appeal were timely filed and we have jurisdiction over the appeal pursuant to 28
U.S.C. § 1291.
2
In his Rule 60 motion, Jackson alleged that during a review of his medical files in
2015, he discovered that Appellees did not disclose two medical records to him during
the litigation. Jackson claimed that he had a biopsy of an enlarged lymph node and
agreed to an excisional biopsy to remove the node in 2000. While he consented to the
removal of the “right submandibular” lymph node, he asserted that the medical records
indicate that the “right superior cervical” lymph node was removed. He claimed that he
did not consent to have that lymph node removed. Jackson argued that if he had seen
these medical records during the litigation, he would have settled his claims on more
favorable terms and would have won a judgment against the medical provider. He also
discussed other medical issues that have arisen since the District Court’s 2012 judgment.
Jackson based his motion on several subsections of Rule 60. First, he argued that
he was entitled to relief from judgment pursuant to Rule 60(b)(2) based on newly
discovered evidence, i.e. the two medical records. He also relied on Rule 60(b)(3), which
provides for relief from judgment due to fraud or misconduct. However, motions filed
pursuant to subsections (2) and (3) must be filed no more than a year after the judgment.
Fed. R. Civ. P. 60(c)(1). Jackson’s motion was filed far beyond that time limit.
Moreover, he did not make any allegations that would support a conclusion that the
Appellees purposefully and fraudulently withheld two medical records instead of simply
overlooking two records out of 800 pages of medical records disclosed.
3
In addition, Jackson relied on Rule 60(b)(6) which allows for relief from judgment
for “any other reason that justifies relief.” Such a motion must be made within a
reasonable time, see Fed. R. Civ. P. 60(c)(1), and the litigant must show “extraordinary
circumstances” to justify reopening a final judgment. Gonzalez v. Crosby,
545 U.S. 524,
535 (2005). Jackson has not shown that the motion was made within a reasonable time.
He alleged that he discovered the medical records in September 2015, but he did not file
the Rule 60(b) motion until three years later in November 2018. Moreover, he does not
explain why he could not have discovered these medical records years earlier. Nor has
Jackson made a showing of extraordinary circumstances. Jackson has not explained why
he would consent to the removal of one lymph node but not the other. He has not shown
how the alleged failure to disclose these two medical records affected the litigation of his
claims.
Finally, Jackson relies on Rule 60(d)(3) which provides that Rule 60 does not limit
a court’s power to set aside a judgment for fraud on the court. Rule 60(d) allows a
District Court to entertain an independent action for relief from judgment to prevent a
grave miscarriage of justice. Jackson v. Danberg,
656 F.3d 157, 166 (3d Cir. 2011). As
noted above, Jackson has not made a showing that Appellees fraudulently failed to
disclose the medical records. See Booker v. Dugger,
825 F.2d 281, 283 (11th Cir. 1987)
(party seeking relief under Rule 60(d)(3) must show fraud by clear and convincing
evidence). Failing to reopen the District Court’s judgment would not lead to a grave
4
miscarriage of justice. The District Court did not err in denying Jackson’s Rule 60
motion.
In his motion for reconsideration, Jackson did not make any new arguments.
Rather, he attached the medical records he had forgotten to attach to his Rule 60 motion.
The District Court did not err in denying the motion for reconsideration.
Summary action is appropriate if there is no substantial question presented in the
appeal. See Third Circuit LAR 27.4. For the above reasons, as well as those set forth by
the District Court, we will summarily affirm the District Court’s order. See Third Circuit
I.O.P. 10.6.
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