Filed: Jun. 12, 2018
Latest Update: Jun. 12, 2018
Summary: ORDER AND OPINION J. MICHELLE CHILDS , District Judge . This matter is before the court on Defendant's Motion to Recuse (ECF No. 878) the undersigned. On March 12, 2018, Defendant filed his Motion (ECF No. 878) pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 455(a), (b)(1) and 28 U.S.C. 144. "Timeliness is an essential element of a recusal motion. It is explicit in 144, which requires a `timely and sufficient affidavit.' It is judicially implied in 455." 1 United States v. Owens, 902 F.2d 1154 , 1155 (
Summary: ORDER AND OPINION J. MICHELLE CHILDS , District Judge . This matter is before the court on Defendant's Motion to Recuse (ECF No. 878) the undersigned. On March 12, 2018, Defendant filed his Motion (ECF No. 878) pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 455(a), (b)(1) and 28 U.S.C. 144. "Timeliness is an essential element of a recusal motion. It is explicit in 144, which requires a `timely and sufficient affidavit.' It is judicially implied in 455." 1 United States v. Owens, 902 F.2d 1154 , 1155 (4..
More
ORDER AND OPINION
J. MICHELLE CHILDS, District Judge.
This matter is before the court on Defendant's Motion to Recuse (ECF No. 878) the undersigned. On March 12, 2018, Defendant filed his Motion (ECF No. 878) pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 455(a), (b)(1) and 28 U.S.C. § 144.
"Timeliness is an essential element of a recusal motion. It is explicit in § 144, which requires a `timely and sufficient affidavit.' It is judicially implied in § 455."1 United States v. Owens, 902 F.2d 1154, 1155 (4th Cir. 1990). Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 144, a party seeking recusal must "make[ ] and file[ ] a timely and sufficient affidavit" and the affidavit must be filed "not less than ten (10) days before the beginning of the term at which the proceedings is to be heard." "In general, `[o]ne must raise the disqualification of the . . . [judge] at the earliest moment after knowledge of the facts [giving rise to the need for the judge's recusal].'" Owens, 902 F.2d at 1156 (quoting Satterfield v. Edenton-Chowan Bd. of Educ., 530 F.2d 567, 574-75 (4th Cir. 1975)).
The court construes that the event giving rise to Defendant's Motion to Recuse (ECF No. 878) is the undersigned's June 20, 2017 Order (ECF No. 853) denying Defendant's Motions for Reconsideration (ECF Nos. 846, 850) on the merits. Defendant moved the court to reconsider its June 1, 2017 and June 7, 2017 Orders (ECF Nos. 836, 842) denying several of Defendant's Motions which were based on the Government's alleged breach of Defendant's Plea Agreement (ECF No. 175).
The court denied Defendant's Motions for Reconsideration (ECF Nos. 846, 850) almost nine (9) months before Defendant filed his Motion to Recuse (ECF No. 878). (ECF No. 853.) In the time between the court's June 20, 2017 Order (ECF No. 853) and Defendant's March 12, 2018 Motion to Recuse (ECF No. 878), Defendant filed several different motions including filing a November 27, 2017 Complaint (ECF No. 878-3) with the Judicial Council of the Fourth Circuit asserting the undersigned's alleged judicial misconduct by not ruling on his Motion to Vacate (ECF No. 819) within a time period satisfactory to Defendant or ruling in Defendant's favor with respect to his Motions for Reconsideration (ECF Nos. 846, 850). Defendant had ample time in which to file a motion to recuse, however, he waited nine (9) months to file his motion which was not the "earliest moment after knowledge of the facts [giving rise to the need for the undersigned's recusal]."2 See Owens, 902 F.2d at 1155; see also Cameron v. Gen. Motors Corp., No. CIV. A. 6:93-1278-3, 1994 WL 159408, at *6 (D.S.C.) (holding that a motion to vacate was not timely filed because Defendant did not file its motion to recuse at the "first opportunity after discovery of the facts," but only did so after filing several other motions and waiting to see the outcome of those motions.) order vacated in part on other grounds sub nom. In re Gen. Motors Corp., No. 94-1011, 1994 WL 914453 (4th Cir. Mar. 23, 1994).
Defendant did not file his Motion to Recuse (ECF No. 878) at the first opportunity after discovery of the facts giving rise to his claim. Therefore, his Motion to Recuse (ECF No. 878) is untimely under both 28 U.S.C. § 144 and 28 U.S.C. § 455. See Owens, 902 F.2d at 1155.3 For this reason, the court DENIES Defendant's Motion to Recuse (ECF No. 878).