Filed: Oct. 14, 2005
Latest Update: Feb. 21, 2020
Summary: APPEAL FROM THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT, FOR THE DISTRICT OF PUERTO RICO, [Hon. Daniel R. DomÃnguez, U.S. District Judge] denial of Rule 60(b)(4) relief essentially for the reasons stated Even if, as appellant argues, the the court lacks subject-matter jurisdiction, will a judgment be
Not For Publication in West's Federal Reporter
Citation Limited Pursuant to 1st Cir. Loc. R. 32.3
United States Court of Appeals
For the First Circuit
No. 04-1559 UNITED STATES,
Plaintiff, Appellee,
v.
ONE URBAN LOT #14,126 LOCATED AT 3-76 PASEO LAS VISTAS,
CAYEY, ET AL.,
Defendants,
____________________
LIBBY MEDINA,
Claimant,
____________________
JOSE ENRIQUE GONZALEZ-FLORIDO,
Claimant, Appellant.
APPEAL FROM THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF PUERTO RICO
[Hon. Daniel R. DomÃnguez, U.S. District Judge]
Before
Lynch, Lipez and Howard,
Circuit Judges.
Jose Enrique Gonzalez-Florido on brief pro se.
Miguel A. Fernandez, Assistant U.S. Attorney, Jose Javier
Santos-Mimoso, and H.S. Garcia, United States Attorney, on brief
for appellee.
October 14, 2005
Per Curiam. Jose Enrique Gonzalez-Florido seeks review
of the district court's denial of his motion for relief under
Fed. R. Civ. P. 60(b)(4). The government first asserts that the
appeal should be dismissed as untimely. Appellant concedes that
the notice of appeal was received and filed by the district court
two days after the time to appeal expired, but he contends that
the filing was timely under the prison mailbox rule, Fed. R. App.
P. 4(c)(1). The government argues that appellant is not entitled
to the benefit of the prison mailbox rule because he failed to
demonstrate in the manner specified in Rule 4(c)(1) that he
deposited the notice in the prison mail system before the filing
deadline. However, the postmark on the envelope in which the
notice of appeal was mailed predates that deadline. For purposes
of this appeal, we will assume, without deciding, that this is
sufficient to establish timely filing. See Sulik v. Taney
County,
316 F.3d 813, 814 (8th Cir. 2003).
On the merits, however, we affirm the district court's
denial of Rule 60(b)(4) relief essentially for the reasons stated
in its January 20, 2004 order. Even if, as appellant argues, the
judgment was erroneous, it was not void within the meaning of
Rule 60(b)(4). See Lubben v. Selective Service System, Local
Board No. 27,
453 F.2d 645, 649 (1st Cir. 1972). "Only in the
rare instance of a clear usurpation of power,"
id., such as where
the court lacks subject-matter jurisdiction, will a judgment be
-2-
deemed void. See Farm Credit Bank v. Ferrera-Goitia,
316 F.3d
62, 67 (1st Cir. 2003); United States v. One Rural Lot No.
10,356,
238 F.3d 76 (1st Cir. 2001). Appellant has failed to
make such a showing.
Affirmed. See 1st Cir. Loc. R. 27(c).
-3-