Filed: Feb. 23, 2005
Latest Update: Feb. 21, 2020
Summary: United States Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit F I L E D IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT February 23, 2005 Charles R. Fulbruge III Clerk No. 04-20747 Conference Calendar CHRISTOPHER G. POLITIS, Plaintiff-Appellant, versus JAMES H. DYER; WIT, Houston Police Department Officer; ESPINOSA, Houston Police Department Officer; ESPINOSA’S PARTNER, Houston Police Department Officer; COURT #351st; MARK KENT ELLIS, Judge, Defendants-Appellees. - Appeal from the United States Distr
Summary: United States Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit F I L E D IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT February 23, 2005 Charles R. Fulbruge III Clerk No. 04-20747 Conference Calendar CHRISTOPHER G. POLITIS, Plaintiff-Appellant, versus JAMES H. DYER; WIT, Houston Police Department Officer; ESPINOSA, Houston Police Department Officer; ESPINOSA’S PARTNER, Houston Police Department Officer; COURT #351st; MARK KENT ELLIS, Judge, Defendants-Appellees. - Appeal from the United States Distri..
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United States Court of Appeals
Fifth Circuit
F I L E D
IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT February 23, 2005
Charles R. Fulbruge III
Clerk
No. 04-20747
Conference Calendar
CHRISTOPHER G. POLITIS,
Plaintiff-Appellant,
versus
JAMES H. DYER; WIT, Houston Police Department Officer;
ESPINOSA, Houston Police Department Officer;
ESPINOSA’S PARTNER, Houston Police Department Officer;
COURT #351st; MARK KENT ELLIS, Judge,
Defendants-Appellees.
--------------------
Appeal from the United States District Court
for the Southern District of Texas
USDC No. 4:04-CV-2840
--------------------
Before BARKSDALE, GARZA, and STEWART, Circuit Judges.
PER CURIAM:*
Christopher G. Politis, currently immigration detainee
# 95541637, appeals from the district court’s dismissal of his
42 U.S.C. § 1983 complaint for failure to state a claim. Politis
argues that the district court failed to afford his complaint
liberal construction and denied him procedural due process by
failing to conduct a hearing and give him an opportunity to amend
the complaint before dismissal. We conclude that the district
*
Pursuant to 5TH CIR. 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this opinion should not be published and is not precedent except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 5TH CIR. R. 47.5.4.
No. 04-20747
-2-
court properly conducted the screening function required by
28 U.S.C. § 1915A and that the court did not err by dismissing
the complaint before Politis could amend. See Haines v. Kerner,
404 U.S. 519, 520-21 (1972); Jones v. Greninger,
188 F.3d 322,
326-27 (5th Cir. 1999); Jacquez v. Procunier,
801 F.2d 789, 793
(5th Cir. 1986). We decline to review Politis’s claim, raised
for the first time on appeal, that he was subject to a due
process violation because of an inadequate law library at his
detention facility. See Leverette v. Louisville Ladder Co.,
183 F.3d 339, 342 (5th Cir. 1999). Politis has also
inappropriately filed a motion to stay deportation in this civil
rights action. That motion is DENIED.
The appeal is without arguable merit and is frivolous. See
Howard v. King,
707 F.2d 215, 219-20 (5th Cir. 1983). Because
the appeal is frivolous, it is DISMISSED. See 5TH CIR. R. 42.2.
Politis is cautioned that the dismissal of this appeal as
frivolous counts as a strike under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(g), as does
the district court’s dismissal of his complaint for failure to
state a claim, and that if he accumulates three strikes, he will
not be able to proceed in forma pauperis in any civil action or
appeal filed while he is incarcerated or detained in any facility
unless he is under imminent danger of serious physical injury.
See Adepegba v. Hammons,
103 F.3d 383, 387-88 (5th Cir. 1996);
28 U.S.C. § 1915(g).
APPEAL DISMISSED; SANCTION WARNING ISSUED; MOTION DENIED.