Filed: Apr. 09, 2019
Latest Update: Mar. 03, 2020
Summary: Case: 18-11313 Document: 00514909273 Page: 1 Date Filed: 04/09/2019 IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT United States Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit No. 18-11313 FILED April 9, 2019 Summary Calendar Lyle W. Cayce Clerk RUBEN L. DOBBINS, Petitioner-Appellant v. LORIE DAVIS, DIRECTOR, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE, CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS DIVISION, Respondent-Appellee Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas USDC No. 4:17-CV-6
Summary: Case: 18-11313 Document: 00514909273 Page: 1 Date Filed: 04/09/2019 IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT United States Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit No. 18-11313 FILED April 9, 2019 Summary Calendar Lyle W. Cayce Clerk RUBEN L. DOBBINS, Petitioner-Appellant v. LORIE DAVIS, DIRECTOR, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE, CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS DIVISION, Respondent-Appellee Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas USDC No. 4:17-CV-67..
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Case: 18-11313 Document: 00514909273 Page: 1 Date Filed: 04/09/2019
IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
United States Court of Appeals
Fifth Circuit
No. 18-11313
FILED
April 9, 2019
Summary Calendar
Lyle W. Cayce
Clerk
RUBEN L. DOBBINS,
Petitioner-Appellant
v.
LORIE DAVIS, DIRECTOR, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL
JUSTICE, CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS DIVISION,
Respondent-Appellee
Appeal from the United States District Court
for the Northern District of Texas
USDC No. 4:17-CV-679
Before OWEN, WILLETT, and OLDHAM, Circuit Judges.
PER CURIAM: *
Ruben L. Dobbins, Texas prisoner # 319203, moves for leave to proceed
in forma pauperis (IFP) in his appeal of the district court’s order transferring
his 28 U.S.C. § 2254 petition as an unauthorized successive. The district court
denied Dobbins’s IFP motion.
* 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 R. 47.5, the court has determined that this opinion should not
be published and is not precedent except under the limited circumstances set forth in 5TH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.
Case: 18-11313 Document: 00514909273 Page: 2 Date Filed: 04/09/2019
No. 18-11313
In his brief, Dobbins argues only the merits of his ineffective assistance
of counsel claim. Although pro se filings are liberally construed, Haines v.
Kerner,
404 U.S. 519, 520 (1972), an appellant’s failure to identify any error in
the district court’s legal analysis is “the same as if he had not appealed that
judgment.” Coleman v. Lincoln Parish Det. Ctr.,
858 F.3d 307, 309 n.9 (quoting
Brinkmann v. Dallas Cty. Deputy Sheriff Abner,
813 F.2d 744, 748 (5th Cir.
1987)). Because Dobbins has not identified any error in the district court’s
transfer order, we “deem that challenge to have been abandoned.” Hernandez
v. Thaler,
630 F.3d 420, 426 n.24 (5th Cir. 2011).
Because Dobbins abandoned the only issue raised on appeal, he has
failed to show that this appeal involves legal points arguable on their merits.
See Howard v. King,
707 F.2d 215, 220 (5th Cir. 1983). Dobbins’s motion to
proceed IFP is DENIED, and this appeal is DISMISSED as frivolous. See
Baugh v. Taylor,
117 F.3d 197, 202 & n.24 (5th Cir. 1997); 5TH CIR. R. 42.2.
2