UNITED STATES v. ASHBAUGH (2018)

Richard Ashbaugh seeks to appeal the district court's denial of his Fed. R. Civ. P. 60(b) motion to reconsider the denial of his motion to reopen his 28 U.S.C. § 2255 (2012) case. We have reviewed the record on appeal and conclude that Ashbaugh's Rule 60(b) motion was actually a second or successive habeas motion because he sought, in essence, to collaterally attack his sentence and the district court adjudicated his first § 2255 motion on the merits. Ashbaugh did not obtain prefiling authorization from this court to file a second or successive § 2255 motion, and, thus, the district court lacked jurisdiction to consider Ashbaugh's motion for reconsideration. United States v. Winestock, 340 F.3d 200, 205 (4th Cir. 2003). As a result, we must “vacate the order denying [Ashbaugh's] motion for reconsideration and remand to the district court with instructions to dismiss the motion.” Id. at 208.

Next, following Winestock, we “construe [Ashbaugh's] notice of appeal and his appellate brief as a motion for authorization to file a successive application.” 340 F.3d at 208. To obtain permission to bring a second or successive § 2255 motion, a movant must show that his claim: (1) “relies on a new rule of constitutional law, made retroactive to cases on collateral review by the Supreme Court, that was previously unavailable” or (2) relies on newly discovered facts that tend to establish the movant's innocence. 28 U.S.C. § 2255(h). We conclude that Ashbaugh's claims do not satisfy either of these criteria.

Accordingly, we vacate the district court's order and remand with instructions to dismiss Ashbaugh's motion for lack of jurisdiction, and we deny authorization to file a second or successive § 2255 motion. We dispense with oral argument because the facts and legal contentions are adequately presented in the materials before this court and argument would not aid the decisional process.

VACATED AND REMANDED WITH INSTRUCTIONS

PER CURIAM:

Vacated and remanded with instructions by unpublished per curiam opinion. Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit.