THEODORE WILLIAM TAYLOR 26966 078 v. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (2026)

ORDER

Proceeding pro se, Theodore William Taylor filed a motion under 28 U.S.C. § 2255 to vacate, set aside, or correct his Eastern District of Texas conviction and sentence in No. 4:17-CR-00009(1)-ALM-BD, but he did not submit his claims on the standard § 2255 form adopted by the court. The court is unable to perform initial screening procedures due to a lack of information. See Rule 4, Rules Governing Section 2255 Cases for the United States District Courts. The court will allow him to complete and submit a standard § 2255 form.

The court notes that Taylor previously filed an unsuccessful § 2255 motion challenging his same conviction and sentence. See No. 4:21-cv-00103-MAC-KPJ, Dkts. 33, 34 (E.D. Tex. Mar. 27, 2024) (denying the motion and dismissing the case with prejudice); United States v. Taylor, No. 24-40246 (5th Cir. Mar. 20, 2025) (denying a certificate of appealability). Therefore, along with the standard § 2255 form, Taylor must submit documentation showing that he has received the certification necessary for this court to consider his successive § 2255 motion. See 28 U.S.C. § 2255(h); Bowe v. United States, No. 24-5438, 2026 WL 70342, at *15 (U.S. Jan. 9, 2026) (explaining that “a panel [of a federal court of appeals] can authorize the filing” of a second or successive § 2255 motion if the new motion “satisfies one of the two grounds in § 2255(h)”); United States v. Key, 205 F.3d 773, 774 (5th Cir. 2000) (holding that a district court cannot entertain a second or successive motion until after a panel of the court of appeals authorizes the filing of such a motion).

It is ORDERED that the clerk of court send Taylor a standard § 2255 form.

It is further ORDERED that Taylor has 30 days from his receipt of this order to complete the § 2255 form fully and legibly, sign it, and submit it to the court along with documentation from the Fifth Circuit showing that he has the certification necessary for him to file his second or successive § 2255 motion. The § 2255 motion may not exceed 30 pages. See Local Rule CV-3. He should be careful to place the cause number, No. 4:26-CV-00494-ALM-BD, on the form and all other documents that he submits as part of the present case.

Taylor is admonished that failure to comply with or otherwise respond to this order may result in dismissal of the case under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 41(b) for want of prosecution.

So ORDERED and SIGNED this 15th day of May, 2026.

Bill Davis United States Magistrate Judge