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DUCKETT v. BISHOP (2020)

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United States Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit.

Charles Eugene DUCKETT, Jr., Petitioner - Appellant, v. Warden Frank BISHOP; The Attorney General of the State of Maryland, Respondents - Appellees.

No. 19-7660

Decided: March 17, 2020

Before KING, KEENAN, and FLOYD, Circuit Judges. Charles Eugene Duckett, Jr., Appellant Pro Se.

Charles Eugene Duckett, Jr., seeks to appeal the district court's order dismissing as untimely his 28 U.S.C. § 2254 (2018) petition. See Gonzalez v. Thaler, 565 U.S. 134, 148 & n.9, 132 S.Ct. 641, 181 L.Ed.2d 619 (2012) (explaining that § 2254 petitions are subject to one-year statute of limitations, running from latest of four commencement dates enumerated in 28 U.S.C. § 2244(d)(1) (2018)). The order is not appealable unless a circuit justice or judge issues a certificate of appealability. 28 U.S.C. § 2253(c)(1)(A) (2018). A certificate of appealability will not issue absent “a substantial showing of the denial of a constitutional right.” 28 U.S.C. § 2253(c)(2) (2018). When, as here, the district court denies relief on procedural grounds, the prisoner must demonstrate both that the dispositive procedural ruling is debatable and that the petition states a debatable claim of the denial of a constitutional right. Gonzalez, 565 U.S. at 140-41, 132 S.Ct. 641 (citing Slack v. McDaniel, 529 U.S. 473, 484, 120 S.Ct. 1595, 146 L.Ed.2d 542 (2000)).

We have independently reviewed the record and conclude that Duckett has not made the requisite showing. Accordingly, we deny a certificate of appealability and dismiss the appeal. 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.

DISMISSED

PER CURIAM:

Dismissed by unpublished per curiam opinion. Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit.

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