In Re: Ronald Coulter , 456 F. App'x 222 ( 2011 )


Menu:
  •                                UNPUBLISHED
    UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
    FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT
    No. 11-1823
    In Re:    RONALD COULTER,
    Petitioner.
    On Petitions for Writs of Mandamus and Prohibition.
    (0:08-cv-02762-PMD)
    Submitted:    November 28, 2011              Decided:   December 1, 2011
    Before WILKINSON and        GREGORY,   Circuit   Judges,   and   HAMILTON,
    Senior Circuit Judge
    Petitions denied by unpublished per curiam opinion.
    Ronald Coulter, Petitioner Pro Se.
    Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit.
    PER CURIAM:
    Ronald Coulter petitions for a writ of mandamus and a
    writ of prohibition seeking to vacate the district court’s order
    granting summary judgment for Respondent on his 
    28 U.S.C. § 2254
    (2006) petition and to compel the district court to review his
    claims under the proper standard.                   We conclude that Coulter is
    not entitled to relief.
    Mandamus relief is a drastic remedy and should be used
    only in extraordinary circumstances.                  Kerr v. U.S. Dist. Court,
    
    426 U.S. 394
    , 402 (1976); United States v. Moussaoui, 
    333 F.3d 509
    ,   516-17   (4th     Cir.    2003).         Further,     mandamus       relief   is
    available only when the petitioner has a clear right to the
    relief sought.        In re First Fed. Sav. & Loan Ass’n, 
    860 F.2d 135
    , 138 (4th Cir. 1988).            Likewise, “a writ of prohibition is a
    drastic and extraordinary remedy which should be granted only
    when the petitioner has shown his right to the writ to be clear
    and undisputable and that the actions of the court were a clear
    abuse of discretion.”           In re Vargas, 
    723 F.2d 1461
    , 1468 (10th
    Cir.   1983).         Neither    a   writ      of    mandamus   nor     a    writ    of
    prohibition     may    be   used     as   a    substitute     for   appeal.          
    Id.
    (prohibition); In re Lockheed Martin Corp., 
    503 F.3d 351
    , 353
    (4th Cir. 2007) (mandamus).
    The relief sought by Coulter is not available by way
    of   mandamus   or    prohibition.            Accordingly,    although       we   grant
    2
    leave to proceed in forma pauperis, we deny Coulter’s petitions.
    We   dispense   with   oral   argument   because   the   facts   and   legal
    contentions are adequately presented in the materials before the
    court and argument would not aid the decisional process.
    PETITIONS DENIED
    3