Charles Andrus v. Lorie Davis, Director ( 2017 )


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  •      Case: 16-20722      Document: 00514101558         Page: 1    Date Filed: 08/03/2017
    IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
    FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
    United States Court of Appeals
    Fifth Circuit
    No. 16-20722                                   FILED
    Summary Calendar                            August 3, 2017
    Lyle W. Cayce
    Clerk
    CHARLES R. ANDRUS,
    Petitioner−Appellant,
    versus
    LORIE DAVIS, Director, Texas Department of Criminal Justice,
    Correctional Institutions Division,
    Respondent−Appellee.
    Appeal from the United States District Court
    for the Southern District of Texas
    USDC No. 4:15-CV-968
    Before JOLLY, SMITH, and HAYNES, Circuit Judges.
    PER CURIAM: *
    Charles Andrus, Texas prisoner # 1249907, moves to proceed in forma
    * 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 R. 47.5, the court has determined that this opinion should not
    be published and is not precedent except under the limited circumstances set forth in 5TH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: 16-20722      Document: 00514101558    Page: 2   Date Filed: 08/03/2017
    No. 16-20722
    pauperis (“IFP”) to appeal the dismissal, for lack of jurisdiction, of a motion
    seeking authorization, in a 28 U.S.C. § 2255 proceeding, to withdraw his state
    pleas of nolo contendere to aggravated robbery and burglary of a habitation.
    Andrus has moved for leave to file a supplemental brief.
    By moving for IFP status in this court, Andrus is challenging the district
    court’s certification that an appeal would not be taken in good faith. See Baugh
    v. Taylor, 
    117 F.3d 197
    , 202 (5th Cir. 1997). This court’s “inquiry is limited to
    whether the appeal involves ‘legal points arguable on their merits (and there-
    fore not frivolous).’” Howard v. King, 
    707 F.2d 215
    , 220 (5th Cir. 1983) (citation
    omitted).
    Andrus has failed to identify any errors in the district court’s analysis.
    See Brinkmann v. Dallas Cty. Deputy Sheriff Abner, 
    813 F.2d 744
    , 748 (5th Cir.
    1987) (stating that plaintiff’s failure to identify any error was “the same as if
    he had not appealed that judgment”). Although this court liberally construes
    pro se filings, even pro se litigants must brief arguments to preserve them. See
    Yohey v. Collins, 
    985 F.2d 222
    , 225 (5th Cir. 1993).
    Andrus has therefore failed to show that his appeal involves “legal points
    arguable on their merits (and therefore not frivolous).” See 
    Howard, 707 F.2d at 220
    (internal quotation marks and citation omitted). The motion to proceed
    IFP is DENIED. The motion to file a supplemental brief is GRANTED.
    Andrus’s appeal is without arguable merit and is frivolous.         See 
    id. at 219−20.
         Because the appeal is frivolous, it is DISMISSED.        See 5TH
    CIR. R. 42.2.
    2