In re: Joseph Smith

Opinion

UNPUBLISHED

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT

No. 25-1857

In re: JOSEPH THOMAS SMITH, a/k/a Joseph Smith, Petitioner.

On Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus.

Submitted: November 25, 2025 Decided: December 1, 2025

Before WYNN and RICHARDSON, Circuit Judges, and KEENAN, Senior Circuit Judge.

Petition dismissed by unpublished per curiam opinion.

Joseph Thomas Smith, Petitioner Pro Se.

Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit.

2

PER CURIAM:

Joseph Thomas Smith petitions this court for a writ of habeas corpus, asking that the court vacate his 2010 conviction for carjacking resulting in death. We deny Smith’s motions to seal, * and we dismiss the petition for lack of jurisdiction.

It is “uniformly” settled that a Court of Appeals has no jurisdiction to entertain a petition for an original writ of habeas corpus. Dragenice v. Ridge, 389 F.3d 92, 100 (4th Cir. 2004); see 28 U.S.C. § 2241(a). Although the All Writs Act permits courts to “issue all writs necessary or appropriate in aid of their respective jurisdictions,” 28 U.S.C. § 1651(a), it does not provide an independent basis for jurisdiction here. See United States v. Brooks, 230 F.3d 643, 646 n.3 (3d Cir. 2000).

We therefore dismiss the petition for lack of jurisdiction and decline to transfer it to the district court. See 28 U.S.C. §§ 1631, 2241(b). 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.

PETITION DISMISSED

*

The petition does not contain any sensitive or confidential information.