Thompson v. IMC Global Inc

• Court: Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
• Decided: October 6, 2004
• Docket: 03-2382
• Status: Unpublished

Opinion

UNPUBLISHED

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT

No. 03-2382

KAREN MARLENE THOMPSON, Representing claimants: Verle Adams Thompson, Lula Hames Adams, Mattie Louise Adams, William/Willis Joshua Adams, Mittie Adams Cox, Broadus L. Cox, Guy Frederick Chesney, Edna Mildred Adams Chesney, Floyd Earle McAbee, and Martha Jean Chesney McAbee Barnett,

Party in Interest - Appellant,

and

HAROLD MITCHELL, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated; GERALD JONES, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated; MARY ANN EDWARDS, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated; WILLIAM N. EPPS, JR., Guardian ad Litem,

Plaintiffs,

versus

IMC GLOBAL INC, formerly known as IMC Fertilizer Group Inc., formerly known as IMC Fertilizer Inc., formerly known as International Minerals and Chemical Corporation; IMC GLOBAL OPERATIONS INC., formerly known as IMC Fertilizer Group Inc., formerly known as IMC Fertilizer Inc., formerly known as International Minerals and Chemical Corporation,

Defendants - Appellees, versus

RONNIE FOWLER; JAMES H. WATSON; JOYCE MCGILL; RANDY GRIFFIN; ROBERT L. MILLER; BRENDA A. MCABEE; NAMON M. DAWKINS; ROSE L. FERNANDIS; JAROB BLACK; KENNETH E. MORROW; LEROY ARTISON; MARY C. SMITH; HENRY D. SMITH; BARBARA J. BROWN; WILLIAM STALNAKER; JEFFREY S. SATTERFIELD; BARBARA MIDDLETON; TYRONE KEITH WIGGINS; TIMOTHY DARRELL WIGGINS; LOUISE DAWKINS LITTLEJOHN; CYNTHIA DENISE MOORE; LUCILLE FOSTER MOORE; SHARON DOGAN; HATTIE E. BYRD; REGINALD SHELTON; VERLE ADAMS THOMPSON; LULA HAMES ADAMS; MATTIE LOUISE ADAMS; WILLIAM/WILLIS JOSHUA ADAMS; MITTIE ADAMS COX; BROADUS L. COX; GUY FREDERICK CHESNEY; EDNA MILDRED ADAMS CHESNEY; FLOYD EARLE MCABEE; MARY K. GARREN; EVELYN B. ARTISON-MOORE; CORA P. WHEELING; ANNETTE BETSILL; DIANNE P. MCGILL; SHEENA IRENE FOSTER; ROSE MARIE FOSTER YOUNG; LOSSIE JACKSON; NORWOOD FOWLER; SHIRLEY FOWLER; ERNEST KEENON; PATRICIA D. FOWLER; CODY A. FOWLER; CAROL HUMPHRIES BLAND; CHARLES E. HUITT; ROBERT EARL FOSTER; JANICE LEE FOSTER; GERALD COX; DOROTHY TAYLOR MOSS; BETTY J. COX; TIJUANNA BATES; ONEAL EDWARDS; JERRY HARRISON; VICKI SMITH; WILLIE BATES; CAROLYN EVANS; TIMOTHY L. EVANS; ANGELA M. WHITT; CRYSTAL MOCKABEE; JOHN L. BOBO; JAMES WILLIAM CALDWELL; HATTIE F. YOUNG; CARNELL FLOYD; MELVIN BIVINGS; DOROTHY E. BENSON; DAVID B. JENNINGS, SR.; MATTIE L. PHILSON; DEBRA REEDER; BRYON ONEAL FOSTER; CHERYL ELIZABETH ROBINSON; MARY L. HENDERSON; RAYMOND MACHEN; RAMONA N. WILLIAMS; SYLVIA QUINN; STEPHANIE S. THROWER; PATRICIA A. ROBINSON; TONYA R. FOSTER; DARLENE BOBO ANDREWS; HERRY ANDREWS; BOBBY ANDREWS; HYCINTH ANDREWS; MARLON ANDREWS; AMBERIA WILLIAMS; CEDRICK L. RIDGEWAY; JUAN CARLON MILLER; TYRIAN DEONTE CARTER; TIFFANY M. CARSON; TAMMY M. KELEY; ANSEL R. MESSICK; CAROLYN M JUSTICE; MARY E. STEPHEN; ALTON L. WATERS, SR.; EDZEMA A. MONTGOMERY; GENEVIEVE FULLER ROBINSON; LILLIE B. FULLER; JOHNNIE MAE FULLER; KRISTIE KELLY; GLORIA WIGGLETON; MARISA DARLETTE DAVIS; CAROL G. MEDLEY; EDWIN K. LONG; RUTH

- 2 - REEDER; MARY N. REEDER; DORA N. REEDER; JOHN E. REEDER; JERRY REEDER; KIZZY SMITH; JACQELYN FOSTER; THOMAS LAMONT FERGUSON; ERNEST WINN; ANGELA ROGERS JACQUES; DARRELL L. MITCHELL; PETUNIA P. LEAK; ROBERT CATES HAYES; PAUL L. SCOTT; TERANCE GAULT; JOHN MILLER; CHARLES EDWARD HUNTER; JAMES W. CALDWELL; VERONICA WOODRUFF; DENISE L. MARTIN; YVONDA L. WRIGHT; MARTHA JEAN CHESNEY MCABEE BARNETT, individual claim of; ERIC A. MEANS; KELVIN GAULT; MARILYN THOMAS; GARY L. WALKER; STANLEY JETER; ANNETTE SHACK,

Parties in Interest.

No. 03-2392

ANNETTE SHACK,

HAROLD MITCHELL, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated; GERALD JONES, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated; MARY ANN EDWARDS, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated; WILLIAM N. EPPS, JR., Guardian ad Litem,

IMC GLOBAL INC, formerly known as IMC Fertilizer Group Inc, formerly known as IMC Fertilizer Inc, formerly known as International Minerals and Chemical Corporation; IMC GLOBAL OPERATIONS INC, formerly known as IMC Fertilizer Group Inc,

- 3 - formerly known as IMC Fertilizer Inc, formerly known as International Minerals and Chemical Corporation,

Defendants - Appellees,

RONNIE FOWLER; JAMES H. WATSON; JOYCE MCGILL; RANDY GRIFFIN; ROBERT L. MILLER; BRENDA A. MCABEE; NAMON M. DAWKINS; ROSE L. FERNANDIS; JAROB BLACK; KENNETH E. MORROW; LEROY ARTISON; MARY C. SMITH; HENRY D. SMITH; BARBARA J. BROWN; WILLIAM STALNAKER; JEFFREY S. SATTERFIELD; BARBARA MIDDLETON; TYRONE KEITH WIGGINS; TIMOTHY DARRELL WIGGINS; LOUISE DAWKINS LITTLEJOHN; CYNTHIA DENISE MOORE; LUCILLE FOSTER MOORE; SHARON DOGAN; HATTIE E. BYRD; REGINALD SHELTON; VERLE ADAMS THOMPSON; LULA HAMES ADAMS; MATTIE LOUISE ADAMS; WILLIAM/WILLIS JOSHUA ADAMS; MITTIE ADAMS COX; BROADUS L. COX; GUY FREDERICK CHESNEY; EDNA MILDRED ADAMS CHESNEY; FLOYD EARLE MCABEE; MARY K. GARREN; EVELYN B. ARTISON-MOORE; CORA P. WHEELING; ANNETTE BETSILL; DIANNE P. MCGILL; SHEENA IRENE FOSTER; ROSE MARIE FOSTER YOUNG; LOSSIE JACKSON; NORWOOD FOWLER; SHIRLEY FOWLER; ERNEST KEENON; PATRICIA D. FOWLER; CODY A. FOWLER; CAROL HUMPHRIES BLAND; CHARLES E. HUITT; ROBERT EARL FOSTER; JANICE LEE FOSTER; GERALD COX; DOROTHY TAYLOR MOSS; BETTY J. COX; TIJUANNA BATES; ONEAL EDWARDS; JERRY HARRISON; VICKI SMITH; WILLIE BATES; CAROLYN EVANS; TIMOTHY L. EVANS; ANGELA M. WHITT; CRYSTAL MOCKABEE; JOHN L. BOBO; VERONICA WOODRUFF; JAMES WILLIAM CALDWELL; HATTIE F. YOUNG; CARNELL FLOYD; MELVIN BIVINGS; DOROTHY E. BENSON; DAVID B. JENNINGS, SR.; MATTIE L. PHILSON; DEBRA REEDER; BRYON ONEAL FOSTER; CHERYL ELIZABETH ROBINSON; MARY L. HENDERSON; RAYMOND MACHEN; RAMONA N. WILLIAMS; SYLVIA QUINN; STEPHANIE S. THROWER; PATRICIA A. ROBINSON; TONYA R. FOSTER; DARLENE BOBO ANDREWS; HERRY ANDREWS; BOBBY ANDREWS; HYCINTH ANDREWS; MARLON ANDREWS; AMBERIA WILLIAMS; CEDRICK L. RIDGEWAY; JUAN CARLON

- 4 - MILLER; TYRIAN DEONTE CARTER; TIFFANY M. CARSON; TAMMY M. KELEY; ANSEL R. MESSICK; CAROLYN M. JUSTICE; MARY E. STEPHEN; ALTON L. WATERS, SR.; EDZEMA A. MONTGOMERY; GENEVIEVE FULLER ROBINSON; LILLIE B. FULLER; JOHNNIE MAE FULLER; KRISTIE KELLY; GLORIA WIGGLETON; MARISA DARLETTE DAVIS; CAROL G. MEDLEY; EDWIN K. LONG; RUTH REEDER; MARY N. REEDER; DORA N. REEDER; JOHN E. REEDER; JERRY REEDER; KIZZY SMITH; JACQELYN FOSTER; THOMAS LAMONT FERGUSON; ERNEST WINN; ANGELA ROGERS JACQUES; DARRELL L. MITCHELL; PETUNIA P. LEAK; ROBERT CATES HAYES; PAUL L. SCOTT; TERANCE GAULT; JOHN MILLER; CHARLES EDWARD HUNTER; JAMES W. CALDWELL; DENISE L. MARTIN; YVONDA L. WRIGHT; MARTHA JEAN CHESNEY MCABEE BARNETT, individual claim of; ERIC A. MEANS; KELVIN GAULT; MARILYN THOMAS; GARY L. WALKER; KAREN MARLENE THOMPSON, Representing claimants: Verle Adams Thompson, Lula Hames Adams, Mattie Louise Adams, William/Willis Joshua Adams, Mittie Adams Cox, Broadus L. Cox, Guy Frederick Chesney, Edna Mildred Adams Chesney, Floyd Earle McAbee, and Martha Jean Chesney McAbee Barnett; STANLEY JETER,

Appeals from the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina, at Spartanburg. G. Ross Anderson, Jr., District Judge. (CA-02-3608-13AK-7)

Submitted: August 20, 2004 Decided: October 6, 2004

Before TRAXLER and DUNCAN, Circuit Judges, and HAMILTON, Senior Circuit Judge.

Dismissed by unpublished per curiam opinion.

- 5 - Karen Marlene Thompson, Annette Shack, Appellants Pro Se. Beattie B. Ashmore, PRICE, PASCHAL & ASHMORE, PA, Greenville, South Carolina, for Appellees.

Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit. See Local Rule 36(c).

- 6 - PER CURIAM:

In these consolidated appeals, Karen Marlene Thompson and

Annette Shack seek to appeal from the order of the district court

denying their objections to the settlement of a class action

lawsuit.

In case number 03-2392, we dismiss Shack’s appeal for

lack of jurisdiction because her notice of appeal was not timely

filed. Parties are accorded thirty days after entry of the

district court’s final judgment or order to note an appeal, see

Fed. R. App. P. 4(a)(1), unless the district court extends the

appeal period under Fed. R. App. P. 4(a)(5) or reopens the appeal

period under Fed. R. App. P. 4(a)(6). This appeal period is

“mandatory and jurisdictional.” Browder v. Director, Dep’t of

Corrections, 434 U.S. 257, 264 (1978) (quoting United States v.

Robinson, 361 U.S. 220, 229 (1960)). The district court’s order

was entered on the docket on October 7, 2003. Shack’s notice of

appeal was filed on November 7, 2003, one day beyond the appeal

period. Because Shack failed to file a timely notice of appeal or

to obtain an extension or reopening of the appeal period, we

dismiss Shack’s appeal.

In case number 03-2382, we dismiss Thompson’s appeal

because she may not represent other members of the class as a pro

se litigant.* See Oxendine v. Williams, 509 F.2d 1405, 1407 (4th

* Thompson did not seek to raise any claims on her own behalf.

- 7 - Cir. 1975). Because Thompson is not an attorney, she may not

represent other parties to the proceeding.

The motion to expedite consideration of the appeals is

denied as moot. 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.

DISMISSED

- 8 -