Alan J. Williams v. F.C.I. Beckley Warden

Summary

The United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia adopts a magistrate judge’s proposed findings and recommendation in a habeas corpus action. The court denies the petitioner’s motion for summary judgment, dismisses the habeas petition, and directs that the matter be removed from the docket because no objections were filed.

Holdings

1. When no timely objections are filed to a magistrate judge's proposed findings and recommendation, the district court need not conduct de novo or other review of the unobjected-to factual or legal conclusions, and the failure to object waives de novo review and the right to appeal the district court's order on that basis.
2. Because no objections were filed, the court adopted the PF&R, denied the motion for summary judgment, dismissed the petition for a writ of habeas corpus, and dismissed the action.

Questions Presented

1. Whether the district court was required to conduct de novo review of the magistrate judge's PF&R when no objections were filed.
2. Whether the court should adopt the PF&R, deny the motion for summary judgment, and dismiss the habeas petition and action.

Disposition

dismissed