Eric Guice v. FNU Barlow, et al.

Guice · United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma · December 18, 2025 · No. CIV-24-1246-J

Summary

The United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma adopted a magistrate judge's Report and Recommendation and dismissed Eric Guice's 42 U.S.C. § 1983 action without prejudice. The dismissal was based on Guice's failure to comply with court orders, including submitting paperwork required for service and updating his in forma pauperis application.

Court
United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma
Writing for the Court
Bernard M. Jones
Jurisdiction
United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma
Decision date
December 18, 2025
Docket number
CIV-24-1246-J
Procedural posture
A prisoner-plaintiff brought a pro se action under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. After the magistrate judge recommended dismissal without prejudice for failure to comply with court orders, including failure to submit paperwork necessary for service and failure to update the in forma pauperis application, the district court adopted the recommendation and dismissed the action without prejudice.
Standard of review
The district court reviewed the magistrate judge's Report and Recommendation after the period for objections expired; the order stated that Plaintiff's failure to object waived appellate review of the factual and legal issues addressed in the recommendation.
Precedential value
unpublished district court order
Parties
Eric Guice v. FNU Barlow, et al.
Disposition
dismissed

Topics

service of processsection 1983prisoners rightscivil procedure

Practice areas

civil procedurecivil rightsprisoner civil rights

Questions Presented

  1. Whether the action should be dismissed without prejudice because Plaintiff failed to comply with court orders requiring submission of service paperwork and an updated in forma pauperis application.
  2. Whether Plaintiff's failure to object to the Report and Recommendation waived appellate review of the factual and legal issues addressed in that recommendation.

Holdings

  1. A party who fails to object to a magistrate judge's Report and Recommendation within the prescribed period waives appellate review of the factual and legal issues addressed in the recommendation.
  2. The action was properly dismissed without prejudice because Plaintiff failed to comply with court orders requiring paperwork necessary for service and an updated in forma pauperis application.

Key quotations

Plaintiff has therefore waived any right to appellate review of the factual and legal issues in the Report and Recommendation.
Accordingly, the Court ADOPTS the Report and Recommendation [Doc. No. 22] and DISMISSES this case without prejudice.

Factual background

Eric Guice, a prisoner proceeding pro se, alleged constitutional-rights violations under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. He failed to submit paperwork required for service and failed to update his in forma pauperis application despite court orders requiring those actions. He also failed to object to the magistrate judge's recommendation of dismissal.

Procedural history

The matter was referred to Magistrate Judge Shon T. Erwin for initial proceedings. On November 21, 2025, the magistrate judge issued a Report and Recommendation recommending dismissal without prejudice based on Plaintiff's failure to comply with court orders. Plaintiff did not object by the December 8, 2025 deadline, and the district court adopted the Report and Recommendation and dismissed the case without prejudice.

Court Document

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