Background
Matthew Lepnev and Amani Haddad brought an action against Joseph B. Edlow, Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, in the Eastern District of Virginia. In August 2023, the district court made a “So Ordered” entry on a notice of voluntary dismissal submitted by Lepnev’s counsel.
Lepnev later sought reconsideration. He appealed after Senior District Judge Claude M. Hilton denied his second motion for reconsideration of the August 2023 entry.
The Court’s Holding
The Fourth Circuit affirmed the district court’s order. After reviewing the record, the panel concluded that there was no reversible error in the denial of Lepnev’s second reconsideration motion.
The court issued an unpublished per curiam opinion and did not provide further substantive analysis. It also dispensed with oral argument because the written materials adequately presented the facts and legal contentions and argument would not aid the decisional process.
Key Takeaways
- The Fourth Circuit upheld the denial of Lepnev’s second request to reconsider the district court’s treatment of his counsel’s voluntary-dismissal notice.
- The panel found no reversible error after reviewing the record.
- The decision is unpublished and is not binding precedent in the Fourth Circuit.
Why It Matters
The decision leaves intact both the denial of reconsideration and the district court’s August 2023 “So Ordered” entry concerning the voluntary dismissal. Because the Fourth Circuit offered no extended reasoning, the opinion provides limited guidance beyond its resolution of this appeal.