Jones v. Summerfield, 14705.

• Decision Date: 26 February 1959
• Docket Number: No. 14705.,14705.
• Citation: 265 F.2d 124,105 US App. DC 140
• Parties: Albert Edgar JONES, Appellant, v. Arthur E. SUMMERFIELD, Postmaster General of the United States, and Harris Ellsworth, et al., as members of the United States Civil Service Commission, Appellees.
• Court: U.S. Court of Appeals — District of Columbia Circuit

105 US App. DC 140, 265 F.2d 124 (1959)

Albert Edgar JONES, Appellant, v. Arthur E. SUMMERFIELD, Postmaster General of the United States, and Harris Ellsworth, et al., as members of the United States Civil Service Commission, Appellees.

No. 14705.

United States Court of Appeals District of Columbia Circuit.

Argued January 28, 1959.

Decided February 26, 1959.

Mr. William J. Woolston, Philadelphia, Pa., of the bar of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, pro hac vice, by special leave of court, with whom Mr. Harry S. Weidberg, Washington, D. C., was on the brief, for appellant.

Mr. Benjamin C. Flannagan, Atty., Dept. of Justice, with whom Messrs. Oliver Gasch, U. S. Atty., and Kevin T. Maroney, Atty., Dept. of Justice, were on the brief, for appellees. Mr. Anthony F. Cafferky, Atty., Dept. of Justice, also entered an appearance for appellees.

Before EDGERTON, WASHINGTON and BASTIAN, Circuit Judges.

PER CURIAM.

This suit was brought to obtain reinstatement, based on the decision in Cole v. Young, 1956, 351 U.S. 536, 76 S.Ct. 861, 100 L.Ed. 1396, by a former Government employee who was discharged from a non-sensitive position on security grounds. Cf. Duncan v. Summerfield, 1957, 102 U.S.App.D.C. 185, 251 F.2d 896. Jones (a veteran) was removed on February 28, 1955; Cole was decided on June 11, 1956; Jones brought suit for reinstatement on January 10, 1957, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. That suit was dismissed for lack of jurisdiction in May 1957, without prejudice. The instant suit was brought in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia on December 3, 1957. During the period after his discharge Jones and his attorneys also sought reinstatement through administrative action, writing to the President of the United States, the Civil Service Commission, and the Postmaster General. The replies were unfavorable, culminating in a letter from the Civil Service Commission on September 10, 1957, informing plaintiff that he could not be cleared for employment in the Federal competitive service. At no time did Jones seek review under Section 14 of the Veterans' Preference Act of 1944, 58 Stat. 390, as amended, 5 U.S.C.A. § 863.

We think that plaintiff-appellant is barred by laches. His suit was not brought in a proper forum until thirty-three months had elapsed after his discharge, and some seventeen months after the decision in Cole v. Young. The letters to various administrative officials do not excuse his delay in bringing suit. United States ex rel. Arant v. Lane, 1919, 249 U.S. 367, 39 S.Ct. 293, 63 L.Ed. 650; Grasse v. Snyder, 1951, 89 U.S.App.D.C. 352, 192 F.2d 35; Bailey v. United States, 1959, Ct.Cl., 171 F.Supp. 281.

Appellant's present counsel, relying on Duncan v. Summerfield, supra, urges on brief that "Plaintiff's first delay was to determine the results of the review by the Supreme Court of this Court's adjudication in Cole v. Young", stating that this is to be inferred because plaintiff's former counsel was evidently familiar with the Supreme Court...