United States of America v. Clinton Bush

CLD-54 NOT PRECEDENTIAL
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE THIRD CIRCUIT
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No. 07-1974
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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
v.
CLINTON BUSH,
Appellant
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On Appeal from the United States District Court
for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
(D.C. Crim. No. 98-cr-00370)
District Judge: Honorable William H. Yohn, Jr.
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Submitted for Possible Summary Action
Pursuant to Third Circuit LAR 27.4 and I.O.P. 10.6
November 21, 2007
BEFORE: AMBRO, FUENTES and JORDAN, Circuit Judges
(Opinion filed: December 12, 2007)
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OPINION
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PER CURIAM
In December 1998, Clinton Bush pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a
firearm by a former convicted felon. The District Court sentenced him to 180 months in
prison. Bush did not appeal. He did seek relief through 28 U.S.C. § 2255 and Rules

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59(e) and 60(b) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, but his efforts were unavailing.
In March 2007, Bush filed a “motion for court to correct judgment and
commitment order.” Pursuant to Rule 36 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure,
Bush requested that the District Court correct the judgment order to reflect the reason
why he received 180 months’ imprisonment instead of 120 months’ imprisonment. In his
motion, Bush admits that he was sentenced to a term of 180 months. The District Court
denied Bush’s motion, noting that Bush was subject to a term of imprisonment not less
than 180 months under 18 U.S.C. § 924(e)(1). Bush appeals.
We will summarily affirm the District Court’s order because no substantial issue is
presented on appeal. L.A.R. 27.4; I.O.P. 10.6. A court may correct a clerical error in a
judgment or order at any time. See Fed. R. Crim. P. 36. A clerical error involves an
inaccurate recording of a court’s statements or actions. See United States v. Bennett, 423
F.3d 271, 277-78 (3d Cir. 2005) (also emphasizing that “a court’s authority under Rule 36
is limited to the correction of clerical errors” only). Bush expressed a wish for a fuller
explanation of his sentence on the judgment page, but he did not complain of a clerical
error. His motion, like the order of judgment, describes his sentence as 180 months’
imprisonment. He did not identify any inaccuracy for the District Court to correct.
Accordingly, the District Court properly denied his motion.

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