Fairweather v. Kochis et al

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA
SEAN A. FAIRWEATHER,
Plaintiff
v.
JILLIAN KOCHIS, ESQ., et al.,
Defendants
No. 3:25cv1499
(Judge Munley)
(Magistrate Judge Carlson)
••••••••••••••• ■ •• ■ ••••••• ■ ••••••••••••••••••••• ■ ■ • ■ ■ ••••• ■ •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• ■ ■ •• ■ ••••••• ■ ••••• ■
•• ■ ••••••••••••••• ■ • ■ • ■ ••••••••••••• ■ ■ • ■ •••••• ■ • ■ ••••••• ■ ■ ■ •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• ■ •••••••••••• ■ •
ORDER
Before the court is a Report and Recommendation ("R&R") from Magistrate
Judge Martin C. Carlson , which recommends dismissal of Sean A. Fairweather's
amended complaint without leave to amend. 1 (Doc. 20). After a review of the
amended complaint, Magistrate Judge Carlson concludes that Fairweather's
constitutional claims against his former court-appointed counsel brought pursuant
to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 fail as a matter of law. (kl at 6-9). The R&R further
recommends that the court decline to exercise supplemental jurisdiction over
Fairweather's state law professional negligence claims. (kl at 9-12).
1 Fairweather is a state inmate confined at the State Correctional Institution ("SCI ") - Dallas,
Pennsylvania . (Doc. 9). 	Fairweather names three county assistant public defenders as
defendants and asserts federal civil rights claims for damages totaling $30 ,000 ,000 pursuant to
42 U.S.C. § 1983. 	(~) According to Fairweather, these attorneys violated his rights under the
Sixth and Eighth Amendments to the United States Constitution through ineffective
representation in his criminal proceedings in the Lackawanna County Court of Common Pleas.
(~)
Case 3:25-cv-01499-JKM Document 21 Filed 02/04/26 Page 1 of 3

The R&R was issued on January 14 , 2026. 	No objections to the R&R have
been filed and the time for such filing has passed . The R&R is thus ready for
review.
In deciding whether to adopt an R&R when no timely objections are filed ,
the court must determine if a review of the record evidences plain error or
manifest injustice. FED. R. CIv. P. 72(b), 1983 Advisory Committee Notes (" When
no timely objection is filed , the court need only satisfy itself that there is no clear
error on the face of the record to accept the recommendation"); see also 28
U.S.C. § 636(b )(1 ); Sullivan v. Cuyler, 723 F.2d 1077, 1085 (3d Cir. 1983).
After reviewing plaintiff's amended complaint, the court finds neither clear
error on the face of the record nor a manifest injustice in Magistrate Judge
Carlson 's analysis. 	Therefore, the court will accept the R&R and adopt it in its
entirety. Fairweather's amended complaint will be dismissed , and this case will
be closed .
Accordingly, it is hereby ORDERED that:
1) The R&R, (Doc. 20), is ADOPTED ;
2) The amended complaint, (Doc. 9), is DISMISSED with prejudice pursuant
to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B)(ii); and
3) The Clerk of Court is directed to CLOSE this case.
2
Case 3:25-cv-01499-JKM Document 21 Filed 02/04/26 Page 2 of 3

3
Case 3:25-cv-01499-JKM Document 21 Filed 02/04/26 Page 3 of 3