Emir James Phillips v. Board of Curators of Lincoln University, formerly known as Lincoln University

United States Court of Appeals
For the Eighth Circuit
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No. 25-2051
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Emir James Phillips
lllllllllllllllllllllPlaintiff - Appellant
v.
Board of Curators of Lincoln University, formerly known as Lincoln University;
Dr. Stevie Lawrence; Dr. Cornelius Brownlee; Dr. Deneia Thomas; Does, 1-20
lllllllllllllllllllllDefendants - Appellees
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No. 25-2169
___________________________
Emir James Phillips
lllllllllllllllllllllPlaintiff - Appellant
v.
Board of Curators of Lincoln University, formerly known as Lincoln University;
Dr. Stevie Lawrence; Does, 1-20
lllllllllllllllllllllDefendants - Appellees
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Appeals from United States District Court
for the Western District of Missouri - Jefferson City

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Submitted: November 4, 2025
Filed: November 7, 2025
[Unpublished]
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Before SHEPHERD, KELLY, and GRASZ, Circuit Judges.
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PER CURIAM.
In these appeals, Emir Phillips appeals following the district court’s1 dismissal
of his two pro se 42 U.S.C. § 1983 actions. After careful review of the record and the
parties’ arguments on appeal, we conclude that the district court did not err in
dismissing the cases. See Ingram v. Ark. Dep’t of Corr., 91 F.4th 924, 927 (8th Cir.
2024) (dismissal for failure to state claim is reviewed de novo). We also conclude
that the district court did not abuse its discretion in denying Phillips’s motions for
relief from judgment. See Harley v. Zoesch, 413 F.3d 866, 870 (8th Cir. 2005)
(standard of review). Accordingly, we affirm in both appeals, and we deny Phillips’s
pending motions as moot. See 8th Cir. R. 47B.
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1The Honorable Beth Phillips, Chief Judge, United States District Court for the
Western District of Missouri.
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