Elisa Lopez-Vasquez v. Pamela Bondi

United States Court of Appeals
For the Eighth Circuit
___________________________
No. 25-2878
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Levi Edward Garrett
lllllllllllllllllllllPlaintiff - Appellant
James Edward Garrett; Sandra Ann Garrett
lllllllllllllllllllllPlaintiffs
v.
Ronald Stock; Kristin K. Stock
lllllllllllllllllllllDefendants - Appellees
___________________________
No. 25-2973
___________________________
James Edward Garrett
lllllllllllllllllllllPlaintiff - Appellant
Sandra Ann Garrett; Levi Edward Garrett
lllllllllllllllllllllPlaintiffs
v.
Ronald Stock; Kristin K. Stock
lllllllllllllllllllllDefendants - Appellees
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Appeals from United States District Court
for the District of South Dakota - Central
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Submitted: April 30, 2026
Filed: May 5, 2026
[Unpublished]
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Before LOKEN, SMITH, and BENTON, Circuit Judges.
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PER CURIAM.
James and Levi Garrett appeal following the district court’s1 rulings denying a
motion for a continuance and entering judgment in accordance with a jury verdict on the
issue of damages stemming from breached real estate agreements. Following our
review, we conclude that denial of the request for a continuance, which was signed only
by Levi Garrett after the Garretts’ attorneys withdrew, was not an abuse of discretion,
see Peter Kiewit Sons’, Inc. v. Wall Street Equity Group, Inc., 809 F.3d 1018, 1022 (8th
Cir. 2016) (reviewing denial of postponement for abuse of discretion; finding no abuse
of discretion in denial of deferment of damages hearing where no time frame was
provided as to when, if ever, reason for delay would be resolved); and we decline to
consider challenges to the jury trial or entry of judgment following the damages verdict
that were not raised in the district court, see id. (reviewing court ordinarily does not
consider argument first raised on appeal); see also Jones ex rel. Jones v. Corr. Med.
Servs., Inc., 401 F.3d 950, 952 (8th Cir. 2005) (non-attorney may not engage in practice
of law on behalf of others). Accordingly, the judgment of the district court is affirmed.
______________________________
1The Honorable Roberto A. Lange, Chief Judge, United States District Court
for the District of South Dakota.
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