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February 9, 2007
Elisabeth A. Shumaker
Clerk of Court
v.
DANIEL R ICH ARD ARO S,
Defendant - Appellant.
ORDER
DENYING CERTIFICATE O F APPEALABILITY
The district court determined that, even assuming the facts asserted by M r. Aros
were accurate, the attorney error described did not constitute extraordinary
circumstances. W e do not think the district courts conclusion that this motion is
time-barred and not saved by equitable tolling is reasonably debatable. The
mistake in this case is in the same league with ordinary attorney errors which
consistently have been found not to warrant equitable tolling. See Rouse v. Lee,
339 F.3d 238, 248-49 (4th Cir. 2003) (en banc) cert. denied, 541 U.S. 905 (2004);
M odrowski v. M ote, 322 F.3d 965, 967-68 (7th Cir. 2003); see also United States
v. M artin, 408 F.3d 1089, 1093 (8th Cir. 2005) ([S]erious attorney misconduct,
as opposed to mere negligence, may warrant equitable tolling.) (quotation marks
omitted). W e agree with the district court that M r. Aros bore the risk of untimely
filing in this case, particularly given that trial counsel declined to represent him.
W e DENY a COA and IFP status, and we DISM ISS the appeal.