--- title: "Close v. Thomas" citation: "653 F.3d 970 (9th Cir. 2011)" authority_id: "AUTH-CA9-CLOSE-653-F3D-970" authority_type: "case" jurisdiction: "federal_ninth_circuit" precedential_status: "binding_in_ca9" official_url: "https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2011/08/03/10-35850.pdf" url: "https://jason93.com/legal/federal-process/authorities/AUTH-CA9-CLOSE-653-F3D-970/" legal_review: "2026-08-25" links_checked: "2026-10-15" links_available: 1 links_checked_count: 1 license: "CC BY 4.0" --- # Close v. Thomas ## Holdings used - A person in federal custody does not need a COA to appeal denial of a properly classified ยง 2241 petition. ## Material limitation Binding only in the Ninth Circuit and only for the bounded procedural postures in the linked claims. Official published opinion reviewed. Federal BOP program-eligibility posture; the COA footnote does not decide merits or classification. A comprehensive commercial citator was not run. ## Official source and pinpoints 653 F.3d 970 (9th Cir. 2011), 653 F.3d 974 n.2: ## Linked claims - `CLM-CIR9-005` ## Used in - [Ninth Circuit Overlay](https://jason93.com/legal/federal-process/modules/95-circuit-overlays/ninth-circuit.md)