Ardolino v. Merrill

Robert Ardolino appeals from the district court’s judgment accepting Magistrate Judge Cohen’s recommendation that his petition for a writ of habeas corpus be denied. But in doing so, Ardolino has made no effort to identify error in the magistrate judge’s cogent and comprehensive analysis, which is set forth in a published opinion. See 223 F.Supp.2d 215 (D.Me.2002). Indeed, Ardolino’s appellate brief is nothing more than a slightly modified rehash of his 28 U.S.C. § 2254 petition. The availability of de novo appellate review of a district court’s legal conclusions, see Almanzar v. Maloney, 281…