UNPUBLISHED

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT

No. 99-1486

GARY R. JONES,

Plaintiff - Appellant,

versus

SHAWN R. ARLEDGE; CITY OF CHESAPEAKE,

Defendants - Appellees.

Appeal from the United States District Court for the Eastern Dis- trict of Virginia, at Norfolk. Rebecca B. Smith, District Judge. (CA-98-482-2)

Submitted: September 30, 1999 Decided: October 5, 1999

Before NIEMEYER, WILLIAMS, and MICHAEL, Circuit Judges.

Affirmed by unpublished per curiam opinion.

Gary R. Jones, Appellant Pro Se. Alan Brody Rashkind, FURNISS, DAVIS, RASHKIND & SAUNDERS, Norfolk, Virginia; Thomas Jeffrey Salb, BREEDEN, MACMILLAN & GREEN, Norfolk, Virginia, for Appellees.

Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit. See Local Rule 36(c). PER CURIAM:

Gary R. Jones appeals the district court’s order dismissing

his

(West Supp. 1999) action, following a jury

trial. On appeal, Jones alleges his counsel was ineffective.

Because claimants are not entitled to counsel in a § 1983 action,

there is no right to constitutionally effective counsel. See

Sanchez v. United States Postal Serv.,

(5th

Cir. 1986); Nicholson v. Rushen,

(9th Cir.

1985). Accordingly, we affirm the judgment of the district court.

We dispense with oral argument because the facts and legal conten-

tions are adequately presented in the materials before the court

and argument would not aid the decisional process.

AFFIRMED

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