Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims judgment is affirmed where the court properly held that plaintiff's finality claim was an impermissible freestanding challenge to the finality of a prior regional office decision, as the law does not recognize a freestanding finality claim filed after the period for direct appeal has expired.
Read Knowles v. Shinseki, No. 08-7119
Appellate Information
Appeal from the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims
Decided June 26, 2009
Judges
Before LOURIE, ARCHER, and LINN, Circuit Judges.
Opinion by LINN, Circuit Judge..
Counsel
For Appellant: Kenneth M. Carpenter, Carpenter, Chartered, Topeka, Kansas.
For Appellee: Tara K. Hogan, United States Department of Justice, Washington, DC.