JUDGMENT ISSUED.

Because the Court lacks a quorum, 28 U. S. C. §1, and since the qualified Justice is of the opinion that the case cannot be heard and determined at the next Term of the Court, the judgment is affirmed under 28 U. S. C. §2109, which provides that under these circumstances “the court shall enter its order affirming the judgment of the court from which the case was brought for review with the same effect as upon affirmance by an equally divided court." The Chief Justice, Justice Kennedy, Justice Thomas, Justice Ginsburg, Justice Breyer, Justice Alito, Justice Sotomayor, and Justice Kagan took no part in the consideration or decision of this petition.

DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 9/25/2017.

Waiver of right of Federal Respondents to respond filed.

Waiver of right of respondents Catherine Sabers, Barbara Anderson Lewis, Lynn Jackson, Shultz & Lebrun, P.C., et al. to respond filed.

Waiver of right of respondent Nifty-Fifties, Inc. to respond filed.

Waiver of right of respondent Markel Service, Inc. to respond filed.

Waiver of right of respondent Marcia Hultman to respond filed.

Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due July 31, 2017)

Gary Lee Chute, Petitioner, pro se

Catherine Sabers, Barbara Anderson Lewis, Lynn Jackson, Shultz & Lebrun, P.C., et al., Respondent, represented by Thomas J. Welk

Federal Respondents, Respondent, represented by Jeffrey Bryan Wall

Marcia Hultman, Respondent, represented by Robert B. Anderson

Markel Service, Inc., Respondent, represented by Reece M. Almond

Nifty-Fifties, Inc., Respondent, represented by Rebecca L. Mann