An appeal filed by the mother of the Taft High School shooter to join a lawsuit against the high school district has been denied. 

In 2015, Bryan Oliver pleaded no contest in the shooting and was sentenced to more than 27 years behind bars.

The ruling on Dec. 18 was handed down by the Fifth District Court of Appeals. A federal judge in Fresno upheld a Kern County Superior Court ruling that Sheri Oliver's claim to join the suit, which was filed in January 2015, was a year too late. 

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The original lawsuit was filed against the district in April 2013 by the family of the shooting victim, Bowe Cleveland. That was three months after Bryan Oliver opened fire at school and hitting Cleveland, after he was allegedly bullied.

The lawsuit claimed the district didn't do enough to prevent the shooting or to protect students. Oliver later took a plea dea in the shooting and was sentenced to more than 27 years in prison As part of the deal, he is eligible for parole after less than 13 years.