Starr v. Covello

District Court, S.D. California·Decided February 6, 2024·No. 3:22-cv-00455·Unknown

Opinion

CIARA SKY STARR, Case No.: 22cv0455 MMA (BLM)

Petitioner, ORDER REQUIRING RESPONSE v. TO AMENDED PETITION (28 U.S.C. § 2254) JEFF MACOMBER, Secretary, et al.,

Respondents. [ECF No. 20] On April 4, 2022, Petitioner, a state prisoner proceeding pro se, filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254 and on April 19, 2022, paid the $5.00 filing fee. (ECF Nos. 1-2.) After the Court granted Petitioner several extensions of time to file an amended petition (see ECF Nos. 8, 10, 14), but Petitioner did not do so, on January 23, 2024, the Court directed the Clerk to enter a final judgment of dismissal without prejudice and close the case, which the Clerk did on that same day. (ECF Nos. 15, 16.) On December 28, 2023, instead of filing an amended petition in the instant case, Petitioner constructively filed a second habeas corpus petition1 in this Court pursuant to 28

1 The petition is filed-stamped January 29, 2024, but under the “mailbox rule” the constructive filing date is the date Petitioner handed it to correctional officers for mailing U.S.C. § 2254 seeking to challenge the same conviction and sentence as she does in the instant habeas case, which was assigned S.D. Cal. Civil Case No. 24cv0216-AJB (AHG). (See ECF No. 1 in S.D. Cal. Civil Case No. 24cv0216-AJB (AHG).) Pursuant to Woods v. Carey, 525 F.3d 886, 890 (9th Cir. 2008)2, Judge Battaglia ordered that the second petition filed in S.D. Cal. Civil Case No. 24cv0216-AJB (AHG) be construed as a motion to amend in the instant case because the instant case was already pending at the time Petitioner constructively filed the second petition. (See ECF No. 2 in S.D. Cal. Civil Case No. 24cv0216-AJB (AHG).) On February 5, 2024, the Court granted the motion to amend [ECF No. 18], vacated the judgment of dismissal [ECF Nos. 15-16], reopened this case, and directed the Clerk to refile the petition from S.D. Cal. Civil Case No. 24cv0216-AJB (AHG) as an Amended Petition in the instant case. (ECF Nos. 19-20.) In accordance with Rule 4 of the rules governing petitions for a writ of habeas corpus pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254, and upon a preliminary review of the Amended Petition [ECF No. 20], IT IS ORDERED that: 1. The Clerk of this Court must promptly (a) serve a copy of the Amended Petition [ECF No. 20] (hereinafter “Petition”) and a copy of this Order on the Attorney General for the State of California, or his authorized agent; and (b) serve a copy of this Order on Petitioner. 2. Respondent must file a “Notice of Appearance” no later than February 21, 2024.

34 in S.D. Cal. Civil Case No. 24cv0216-AJB (AHG)); Huizar v. Carey, 273 F.3d 1220, 1222 (9th Cir. 2001) (“Under the ‘prison mailbox rule’ of Houston v. Lack, 487 U.S. 266 (1988), a prisoner’s federal habeas petition is deemed filed when [s]he hands it over to prison authorities for mailing to the district court.”) (internal citations omitted).

2 In Woods, the Ninth Circuit held that when a pro se petitioner has a 28 U.S.C. § 2254 petition pending in a district court and files a new 28 U.S.C. § 2254 petition challenging the same conviction, “the district court should . . . construe[] [the petitioner’s] pro se habeas 3. If Respondent contends the Petition can be decided without the Court’s reaching the merits of Petitioner’s claims (e.g., because Respondent contends Petitioner has failed to exhaust any state remedies as to any ground for relief alleged in the Petition, or that the Petition is barred by the statute of limitations, or that the Petition is subject to dismissal under Rule 9 of the Rules Governing § 2254 Cases, or that all of the claims are procedurally defaulted, or that Petitioner is not in custody), Respondent must file a motion to dismiss pursuant to Rule 4 of the Rules Governing § 2254 Cases no later than April 8, 2024. The motion to dismiss must not address the merits of Petitioner’s claims, but rather must address all grounds upon which Respondent contends dismissal without reaching the merits of Petitioner’s claims is warranted.3 At the time the motion to dismiss is filed, Respondent must lodge with the Court all records bearing on Respondent’s contention in this regard. A hearing date is not required for the motion to dismiss. 4. If Respondent files a motion to dismiss, Petitioner must file his opposition, if any, to the motion no later than May 8, 2024. At the time the opposition is filed, Petitioner must lodge with the Court any records not lodged by Respondent which Petitioner believes may be relevant to the Court’s determination of the motion. 5. Unless the Court orders otherwise, Respondent must not file a reply to Petitioner’s opposition to a motion to dismiss. If the motion is denied, the Court will afford Respondent adequate time to respond to Petitioner’s claims on the merits. 6. If Respondent does not contend that the Petition can be decided without the Court reaching the merits of Petitioner’s claims, Respondent must file and serve an answer to the Petition, and a memorandum of points and authorities in support of such answer, pursuant to Rule 5 of the Rules Governing § 2254 Cases no later than April 8, 2024. At the time the answer is filed, Respondent must lodge with the Court all records bearing on

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Related

Houston v. Lack
487 U.S. 266 (Supreme Court, 1988)
Frank Huizar v. Tom Carey
273 F.3d 1220 (Ninth Circuit, 2001)
Woods v. Carey
525 F.3d 886 (Ninth Circuit, 2008)