Sullivan v. Biter
Filing
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ORDER on Initial Review. Signed by Judge Edward M. Chen on 1/2/2013. (Attachments: # 1 Certificate of Service). (emcsec, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 1/2/2013)
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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
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NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
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MICHAEL J. SULLIVAN,
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Petitioner,
v.
ORDER ON INITIAL REVIEW
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For the Northern District of California
United States District Court
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No. C-12-5123 EMC (pr)
M. D. BITER, Warden,
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Respondent.
___________________________________/
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I.
INTRODUCTION
Petitioner, an inmate at Kern Valley State Prison, filed this pro se action seeking a writ of
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habeas corpus pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254. His petition is now before the Court for review
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pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §2243 and Rule 4 of the Rules Governing Section 2254 Cases.
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II.
BACKGROUND
The petition discloses the following: Petitioner was convicted in the Contra Costa County
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Superior Court of six counts of robbery and sentence enhancement allegations were found true. On
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November 10, 2004, he was sentenced to a total of 210 years to life in state prison. He appealed.
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His conviction was affirmed by the California Court of Appeal and his petition for review was
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denied by the California Supreme Court in 2007. He filed several petitions for writ of habeas corpus
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in state court, all of which were denied.
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Petitioner then filed this action, seeking a writ of habeas corpus. The petition has a signature
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date of September 6, 2012, and came to the Court in an envelope postmarked September 11, 2012.
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The petition was stamped “filed” at the Court on October 2, 2012.
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III.
DISCUSSION
This Court may entertain a petition for writ of habeas corpus “in behalf of a person in
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custody pursuant to the judgment of a State court only on the ground that he is in custody in
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violation of the Constitution or laws or treaties of the United States.” 28 U.S.C. § 2254(a); Rose v.
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Hodges, 423 U.S. 19, 21 (1975). A district court shall “award the writ or issue an order directing the
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respondent to show cause why the writ should not be granted, unless it appears from the application
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that the applicant or person detained is not entitled thereto.” 28 U.S.C. § 2243. Under Rule 4 of the
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Rules Governing Section 2254 Cases In The United States District Courts, a district court may also
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order the respondent to file another pleading where neither summary dismissal nor service is
appropriate.
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For the Northern District of California
United States District Court
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The Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 (“AEDPA”), which became law
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on April 24, 1996, imposed for the first time a statute of limitations on petitions for a writ of habeas
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corpus filed by state prisoners. Petitions filed by prisoners challenging non-capital state convictions
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or sentences must be filed within one year of the latest of the date on which: (1) the judgment
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became final after the conclusion of direct review or the time passed for seeking direct review; (2)
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an impediment to filing an application created by unconstitutional state action was removed, if such
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action prevented a petitioner from filing; (3) the constitutional right asserted was recognized by the
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Supreme Court, if the right was newly recognized by the Supreme Court and made retroactive to
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cases on collateral review; or (4) the factual predicate of the claim could have been discovered
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through the exercise of due diligence. See 28 U.S.C. § 2244(d)(1). Time during which a properly
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filed application for state post-conviction or other collateral review is pending is excluded from the
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one-year time limit. See id. § 2244(d)(2).
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The petition in this action was filed more than a year after Petitioner’s conviction became
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final, and may be untimely under the AEDPA’s one-year limitation period. This apparent
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procedural problem should be addressed before the Court reaches the merits of the claims raised in
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the petition. If the petition is time-barred, the litigants and Court need not expend resources
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addressing the claims in the petition. Accordingly, pursuant to Rule 4 of the Rules Governing
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Section 2254 Cases In The United States District Courts, Respondent must either (1) move to
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dismiss the petition on the ground that it is untimely, or (2) inform the Court that Respondent is of
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the opinion that a motion to dismiss is unwarranted in this case.
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IV.
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Good cause appearing therefor,
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1.
CONCLUSION
The Clerk shall serve by certified mail a copy of this order and the petition upon
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Respondent and Respondent’s attorney, the Attorney General of the State of California. The Clerk
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shall also serve a copy of this order on Petitioner.
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For the Northern District of California
United States District Court
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2.
Respondent must file with the Court and serve upon Petitioner, on or before
February 22, 2013, a motion to dismiss the petition or a notice that Respondent is of the opinion
that a motion to dismiss is unwarranted.
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If Petitioner wishes to oppose the motion to dismiss, he must do so by filing an
opposition with the Court and serving it upon Respondent on or before March 22, 2013.
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4.
Respondent may file and serve a reply on or before April 5, 2013.
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5.
The motion will be deemed submitted as of the date the reply brief is due. No
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hearing will be held on the motion. If Respondent notifies the Court that a motion to dismiss is
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unwarranted or the motion to dismiss is decided against Respondent, the Court will then determine
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whether to require an answer to the petition.
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6.
Petitioner’s in forma pauperis application is GRANTED. (Docket # 2, # 4.)
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IT IS SO ORDERED.
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Dated: January 2, 2013
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_________________________
EDWARD M. CHEN
United States District Judge
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