Lopez Rivera v. State of Massachusetts Public Safety and Security et al

Filing 4

Judge Mark G. Mastroianni: ORDER entered. MEMORANDUM AND ORDER that the petition for writ of habeas corpus (Dkt. No. 1) is DENIED and this action is DISMISSED. (PSSA, 4)

Case 3:21-cv-30013-MGM Document 4 Filed 02/16/21 Page 1 of 2

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
DISTRICT OF MASSACHUSETTS
JOSE LOPEZ RIVERA,
Petitioner,
v.
STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS PUBLIC
SAFETY AND SECURITY, ET AL.,
Respondents.

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Civil Action No. 21-30013-MGM

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER
February 16, 2021
MASTROIANNI, U.S.D.J.
For the reasons set forth below, the petition for writ of habeas corpus is denied and this action is
dismissed.
I.

Relevant Background
Pro se litigant Jose Lopez Rivera (Lopez Rivera), who is currently confined at the Augusta

Correctional Center (“ACC”) in Virginia, filed a document captioned as “Complaint for a Writ of Habeas
Corpus.” (Dkt. No. 1).
Lopez Rivera contends that his confinement is unlawful and he seeks immediate release. Id. In
addition to ACC Warden Phillip White, the petition lists 20 Massachusetts officers, employees and/or
attorneys as respondents. Id. at p. 1, 29-32.
Petitioner seeks to challenge his criminal prosecution in Essex County Superior Court “under cause
of action No: Inc. 1994-9477CR2198, 1994-9477CR2199.” Id. at p. 3. The petition includes “questions to
determine the jurisdiction, authority and the nature and cause of the respondent’s restraint of the
petitioner’s liberties.” Id. at p. 4.

Case 3:21-cv-30013-MGM Document 4 Filed 02/16/21 Page 2 of 2

II.

Discussion
“[T]he essence of habeas corpus is an attack by a person in custody upon the legality of that custody,

and ... the traditional function of the writ is to secure release from illegal custody.” Preiser v. Rodriguez, 411
U.S. 475, 484 (1973). Habeas corpus review is available under § 2241 if a person is “in custody in violation
of the Constitution or laws or treaties of the United States.” 28 U.S.C. § 2241(c)(3).
The petition has not been served pending the court’s preliminary review. See 28 U.S.C. § 2243
(providing that, if “it appears from the application [for a writ of habeas corpus] that the applicant . . . is not
entitled [to the writ],” the district court is not required to serve the petition on the respondent); see also Rule
4 of the Rules Governing Habeas Corpus Cases under Section 2254 (providing that, if it “plainly appears
from the face of the [habeas] petition . . . that the petitioner is not entitled to relief in the district court,” the
Court “must dismiss the petition”).1
Here, the court lacks habeas jurisdiction over the matter because Lopez Rivera is not confined in the
District of Massachusetts. See Rumsfeld v. Padilla, 542 U.S. 426, 442-43 (2004). Moreover, the pleading does
not set forth any plausible, or even any cognizable, basis for relief. Transferring this action to the Western
District of Virginia is not in the interest of justice, see 28 U.S.C. § 1631.
III.

Order
Based on the foregoing, it is hereby Ordered that the petition for writ of habeas corpus (Dkt. No. 1)

is DENIED and this action is DISMISSED.
It is So Ordered.

/s/ Mark G. Mastroianni_______
MARK G. MASTROIANNI
United States District Judge

Rule 4 may be applied at the discretion of the district court to other habeas petitions. See Rule 1(b) of the
Rules Governing Habeas Corpus Cases under Section 2254.
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