Rukes v. State of Montana et al
Filing
57
ORDER GRANTING RELIEF UNDER FED. R. CIV. P. 60(b). Paragraph 1 of the Order of May 23, 2014 ( 37 at 3), is VACATED. Rukes's petition for writ of habeas corpus is CONDITIONALLY GRANTED. A certificate of appealability, to the extent it is requi red, is DENIED. The State's unopposed motion to renew its motion for stay and deem previous briefing re-submitted 56 is GRANTED. The Court will issue a ruling on that motion shortly. Signed by Magistrate Judge Jeremiah C. Lynch on 9/29/2014. (TAG, )
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF MONTANA
MISSOULA DIVISION
FILED
SEP 29 20M
~,y.s Oistrictcourt
Cause No. CV 13-116-~~ntana
JACK NORMAN RUKES,
Petitioner,
ORDER GRANTING RELIEF UNDER
FED. R. CIV. P. 60(b}
vs.
MARTIN FRINK; ATTORNEY
GENERAL OF THE STATE OF
MONTANA,
Respondents.
This matter came before the Court on Petitioner Rukes's application for writ
of habeas corpus under 28 U.S.C. § 2254. On March 11,2014, based on the
parties' written consent, see Consents (Doc. 27-1, 27-2), the case was assigned to
the undersigned for all purposes, including entry ofjudgment and post-judgment
proceedings, 28 U.S.C. § 636(c}.
Relief was granted on one of Rukes's claims. Respondents ("the State") filed
a notice of appeal on June 6, 2014. On July 9, 2014, the Court suspended its order
granting relief, thereby suspending the State's obligation to renew proceedings in
the trial court for a period of 30 days. During that time, the parties moved in the
Court of Appeals for a limited remand to allow the Court to entertain a motion
under Fed. R. Civ. P. 60(b} and to amend the form in which relief was granted. The
Court of Appeals granted the motion and remanded the case on September 25,
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2014.
As the Court previously explained, see Order (Doc. 47) at 4-7, it erred in
entering judgment in the form it did. The fact that Rukes prevailed on one claim
for relief means the State is entitled to an opportunity correct its wrong by retrying
Rukes. Likewise, Rukes is entitled to be released if the State does not take
advantage of its opportunity to replace an invalid judgment with a valid one. A
district court may, on its own initiative, grant relief under Fed. R. Civ. P. 60(b).
Kingvision Pay-Per-View Ltd. v. Lake Alice Bar, 168 F.3d 347, 352 (9th Cir.
1999). Consequently, the Court will correct the form of relief. See Order (Doc. 47)
at 9.
To the extent a certificate of appealability is required, see Jones v. Ryan, 733
F.3d 825,832 n.3 (9th Cir. 2013), it is denied. Reasonable jurists would not dispute
the amendment ofthe remedy as provided here.
Based on the foregoing, the Court enters the following:
ORDER
1. Paragraph 1 ofthe Order of May 23,2014 (Doc. 37 at 3), is VACATED.
2. Rukes's petition for writ of habeas corpus is CONDITIONALLY
GRANTED. If the State does not retry Rukes within 30 days ofthe date ofthis
Order, this Court will issue a writ of habeas corpus directing his release from
custody.
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3. A certificate of appealability, to the extent it is required, is DENIED.
4. The State's unopposed motion to renew its motion for stay and deem
previous briefing re-submitted (Doc. 56) is GRANTED. The Court will issue a
ruling on that motion shortly.
DATED this
2!#.day of Septem
miah C. Lynch
nited States Magistrate Judge
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