Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_18-cv-02967/USCOURTS-caed-2_18-cv-02967-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 530
Nature of Suit: Prisoner Petitions - Habeas Corpus
Cause of Action: 28:2254 Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus (State)

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

KEVIN DUANE HICKMAN,

Petitioner,

v.

PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF 

CALIFORNIA,

Respondent.

No. 2:18-cv-02967-KJM-CKD P

ORDER

Petitioner is a state prisoner proceeding pro se and in forma pauperis in this habeas corpus 

action filed pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254. Currently pending before the court is petitioner’s 

motion to amend the petition to add a new claim for relief. ECF No. 16. Petitioner also filed a 

proposed first amended § 2254 petition containing only one claim for relief alleging prosecutorial 

misconduct for the knowing use of false testimony. ECF No. 17. The amended 2254 petition 

does not include the two claims for relief presented in the original habeas petition filed on 

November 4, 2018. See ECF No. 1. Respondent has no opposition to petitioner either 

proceeding on the amended § 2254 petition containing only one claim for relief or of filing an 

amended petition “containing all of the claims he wishes to raise in this court.” ECF No. 19 at 1. 

Amendments of pleadings are governed by Rule 15(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil 

Procedure. This rule “applies to habeas corpus actions with the same force that it applies to 

garden-variety civil cases.” James v. Giles, 221 F.3d 1074, 1077 (9th Cir. 2000) (quotation marks 

Case 2:18-cv-02967-KJM-CKD Document 27 Filed 03/11/20 Page 1 of 3
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and citation omitted). According to Rule 15(a)(2), “[t]he court should freely give leave when 

justice so requires” even after a responsive pleading has been filed. Denial of a motion for leave 

to amend a pleading is proper only when “there is strong evidence of undue delay, bad faith or 

dilatory motive on the part of the movant, repeated failure to cure deficiencies by amendments 

previously allowed, undue prejudice to the opposing party by virtue of allowance of the 

amendment, or futility of amendment, etc.” Sonoma Cnty. Ass’n of Retired Emps. v. Sonoma 

Cnty., 708 F.3d 1109, 1117 (9th Cir. 2013) (internal quotation marks and alterations omitted).

In this case, there is no evidence of undue delay by petitioner especially in light of the fact 

that he has already presented the new prosecutorial misconduct claim to the state trial court as 

well as the California Court of Appeal via state habeas petitions. Nor does respondent identify 

any undue prejudice resulting from amending petitioner’s habeas application. For all these 

reasons, the court will grant petitioner’s motion to amend. 

However, it is not clear that petitioner has included all his claims for relief in the first 

amended federal habeas petition filed on September 9, 2019. Therefore, the court will order 

petitioner to file a second amended petition that includes all claims for relief that he wishes to 

pursue. Plaintiff is informed that the court cannot refer to a prior pleading in order to make 

plaintiff’s amended complaint complete. Local Rule 220 requires that an amended complaint be 

complete in itself without reference to any prior pleading. This is because, as a general rule, an 

amended complaint supersedes the original complaint. See Loux v. Rhay, 375 F.2d 55, 57 (9th 

Cir. 1967). Once plaintiff files an amended complaint, the original pleading no longer serves any 

function in the case. 

Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:

1. Petitioner’s motion to amend his federal habeas petition (ECF No. 16) is granted.

2. Within 30 days from the date of this order, petitioner shall file a second amended 28 

U.S.C. § 2254 petition on the court approved form containing all claims for relief 

which he wishes to pursue.

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3. The Clerk of Court shall send petitioner the court approved federal habeas corpus 

petition form used in this district. 

Dated: March 11, 2020

12/hick2967.m2amend.docx

_____________________________________

CAROLYN K. DELANEY

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Case 2:18-cv-02967-KJM-CKD Document 27 Filed 03/11/20 Page 3 of 3