Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_12-cv-00248/USCOURTS-casd-3_12-cv-00248-1/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

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

TRAVIS L. MONTGOMERY, Civil No. 12-0248 AJB (BGS)

Petitioner,

ORDER SUA SPONTE SUBSTITUTING

RESPONDENT

v.

RON BARNES, Warden,

Respondents.

Petitioner is currently confined at High Desert State Prison and has named Ron Barnes,

Warden, as Respondent. According to the official California Department of Corrections and

Rehabilitation (“CDCR”) website, McDonald is the Warden of High Desert State Prison, not

Ron Barnes, as named by Petitioner. See Daniels-Hall v. Nat’l Educ. Ass’n., 629 F.3d 992, 998-

99 (9th Cir. 2010) (taking judicial notice of information posted on government website, the

accuracy of which was undisputed). A writ of habeas corpus acts upon the custodian of the state

prisoner. See 28 U.S.C. § 2242; Rule 2(a), 28 U.S.C. foll. § 2254. Because the possibility exists

that the Warden of High Desert State Prison has changed since Petitioner submitted his Petition

and the information on the CDCR website reflects that change, and because under a liberal

construction of the petition it appears Petitioner has named the Warden by his or her official title,

and in order to conform with the requirements of Rule 2(a) of the Rules Governing § 2254 Cases

and avoid changing the Respondent again if Petitioner is transferred to another prison or paroled,

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the Court hereby sua sponte ORDERS the substitution of Matthew Cate, Secretary of the

California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, as Respondent in place of “Ron

Barnes.” See Ortiz-Sandoval v. Gomez, 81 F.3d 891, 894 (9th Cir. 1996) (stating that the

respondent in § 2254 proceedings may be the chief officer in charge of state penal institutions);

Fed.R.Civ.P.25(d). The Clerk of the Court shall modify the docket to reflect “Matthew Cate,

Secretary” as respondent in place of “Ron Barnes.”

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: April 16, 2012

Hon. Anthony J. Battaglia

U.S. District Judge

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