Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_06-cv-00846/USCOURTS-caed-1_06-cv-00846-4/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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1

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

VINCENT ANDREW PEREZ,

Petitioner,

v.

C. CHRONES, Warden,

Respondent.

 /

CV F 06-00846 AWI DLB HC

ORDER VACATING ORDER TO RESPOND

AND DIRECTING PETITIONER TO SHOW

CAUSE WHY MOTION FOR STAY SHOULD

BE GRANTED

[Docs. 2, 14]

Petitioner is a state prisoner proceeding pro se with a petition for writ of habeas corpus

pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254. 

Petitioner filed the instant petition for writ of habeas corpus on July 5, 2006. On this

same date, Petitioner filed a motion to stay.

On October 17, 2006, the Court issued an order for Respondent to respond to the petition. 

However, Petitioner’s motion for a stay has not yet been resolved. Accordingly, the Court will

vacate the order to respond in order to resolve Petitioner’s motion for a stay. 

In his motion for a stay, Petitioner requests that the Court stay the petition pending a state

habeas corpus petition that is pending at the state court. 

In Rhines v. Weber, 125 S.Ct. 1528 (2005), the Supreme Court held that a district court

has discretion to stay a mixed petition to allow a petitioner to present his unexhausted claims to

the state court in the first instance and then to return to federal court for review of his perfected

petition. 

Case 1:06-cv-00846-AWI-DLB Document 15 Filed 11/08/06 Page 1 of 2
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AEDPA refers to the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996. 1

 Additionally, if Petitioner has failed a state petition for writ of habeas corpus, Petitioner should provide 2

the status of such petition. 

2

Nevertheless, stay and abeyance is available only in limited circumstances, because the

procedure frustrates AEDPA’s objective of encouraging finality by allowing a petitioner to delay 1

the resolution of federal proceedings and undermines AEDPA’s goal of streamlining federal

habeas proceedings by decreasing a petitioner’s incentive to exhaust all his claims in state court

prior to filing his federal petition. Id. The Supreme Court held that a stay and abeyance is “only

appropriate when the district court determines there was good cause for the petitioner’s failure to

exhaust his claims first in state court.” Id. The Court noted that, while the procedure should be

“available only in limited circumstances,” it “likely would be an abuse of discretion for a district

court to deny a stay and to dismiss a mixed petition if the petitioner had good cause for his failure

to exhaust, his unexhausted claims are potentially meritorious, and there is no indication that the

petitioner engaged in intentionally dilatory litigation tactics.” Rhines, 125 S.Ct. at 1535. 

Although Petitioner indicates that he has already filed a petition for writ of habeas corpus,

and that the statute of limitations may have expired, Petitioner does not provide sufficient

information for the Court to determine whether a stay under Rhines should be granted. 

Specifically, Petitioner does not state when the petition was filed, what court it was filed in, or

what claims he is attempting to exhaust. Accordingly, Petitioner is directed to show cause why 2

the motion for a stay should be granted.

Based on the foregoing, it is HEREBY ORDERED that:

1. The Court’s October 17, 2006, order to respond is VACATED; and

2. Within thirty (30) days from the date of service of this order, Petitioner shall

respond to the order to show cause as why the motion for a stay should be granted

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

Dated: November 8, 2006 /s/ Dennis L. Beck 

3b142a UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Case 1:06-cv-00846-AWI-DLB Document 15 Filed 11/08/06 Page 2 of 2