Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_04-cv-00454/USCOURTS-caed-2_04-cv-00454-0/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)

---

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

1

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

KEVIN ELLIOTT FIELDS,

Petitioner, No. CIV S-04-0454 FCD JFM P 

vs.

AL K. SCRIBNER, et al.,

Respondents. ORDER

 /

Petitioner is proceeding pro se with an application for a writ of habeas corpus

pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254. A telephonic status conference was held in this matter on January

18, 2007, at 11:00 a.m. Petitioner appeared in propria persona. David Andrew Eldridge, Deputy

Attorney General, appeared for respondents. Upon review of the file, discussion of petitioner

and counsel, and good cause appearing therefor, THE COURT ORDERS AS FOLLOWS: 

By order filed May 26, 2004, respondents were directed to lodge any and all

transcripts or other documents relevant to the determination of the issues presented herein. On

July 26, 2004, respondents lodged those portions of the state court record that had not been

sealed. Respondents noted in their answer that petitioner had referred to sealed portions of the

state court record which respondents had “no duty to (and in fact were unable to) lodge those

[sealed] portions of the record with this Court.” (Answer at 7, n.3.) Respondents maintain it is

petitioner’s duty to provide these records to the court. (Id.) 

Case 2:04-cv-00454-FCD-JFM Document 29 Filed 01/29/07 Page 1 of 3
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

2

A review of the reporter’s transcripts reflects that at least three portions of the trial

proceedings were sealed by the state court:

1. Transcript of the motion for substitution of counsel held on February 1, 2000

(RT 4-46);

2. Transcript of the Marsden hearing held on February 15, 2000 (RT 569-78); and

3. Transcript of the Marsden hearing held on June 19, 2000 (RT 910-35). 

These sealed documents are directly related to petitioner’s claims herein. 

During the hearing, counsel discovered that petitioner had attached copies of the

two Marsden hearing transcripts to his petition filed with the California Supreme Court, No.

S109523. A review of the records lodged by respondents demonstrated that the court has copies

of these transcripts. However, neither party nor the court has copies of the transcript from the

February 1, 2000 hearing on the motion for substitution of counsel (RT 4-46).

Counsel for respondents agreed to ask the state court to forward copies of the

February 1, 2000 hearing transcript to this court. Because those documents were filed under seal

in state court, they shall also be filed under seal in this court. Counsel also sought leave to

address these documents in the event the court decides to consider them. 

In addition, petitioner notified the court that he had not received a response to his

letter of December 30, 2004. Petitioner also stated he had asked the clerk for a copy of the

docket sheet for his case, but he had not received a response. Petitioner inquired when he would

be allowed to file his traverse. Petitioner was advised that the court granted petitioner a sixty day

extension of time to file his traverse by order filed February 17, 2005. Petitioner stated he had

not received a copy of that order. The court confirmed petitioner’s current mailing address is

Corcoran State Prison, P.O. Box 8800, Corcoran, California 93212-8800. A review of the

docket sheet reflects petitioner’s address was recorded as P.O. Box 3481.

Good cause appearing, the Clerk of the Court will be directed to change

petitioner’s address of record as noted above, and to send petitioner a copy of this court’s January

Case 2:04-cv-00454-FCD-JFM Document 29 Filed 01/29/07 Page 2 of 3
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

 Although petitioner did not receive this court’s February 17, 2005 order, petitioner has 1

been on notice as of July 1, 2004 of the time prescribed for filing a traverse. Petitioner is

cautioned that he should begin preparation of his traverse on his other claims while waiting for

the court’s order addressing his request for extension of time inasmuch as the sealed material

only concerns his ineffective assistance of counsel claims. 

3

28, 2005 and February 17, 2005 orders, the February 8, 2005 notice, including attachment #1,

and a copy of the docket sheet for this case. Once this court receives the sealed documents from

state court and reviews them, the court will issue a further order addressing respondents’ request

to respond to that material and granting petitioner additional time in which to file a traverse.1

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:

1. Respondents shall forthwith ask the San Joaquin County Superior Court to

forward copies of the in camera hearing on petitioner’s motion for substitution of counsel, heard

February 1, 2000 (RT 4-46), to this court for filing under seal.

2. The Clerk of the Court is directed to change petitioner’s address of record as

follows: Corcoran State Prison, P.O. Box 8800, Corcoran, California 93212-8800.

3. The Clerk of the Court is directed to send petitioner a copy of this court’s

January 28, 2005 and February 17, 2005 orders, the February 8, 2005 notice, including

attachment #1, and a copy of the docket sheet for this case.

 DATED: January 24, 2007.

/001; fiel0454.fb

Case 2:04-cv-00454-FCD-JFM Document 29 Filed 01/29/07 Page 3 of 3