Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_03-cv-05004/USCOURTS-caed-1_03-cv-05004-2/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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 Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(c)(1), the parties have consented to the jurisdiction of the United States Magistrate

Judge. 

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

FRANK SOLANO MENDOZA, CASE NO. CV-F-03-5004 DLB HC

Petitioner, ORDER DENYING PETITIONER’S

REQUEST FOR CERTIFICATE OF

vs. APPEALABILITY

MIKE YARBROUGH, [Doc. 41]

Respondent.

 /

On May 2, 2005, the undersigned denied the instant petition for writ of habeas corpus and

judgment was entered that same date.1 

 The requirement that a petitioner seek a certificate of appealability is a gate-keeping

 mechanism that protects the Court of Appeals from having to devote resources to frivolous issues,

while at the same time affording petitioners an opportunity to persuade the Court that, through full

briefing and argument, the potential merit of claims may appear. Lambright v. Stewart, 220 F.3d

1022, 1025 (9th Cir. 2000). However, a state prisoner seeking a writ of habeas corpus has no

absolute entitlement to appeal a district court’s denial of his petition, and an appeal is only allowed 

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Case 1:03-cv-05004-DLB Document 43 Filed 07/15/05 Page 1 of 2
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in certain circumstances. Miller-El v. Cockrell, 537 U.S. 322, 335-336 (2003). The controlling

statute, 28 U.S.C. § 2253, provides as follows:

(a) In a habeas corpus proceeding or a proceeding under section 2255 before a district judge,

the final order shall be subject to review, on appeal, by the court of appeals for the circuit in

which the proceeding is held.

(b) There shall be no right of appeal from a final order in a proceeding to test the validity of a

warrant to remove to another district or place for commitment or trial a person charged with a

criminal offense against the United States, or to test the validity of such person's detention pending

removal proceedings.

(c)(1) Unless a circuit justice or judge issues a certificate of appealability, an appeal may not

be taken to the court of appeals from--

(A) the final order in a habeas corpus proceeding in which the detention

complained of arises out of process issued by a State court; or

(B) the final order in a proceeding under section 2255.

(2) A certificate of appealability may issue under paragraph (1) only if the applicant has made

a substantial showing of the denial of a constitutional right.

(3) The certificate of appealability under paragraph (1) shall indicate which specific issue or

issues satisfy the showing required by paragraph (2).

Accordingly, final orders issued by a federal district court in habeas corpus proceedings are

reviewable by the circuit court of appeals, and, in order to have final orders reviewed, a petitioner

must obtain a certificate of appealability. 28 U.S.C. § 2253. This Court will issue a certificate of

appealability when a petitioner makes a substantial showing of the denial of a constitutional right. 

28 U.S.C. § 2253(c)(2). To make a substantial showing, the petitioner must establish that

"reasonable jurists could debate whether (or, for that matter, agree that) the petition should have been

resolved in a different manner or that the issues presented were ‘adequate to deserve encouragement

to proceed further’." Slack v. McDaniel, 529 U.S. 473, 484 (2000) (quoting Barefoot v. Estelle, 463

U.S. 880, 893 (1983)).

In the present case, the Court finds that Petitioner has not made the required substantial

showing of the denial of a constitutional right to justify the issuance of a certificate of appealability. 

Reasonable jurists would not find it debatable that Petitioner has failed to show an entitlement to

federal habeas corpus relief. Accordingly, the Court hereby ORDERS that Petitioner’s motion for

issuance of a certificate of appealability, is DENIED. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: July 15, 2005 /s/ Dennis L. Beck 

3b142a UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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