Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-5_19-cv-00759/USCOURTS-cand-5_19-cv-00759-3/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 

Northern District of Californi

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

MARIO JOSEPH BARDO, 

Petitioner, 

v. 

KEN CLARK, Warden, 

 Respondent. 

Case No. 19-00759 BLF (PR) 

ORDER DENYING MOTION TO 

COMPEL AND FOR SANCTIONS; 

GRANTING MOTION FOR 

EXTENSION OF TIME TO FILE 

OPPOSITION; REQUESTING 

FORMER COUNSEL TO RESPOND 

(Docket Nos. 28, 31) 

Petitioner, a California state prisoner, filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus 

under 28 U.S.C. § 2254 with the assistance of counsel. On October 28, 2019, the Court 

granted Petitioner’s motion to dismiss counsel of record and reopened the matter to permit 

Petitioner an opportunity to file an opposition to Respondent’s motion to dismiss the 

petition for failure to exhaust state court remedies. Dkt. Nos. 20, 23. 

When Petitioner filed a response stating that he had not received any files from his 

former counsel, the Court granted his request to have counsel provide him with all records 

relevant to this case in an order filed December 4, 2019. Dkt. No. 25. Counsel was 

requested to file notice with the Court within twenty-eight days of the order that he had 

provided Petitioner with all the relevant papers in this matter. Id. Petitioner was granted 

an extension of time to file an opposition, such that his brief was due no later than January 

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29, 2020. Id. 

On January 27, 2020, Petitioner filed a motion for an extension of time to file 

opposition, asserting that counsel had not filed notice with the Court as directed and that he 

still had not received any documents to proceed with this case. Dkt. No. 26. On January 

31, 2020, former counsel filed notice that he mailed the entire file in this matter in 

November 2019, to Petitioner at Corcoran State Prison (“CSP”) where he believed 

Petitioner was confined. Dkt. No. 27. Although it appeared to the Court that Petitioner 

should have received the court files well before the deadline, Petitioner was granted 

another extension of time on February 5, 2020, giving him an additional twenty-eight days 

from the order to file an opposition. Dkt. No. 28. 

On March 18, 2020, Petitioner filed a motion to compel and for sanctions against 

former counsel, stating that he has long since been transferred to the California Substance 

Abuse Treatment Facility and therefore never received the documents that were sent to 

CSP. Dkt. No. 29. On March 20, 2020, Petitioner also filed a motion for an extension of 

time to file opposition, asserting that counsel has still not complied with the Court’s order 

to provide all relevant papers in this matter. Dkt. No. 31. 

Because former counsel is not a party to this action, the Court has no jurisdiction to 

compel or impose sanctions on him. Accordingly, the motion to compel is DENIED. 

However, in the interest of justice, the Court shall order the Clerk to forward a copy of this 

order to former counsel,1

 and request counsel to send Petitioner another copy of the 

relevant record to Petitioner’s current place of confinement and file notice with the Court 

of his response. 

Good cause appearing, Petitioner’s motion for an extension of time is GRANTED. 

Petitioner’s opposition shall be filed no later than twenty-eight (28) days from the filing 

1 Counsel’s law office is indicated on his notice to the Court under Docket No. 27. 

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United States District Court 

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date of this order. 

This order terminates Docket Nos. 28 and 31. 

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

Dated: _March 30, 2020_ ________________________ 

BETH LABSON FREEMAN 

United States District Judge 

Order Granting Mot. for EOT to file Opp.; Deny Other Mot. 

P:\PRO-SE\BLF\HC.19\00759Bardo_eot3-opp.docx

Case 5:19-cv-00759-BLF Document 32 Filed 03/30/20 Page 3 of 3