Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_04-cv-01820/USCOURTS-caed-2_04-cv-01820-0/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)

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United States District Court

Eastern District of California 

Anthony Higbee,

Petitioner, No. Civ. S 04-1820 DFL PAN P

vs. Order

Mike Knowles, et al.,

Respondents.

-oOoDecember 21, 2004, respondents filed and served an answer to

the petition. August 8, 2005, respondents moved to file a

supplemental answer to assert an additional defense in light of

Sass v. California Board of Prison Terms, 376 F.Supp.2d 975 (E.

D. Cal. 2005).

A supplemental pleading is the mechanism by which a party

alleges “transactions or occurrences or events which have

happened since the date of the pleading sought to be

supplemented.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 15(c). Since respondents seek to 

plead an additional defense, the court construes the request as 

Case 2:04-cv-01820-JAM-EFB Document 20 Filed 11/30/05 Page 1 of 2
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one to amend the answer pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 15(a).

Pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 15(a),

A party may amend the party’s pleading once as a matter

of course at any time before a responsive pleading is

served or, if the pleading is one to which no

responsive pleading is permitted and the action has not

been placed upon the trial calendar, the party may so

amend it at any time within 20 days after it is served. 

Otherwise a party may amend the party’s pleading only

by leave of court or by written consent of the adverse

party; and leave shall be freely given when justice so

requires.

More than 20 days have passed since respondents answered the

petition and petitioner opposes the request to amend. But

respondents seek to amend based on a recent development in the

law and nothing suggests the motion is made in bad faith or

solely to delay resolution of this action. 

Accordingly, respondents’ August 8, 2005, request is granted

and the Clerk of the Court shall file the attached amended

answer.

So ordered.

Dated: November 29, 2005. 

 /s/ Peter A. Nowinski 

 PETER A. NOWINSKI

 Magistrate Judge

Case 2:04-cv-01820-JAM-EFB Document 20 Filed 11/30/05 Page 2 of 2