Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_09-cv-04004/USCOURTS-cand-3_09-cv-04004-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 550
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Civil Rights (U.S. defendant)
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Prisoner Civil Rights

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

CARLOS D. GABARRETTE, 

Petitioner,

v.

EVANS, Warden, 

Respondent. /

No. C 09-4004 JSW (PR)

ORDER OF DISMISSAL WITH

LEAVE TO AMEND AND

INSTRUCTIONS TO THE CLERK

Petitioner, currently incarcerated at Corcoran State Prison in Corcoran, California,

attempted to file a document in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

on August 14, 2009. The document reflects that Petitioner is an inmate wishing to file a

case who has a disability covered by the Americans with Disability Act and requesting

accommodation in the form of assignment of counsel and large print. In an attachment to

the form, Petitioner included a 2002 motion for appointment of counsel in state court and

a docket sheet and order denying a 2004 petition for a writ of habeas corpus issued by this

Court. Petitioner’s documents do not specify what type of case Petitioner is currently

attempting to file or the relief that he is seeking. 

These documents were forwarded to this Court by the Ninth Circuit on August 28,

2009. Although this Court sent Petitioner separate notices on that date that he must

complete and file a complaint or petition and must file a complete in forma pauperis

application within thirty days, Petitioner did not do so. Instead, Petitioner sent an

affidavit to the Ninth Circuit requesting “assistance” but again failing to include the type

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of relief he is seeking.

 The Court is now conducting a review pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §2243 and Rule 4 of

the Rules Governing Section 2254 Cases. However, because Petitioner has not provided

the Court with sufficient information about what kind of relief he seeks, the petition is

now dismissed with leave to amend within thirty days of the date of this order. 

DISCUSSION

A. Standard of Review

This court may entertain a petition for writ of habeas corpus "in behalf of a person

in custody pursuant to the judgment of a State court only on the ground that he is in

custody in violation of the Constitution or laws or treaties of the United States." 28

U.S.C. § 2254(a); Rose v. Hodges, 423 U.S. 19, 21 (1975). 

A district court shall "award the writ or issue an order directing the respondent to

show cause why the writ should not be granted, unless it appears from the application that

the applicant or person detained is not entitled thereto." 28 U.S.C. § 2243. Summary

dismissal is appropriate only where the allegations in the petition are vague or conclusory,

palpably incredible, or patently frivolous or false. See Hendricks v. Vasquez, 908 F.2d

490, 491 (9th Cir. 1990) (quoting Blackledge v. Allison, 431 U.S. 63, 75-76 (1977)). 

B. Review of Petitioner’s Filings

Petitioner provided the Ninth Circuit with sufficient information to determine that

a prior habeas corpus petition addressing the constitutionality of his state conviction was

decided by Judge Martin J. Jenkins on February 21, 2007 under Case No. C 04-5454 MJJ

(PR). It is not clear whether Petitioner is now attempting to file an appeal of that decision

almost three years after the decision denying habeas relief, or whether Petitioner seeks to

file a separate civil rights or habeas matter. 

A person in custody pursuant to the judgment of a state court can obtain a federal

writ of habeas corpus only on the ground that he is in custody in violation of the

Constitution or laws or treaties of the United States. 28 U.S.C. § 2254(a). In other

words, a writ of habeas corpus is available under § 2254(a) "only on the basis of some

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transgression of federal law binding on the state courts." Middleton v. Cupp, 768 F.2d

1083, 1085 (9th Cir. 1985) (citing Engle v. Isaac, 456 U.S. 107, 119 (1982)), cert. denied,

478 U.S. 1021 (1986). Petitioner has failed to provide the Court with sufficient

information to determine what relief Petitioner seeks. Therefore, Petitioner’s filing must

be dismissed for failure to state a claim for relief. However, he will be given leave to

amend to cure this defect within thirty days of the date of this order.

CONCLUSION 

For the foregoing reasons and for good cause shown, this action is dismissed with

leave to file an amended petition or complaint within thirty days of the date of this order. 

If Petitioner is attempting to file a habeas corpus petition, he must complete the Court’s

habeas form. If he seeks to file a civil rights action, he must complete the Court’s

prisoner civil rights complaint form. Failure to file a complete petition or complaint by

the deadline will result in dismissal of this action. The Clerk of Court is directed to send

Petitioner a copy of this Court’s prisoner habeas and civil rights forms along with this

order and to note that on the docket sheet. 

If Petitioner is pursuing either such matter, he must also complete the Court’s in

forma pauperis application within thirty days of this Court’s order. Failure to do so will

result in the dismissal of this action. The Clerk of Court shall provide Petitioner with a

copy of the application along with this order. 

If Petitioner instead wishes to file a notice of appeal with regard to the underlying

habeas decision by Judge Jenkins, he may do so by properly filing a notice of appeal on

that matter, with the proper case number, C 04-5454 MJJ (PR). If that is Petitioner’s

intent, the instant case can be dismissed by Petitioner notifying the Court that he does not

intend to pursue a separate matter. This may be done by filing a notice of voluntary

dismissal on this matter.

It is Petitioner's responsibility to prosecute this case. He must keep the Court

informed of any change of address by filing a separate paper with the clerk headed

“Notice of Change of Address.” He must comply with any orders of the Court within the

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time allowed, or ask for an extension of that time. Failure to do so may result in the

dismissal of this action for failure to prosecute pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil

Procedure 41(b). See Martinez v. Johnson, 104 F.3d 769, 772 (5th Cir. 1997) (Rule 41(b)

applicable in habeas cases). 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: January 25, 2010

 

JEFFREY S. WHITE

United States District Judge

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE 

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

CARLOS D. GABARRETE,

Plaintiff,

 v.

EVANS, Warden, 

Defendant. /

Case Number: CV09-04004 JSW 

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I, the undersigned, hereby certify that I am an employee in the Office of the Clerk, U.S. District

Court, Northern District of California.

That on January 25, 2010, I SERVED a true and correct copy(ies) of the attached, by placing

said copy(ies) in a postage paid envelope addressed to the person(s) hereinafter listed, by

depositing said envelope in the U.S. Mail, or by placing said copy(ies) into an inter-office

delivery receptacle located in the Clerk's office.

Carlos D. Gabarrete

P67996

P.O. Box 3481

Corcoran, CA 93212

Dated: January 25, 2010

Richard W. Wieking, Clerk

By: Jennifer Ottolini, Deputy Clerk

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