Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_19-cv-05214/USCOURTS-cand-3_19-cv-05214-3/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 California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

WILLIE A. TORRENCE,

Petitioner,

v.

ROBERT NEUSCHMID,

Respondent.

Case No. 19-cv-05214-SI 

ORDER DETERMINING CASES ARE 

NOT RELATED

Re: Dkt. No. 13

Respondent has filed a motion to relate Denard v. Robertson, No. 19-cv-5474 WHA, to this 

case. Upon due consideration, the court finds that the cases are NOT RELATED within the meaning 

of Local Rule 3-12(a) because it does not “appear[] likely that there will be an unduly burdensome 

duplication of labor and expense or conflicting results if the cases are conducted before different 

Judges.” N. D. Cal. L. R. 3-12(a)(2). Although the two cases are habeas cases stemming from the 

petitioners’ joint criminal trial in state court, the petitioners present different legal claims and the 

petitions are at different phases in their federal court lives. The Torrence case will soon be ready 

for resolution, as an answer is due next week and the traverse is due in five weeks; by contrast, the 

amended petition in the Denard case has yet to be reviewed and respondent intends to file a 

procedural challenge to that amended petition, see Docket No. 13 at 2 n.1. The duplication of 

litigation efforts identified by respondent (i.e., lodging two copies of the state court record) is simply 

not enough to show an unduly burdensome duplication of labor and expense. The motion to relate 

the cases is DENIED. Docket No. 13.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: February 10, 2020

______________________________________

SUSAN ILLSTON

United States District Judge

Case 3:19-cv-05214-SI Document 15 Filed 02/10/20 Page 1 of 1