Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_14-cv-05184/USCOURTS-cand-3_14-cv-05184-2/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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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

GINGER VLAHOS-SCHMIDT,

Petitioner,

v.

PEOPLE OF THE 

STATE OF CALIFORNIA, 

Respondent.

___________________________________/

No. C-14-5184 EMC (pr)

ORDER EXTENDING DEADLINES

AND FOR PETITIONER TO NAME A 

PROPER RESPONDENT

Respondent’s request for a 7-day extension of time to respond to the petition for writ of

habeas corpus is GRANTED. (Docket # 13.) Respondent’s answer filed on June 15, 2015 is

deemed to have been timely filed. On or before July 24, 2015, Petitioner must file and serve on

Respondent’s counsel her traverse.

Petitioner has not named a proper respondent in her habeas petition. The rules governing

relief under 28 U.S.C. § 2254 require a person in custody pursuant to the judgment of a state court to

name the “‘state officer having custody’” of her as the respondent. Ortiz-Sandoval v. Gomez, 81

F.3d 891, 894 (9th Cir. 1996) (quoting Rule 2(a) of the Rules Governing Habeas Corpus Cases

Under Section § 2254). Failure to name the petitioner’s custodian as a respondent deprives federal

courts of personal jurisdiction. See Stanley v. California Supreme Court, 21 F.3d 359, 360 (9th Cir.

1994). Petitioner must file an amendment to her petition in which she substitutes in a proper

respondent. The document can be quite short, e.g., a single sentence stating “I now substitute _____

in as the respondent in this action,” and at the blank line should provide the name of the state officer

having custody or her, which might be the person in charge of her facility if she is incarcerated or

Case 3:14-cv-05184-EMC Document 15 Filed 06/23/15 Page 1 of 2
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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her parole or probation agent if she is on parole or probation. Petitioner must file the amendment to

substitute in a proper respondent for her petition on or before July 24, 2015. Failure to name a

proper respondent will result in the dismissal of this action for lack of jurisdiction.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: June 23, 2015

_________________________

EDWARD M. CHEN

United States District Judge

Case 3:14-cv-05184-EMC Document 15 Filed 06/23/15 Page 2 of 2