Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-5_06-cv-03109/USCOURTS-cand-5_06-cv-03109-0/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

For the Northern District of California

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Order of Dismissal

P:\PRO-SE\SJ.JW\HC.06\Newman03109_dismissal.wpd

United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

CHARLES NEWMAN,

Petitioner,

 vs.

M. CASTELLAWS, Warden

Respondent.

 

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No. C 06-03109 JW (PR)

ORDER OF DISMISSAL

(Docket No. 3)

Petitioner, a California state prisoner currently incarcerated at the Corcoran

State Prison, has filed a pro se petition for a writ of habeas corpus pursuant to 28

U.S.C. § 2254. Petitioner seeks to proceed in forma pauperis under 28 U.S.C. §

1915. 

Petitioner challenges the prison disciplinary hearing on or about October 10,

2004, finding him guilty of “falsification of records or documents not affecting term

of imprisonment” as stated in the Rules Violation Report (“RVR”). (Pet. Ex. C at

1.) According to the RVR, petitioner was not assessed forfeiture of time credits

because time constraints were exceeded. Petitioner’s only prayer for relief is that

Case 5:06-cv-03109-JW Document 6 Filed 06/19/07 Page 1 of 2
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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Order of Dismissal

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the RVR be reversed and expunged from his record. 

Since petitioner is challenging the conditions of his confinement, the petition

for a writ of habeas corpus is DISMISSED without prejudice to filing a civil rights

complaint under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. The Ninth Circuit has made clear that habeas

jurisdiction is absent, and a § 1983 action proper, where, as here, a successful

challenge will not necessarily shorten the prisoner’s sentence. See Ramirez v.

Galaza, 334 F.3d 850, 859 (9th Cir. 2003). Moreover, requests to expunge records

are traditionally brought as civil rights claims. See, e.g., Paul v. Davis, 424 U.S.

693, 711- 714 (1976); Reyes v. Supervisor of DEA, et al., 834 F. 2d 1093, 1097 (1st

Cir. 1987) (no due process claim for false information maintained by police

department); Pruett v. Levi, 622 F.2d 256, 258 (6th Cir. 1980) (mere existence of

inaccuracy in FBI criminals files does not state constitutional claim).

CONCLUSION 

For the foregoing reasons, the petition for a writ of habeas corpus is

DISMISSED without prejudice. No fee is due. 

The clerk shall terminate Docket No. 3 as moot. 

DATED: June 19 2007 

JAMES WARE

United States District Judge 

Case 5:06-cv-03109-JW Document 6 Filed 06/19/07 Page 2 of 2