Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_96-cv-01401/USCOURTS-caed-2_96-cv-01401-33/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 535
Nature of Suit: Habeas Corpus - Death Penalty
Cause of Action: 28:2254 Ptn for Writ of H/C - Stay of Execution

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JAMES S. THOMSON

California SBN 79658

Attorney and Counselor at Law

819 Delaware Street 

Berkeley, California 94710

Telephone: (510) 525-9123

Facsimile: (510) 525-9124

JOLIE LIPSIG

Attorney at Law

California SBN 104644

1006 4th St., Suite 301

Sacramento, California 95814

Telephone: (916) 443-6995

Facsimile: (916) 443-7081

Attorneys for Petitioner

WILLIAM A. PROCTOR

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

WILLIAM A. PROCTOR, ) No. CIV-S-96-1401 RBB CMK

)

Petitioner, ) DEATH PENALTY CASE

)

 )

v. ) APPLICATION AND ORDER

) FOR EXTENSION OF TIME 

) TO FILE MERITS BRIEF

)

ROBERT L. AYERS, Warden of )

California State Prison at San Quentin, )

)

Respondent. )

_________________________________)

Pursuant to an order issued November 21, 2008, petitioner’s brief on the merits of

Claims EE, W, Y, CC, EE, and NN is due on January 16, 2008. Petitioner, by and through

his counsel, hereby requests an extension of forty-five days, to and including March 2,

2009, in which to submit his brief. 

This Court has granted one previous extension of time to file the merits brief. The

extension of time is necessary for the following reasons:

1. Respondent’s brief on the merits was filed on September 17, 2008. Despite

Case 2:96-cv-01401-DAD-DMC Document 298 Filed 01/15/09 Page 1 of 3
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their due diligence, neither Mr. Thomson or Ms. Lipsig have been able to devote sufficient

time to complete work on the answering briefing due to other case obligations.

2. Lead counsel Mr. Thomson has oral argument in the Ninth Circuit in Grant

v. Ayers, Case No. 06-99003, on January 12, 2009. 

3. Mr. Thomson is also counsel in a capital trial in the Northern District of

California, U. S. v Dennis Cyrus, Case # CR-05-00324-MMC. Despite his attempts to

continue this trial, jury selection is scheduled for January 13, 2009. The trial is expected to

be lengthy and Mr. Thomson has spent considerable time preparing for the trial in the past

60 days.

4. In addition to these obligations, Mr. Thomson also has a merits brief due on

January 14, 2009, in a habeas corpus proceeding in the United States District Court for the

District of Montana, Kills on Top v. Mahoney, CV-01-192-BLG-RFC CSO. 

5. As this Court is aware, Ms. Lipsig is employed full-time by the Office of the

State Public Defender and has a full case load. She is thus unable to devote significant

time to the present case except on weekends and in the evenings. Unfortunately, due to

state budget problems and staff shortages, Ms. Lipsig has been required to take on

additional duties, including working some weekends and evenings that she normally would

devote to the present case. In addition, during the month of January, she will be required

to take two multi-day trips to Southern California to conduct witness interviews.

6. Counsel for petitioner have contacted counsel for respondent, Deputy

Attorney General Brian Smiley, regarding this request for an extension of time. He

indicated that he has no objection to the request for an extension of time.

For all the reasons stated above, petitioner requests that he be granted an additional

forty-five (45) days, to and including March 2, 2009, in which to submit his brief on the

merits Claims EE, W, Y, CC, EE, and NN and that respondent’s time in which to submit a

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 reply brief be extended until thirty (30) days thereafter, or until April 1, 2009.

 DATED: January 8, 2009

Respectfully submitted,

/s/JAMES S. THOMSON

/s/ JOLIE LIPSIG

Attorneys for Petitioner

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: January 14, 2009

_____________________________________

_

CRAIG M. KELLISON

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Case 2:96-cv-01401-DAD-DMC Document 298 Filed 01/15/09 Page 3 of 3