Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_12-cv-02179/USCOURTS-casd-3_12-cv-02179-1/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)

---

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 

24 

25 

26 

27 

28 

FILED 

12 DEC I 3 PH 3: 3' 

T COllRT 

Cr.... \.ir OrH-'f,~· 

V "'l./V"'\. DEPUT Y 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

JAMAL AHBAKI DAVIS, Civil No. 12cv2179-WQH (DHB) 

Petitioner, 

ORDER 

v. 

UNNANIED, 

Respondent. 

HAYES, Judge: 

On September 4, 2012, Petitioner, a state prisoner proceeding pro se, filed a Petition for 

a Writ ofHabeas Corpus pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254. (ECF No.1.) On October 9,2012, the 

Court dismissed the Petition because Petitioner had failed to satisfy the filing fee requirement 

and failed to name a proper Respondent. (ECF No.3.) Petitioner was instructed that if he 

wished to proceed with this action he was required to either pay the $5.00 filing fee or submit 

an application to proceed in forma pauperis and file a First Amended Petition which names a 

proper Respondent on or before December 28, 2012. Petitioner has not yet satisfied the filing 

fee requirement, but has filed a First Amended Petition which is subject to dismissal because it 

once again fails to name a proper Respondent. 

On federal habeas, a state prisoner must name the state officer having custody ofhim as 

the respondent. Ortiz-Sandoval v. Gomez, 81 F.3d 891, 894 (9th Cir. 1996) (citing Rule 2(a), 

-1- 12cv2179 

Case 3:12-cv-02179-WQH-DHB Document 5 Filed 12/13/12 Page 1 of 2
1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 

24 

25 

26 

27 

28 

28 U.S.C. foIl. § 2254). "Typically~ that person is the warden of the facility in which the 

petitioner is incarcerated." Id. Federal courts lack personal jurisdiction when a habeas petition 

fails to name a proper respondent. See id. The warden is the typical respondent. However, "the 

rules following section 2254 do not specify the warden." Id. "[T]he 'state officer having 

custody' may be 'either the warden ofthe institution in which the petitioner is incarcerated ... 

or the chief officer in charge ofstate penal institutions.'" Id. (quoting Rule 2(a), 28 U.S.C. foIl. 

§ 2254 advisory committee's note). If"a petitioner is in custody due to the state action he is 

challenging, '[t]he named respondent shall be the state officer who has official custody of the 

petitioner (for example, the warden ofthe prison).'" Id. (quoting Rule 2,28 U.S.C. foIl. § 2254 

advisory committee's note). This requirement exists because a writ ofhabeas corpus acts upon 

the custodian ofthe state prisoner, the person who will produce "the body" ifdirected to do so 

by the Court. "Both the warden of a California prison and the Director of Corrections for 

California have the power to produce the prisoner." Ortiz-Sandoval, 81 F.3d at 895. 

In order for this Court to entertain a habeas petition filed in this action, Petitioner must 

name the warden in charge ofthe state correctional facility in which he is presently confined or 

the Director ofthe California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. See Brittingham 

v. United States, 982 F .2d 378, 379 (9th Cir. 1992) (per curiam). 

RULING OF THE COURT 

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the First Amended Petition is DISMISSED without 

prejudice due to Petitioner's failure to name a proper respondent. To have this case reopened, 

Petitioner must (1) pay the filing fee or provide adequate proof ofhis inability to pay and (2) file 

a Second Amended Petition which names a proper respondent no later than January 14.2013. 

The Clerk ofCourt shall send Petitioner a blank Southern District ofCalifornia amended petition 

form and a blank Southern District ofCalifornia in forma pauperis application along with a copy 

of this Order. 

, 

DATED: ------~--~~---------I ~/r.J//2-

United 

~ States District Judge 

-2- 12cv2179 

Case 3:12-cv-02179-WQH-DHB Document 5 Filed 12/13/12 Page 2 of 2