Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_14-cv-02008/USCOURTS-caed-1_14-cv-02008-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 560
Nature of Suit: Prisoner Petitions - Civil Detainee - Conditions of Confinement
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Prisoner Civil Rights

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United States District Court

Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

EDWARD RODRIGUEZ,

Plaintiff,

v.

AUDREY KING, et al.,

Defendants.

Case No. 14-cv-04545-JST (PR) 

ORDER OF TRANSFER

Plaintiff is a civil detainee at the Coalinga State Hospital ("Coalinga") proceeding pro se. 

He is detained pursuant to California's Sexually Violent Predator Act ("SVPA"). He has filed a 

complaint under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, complaining about the conditions of his confinement at 

Coalinga. Defendants are officials of Coalinga and of the California Department of Corrections 

and Rehabilitation in Sacramento. Both Coalinga and Sacramento lie within the venue of the 

United States District Court for the Eastern District of California. Venue for this case is therefore 

proper in the Eastern District. See 28 U.S.C. § 1391. 

Petitioner also complains about the validity of his assessment as a sexually violent predator 

under the SVPA, which assessment took place in Santa Clara County. Challenges to the 

assessment itself are the province of a habeas petition, not a civil rights action, because they 

implicate the validity of his detention. See Hill v. McDonough, 547 U.S. 573, 579 (2006) 

(challenges to the lawfulness of confinement or to particulars affecting its duration are the 

province of habeas corpus); Nelson v. Sandritter, 351 F.2d 284, 285 (9th Cir. 1965) 

(constitutionality of state civil commitment proceedings are challenged in federal habeas corpus 

once state remedies have been exhausted). Plaintiff may challenge the validity of his assessment 

in this court, but he must do so by way of a habeas petition filed in a separate action from the 

Case 1:14-cv-02008-LJO-MJS Document 9 Filed 12/16/14 Page 1 of 2
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United States District Court

Northern District of California

instant civil rights case, after exhausting state judicial remedies. 

Accordingly, and in the interests of justice, this case is TRANSFERRED to the United 

States District Court for the Eastern District of California. See 28 U.S.C. 1404(a), 1406(a). In 

light of this transfer, the pending motion (dkt. 6) to proceed in forma pauperis is deferred to the 

Eastern District.

The Clerk shall transfer this matter forthwith.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: December 16, 2014

______________________________________

JON S. TIGAR

United States District Judge

Case 1:14-cv-02008-LJO-MJS Document 9 Filed 12/16/14 Page 2 of 2