Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_08-cv-00159/USCOURTS-cand-3_08-cv-00159-0/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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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

JOHN MICHAEL BALBO,

Petitioner,

 vs.

JAMES E. TILTON, Warden, et al.,

Respondents. /

No. C 08-0159 WHA (PR) 

ORDER OF TRANSFER

Petitioner opened this case by filing a document on the court’s form for habeas corpus

petitions. Despite the habeas form, petitioner says his claim goes to conditions of confinement;

on the other hand, he also asks for release as a part of the relief requested. Whether the case is

properly a habeas case or a civil rights case does not affect the outcome here, however, because

whichever it is, it must be transferred to the United States District Court for the Eastern District

of California.

If the filing is treated as a habeas petition, venue is proper in the district of conviction or

the district when the petitioner is confined. See 28 U.S.C. § 2241(d). The district of

confinement is the preferable forum to review the execution of a sentence, however. Habeas

L.R. 2254-3(a); Dunne v. Henman, 875 F.2d 244, 249 (9th Cir. 1989). If this is a habeas case,

the claim is that conditions in the prison are so bad that petitioner should be released, which

goes to execution of the sentence, so venue would preferably be in the Eastern District. If this

is a civil rights case, venue also is in the Eastern District, because the defendants are to be

Case 3:08-cv-00159-WHA Document 3 Filed 01/18/08 Page 1 of 2
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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found there and the claims arose there. See 28 U.S.C. § 1391(b). 

For these reasons, this case is TRANSFERRED to the United States District Court for the

Eastern District of California. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: January 17 , 2008. 

WILLIAM ALSUP

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

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Case 3:08-cv-00159-WHA Document 3 Filed 01/18/08 Page 2 of 2