Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-5_07-cv-03522/USCOURTS-cand-5_07-cv-03522-0/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 GRANTING MOTION TO STAY CASE—No. C-07-03522 RMW

MAG

United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

E-FILED on 7/16/07

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SAN JOSE DIVISION

JONATHAN JOHNSON,

Petitioner,

v.

JAMES A. YATES,

Respondent.

No. C-07-03522 RMW

ORDER GRANTING MOTION TO STAY

CASE

[Re Docket No. 3]

Petitioner, having filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus in federal court on July 6, 2007,

asks this court to hold the petition in abeyance pending the resolution of a co-pending habeas

petition in state court. According to petitioner, the habeas petition pending before this court raises

two issues: (1) that the imposition of consecutive life sentences violated petitioner's right to a jury

trial, and (2) ineffective assistance of counsel. Petitioner's asserts that his first claim has been

exhausted through his appeal, but acknowledges that his ineffective assistance of counsel claim has

not yet been exhausted. Petitioner awaits the Sonoma County Superior Court's decision on his state

habeas petition regarding his ineffective assistance of counsel claim, which petition was fully

briefed as of June 29, 2007.

District courts have the authority to stay a mixed habeas petition with exhausted and

unexhausted claims and hold it in abeyance pending the exhaustion of the unexhausted claims. 

Case 5:07-cv-03522-RMW Document 5 Filed 07/16/07 Page 1 of 3
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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ORDER GRANTING MOTION TO STAY CASE—No. C-07-03522 RMW

MAG 2

Rhines v. Weber, 544 U.S. 269, 278 (2005). That discretion is not unfettered, but, as the Supreme

Court has stated, "it likely would be an abuse of discretion for a district court to deny a stay and to

dismiss a mixed petition if the petitioner had good cause for his failure to exhaust, his unexhausted

claims are potentially meritorious, and there is no indication that the petitioner engaged in

intentionally dilatory litigation tactics." Id. Additionally, the Supreme Court has recommended that

"[a] prisoner seeking state postconviction relief might avoid [having a court find his petition timebarred] by filing a 'protective' petition in federal court and asking the federal court to stay and abey

the federal habeas proceedings until state remedies are exhausted." Pace v. DiGuglielmo, 544 U.S.

408, 416 (2005) (citing Rhines, 544 U.S. at 276). 

Here, petitioner is asserting ineffective assistance of counsel as a grounds for a state habeas

petition after appealing his conviction. That habeas petition has been fully briefed and awaits

decision on the merits by the state court. There is no reason for the court not to exercise its

discretion to stay and abey the present federal habeas proceedings until petitioner's state remedies

are exhausted. Petitioner is in the process of exhausting his ineffective assistance of counsel claim,

which appears to be meritorious, and there is no indication that he has engaged in dilatory litigation

tactics. 

Accordingly, the court grants petitioner's request to hold the case in abeyance while he

exhausts his claims in state court. Petitioner shall notify the court when his ineffective assistance of

counsel claim has been exhausted in state court. The court will thereafter consider whether an order

to show cause should issue regarding the petition before this court.

DATED: 7/16/07

RONALD M. WHYTE

United States District Judge

Case 5:07-cv-03522-RMW Document 5 Filed 07/16/07 Page 2 of 3
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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ORDER GRANTING MOTION TO STAY CASE—No. C-07-03522 RMW

MAG 3

Notice of this document has been electronically sent to:

Counsel for Petitioner:

Lawrence A. Gibbs gibbslaw@covad.net 

Counsel for Respondent:

No appearance

Counsel are responsible for distributing copies of this document to co-counsel that have not

registered for e-filing under the court's CM/ECF program.

Dated: 7/16/07 /s/ MAG

Chambers of Judge Whyte

Case 5:07-cv-03522-RMW Document 5 Filed 07/16/07 Page 3 of 3