Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-4_07-cv-00354/USCOURTS-cand-4_07-cv-00354-1/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)

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

JAMES EDWARD CUHNA,

Petitioner,

 v.

HUMBOLDT COUNTY,

Respondent. /

No. C 07-00354 SBA (PR)

ORDER OF DISMISSAL

Petitioner, a state prisoner, filed the present petition for a writ of habeas corpus pursuant to

28 U.S.C. § 2254 and an application to proceed in forma pauperis. He admits that he did not exhaust

his state remedies before filing this petition, in which he maintains that he asked his public defender

to file an appeal, but he has not heard back from her.

Prisoners in state custody who wish to challenge in federal habeas proceedings either the fact

or length of their confinement are first required to exhaust state judicial remedies by presenting the

highest state court available with a fair opportunity to rule on the merits of each and every claim

they seek to raise in federal court. See 28 U.S.C. § 2254(b),(c)); Rose v. Lundy, 455 U.S. 509, 515-

16 (1982). If available state remedies have not been exhausted as to all claims, the district court

must dismiss the petition. Id. at 510; Guizar v. Estelle, 843 F.2d 371, 372 (9th Cir. 1988). A

dismissal solely for failure to exhaust is not a bar to returning to federal court after exhausting

available state remedies. See Trimble v. City of Santa Rosa, 49 F.3d 583, 586 (9th Cir. 1995). 

Case 4:07-cv-00354-SBA Document 9 Filed 01/17/08 Page 1 of 3
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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P:\PRO-SE\SBA\HC.07\Cuhna0354.Dismiss(exh).wpd 2

Because Petitioner did not present his claims to the state supreme court for review, either in a

petition for review or in a state petition for a writ of habeas corpus, his federal petition is

unexhausted and must be DISMISSED. This dismissal is without prejudice to Petitioner returning to

state court to exhaust his state remedies and then filing a new federal habeas corpus petition. Should

he do so, he is advised to file his new federal habeas corpus petition as soon as possible after his

state court proceedings have concluded. The Court makes no ruling at this time on the issue of the

timeliness of any future federal petition. 

Leave to proceed in forma pauperis is GRANTED (docket no. 6). The Clerk of the Court

shall enter judgment, close the file, and terminate any pending motions. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: 1/16/08 

SAUNDRA BROWN ARMSTRONG

United States District Judge

Case 4:07-cv-00354-SBA Document 9 Filed 01/17/08 Page 2 of 3
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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P:\PRO-SE\SBA\HC.07\Cuhna0354.Dismiss(exh).wpd 3

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE 

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

JAMES EDWARD CUHNA,

Plaintiff,

 v.

HUMBOLDT COUNTY et al,

Defendant. /

Case Number: CV07-00354 SBA 

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I, the undersigned, hereby certify that I am an employee in the Office of the Clerk, U.S. District

Court, Northern District of California.

That on January 17, 2008, I SERVED a true and correct copy(ies) of the attached, by placing said

copy(ies) in a postage paid envelope addressed to the person(s) hereinafter listed, by depositing said

envelope in the U.S. Mail, or by placing said copy(ies) into an inter-office delivery receptacle

located in the Clerk's office.

James Cuhna F46545

CSATF S.P. GYM

P.O. Box 5248

Corcoran, CA 93212

Dated: January 17, 2008

Richard W. Wieking, Clerk

By: LISA R CLARK, Deputy Clerk

Case 4:07-cv-00354-SBA Document 9 Filed 01/17/08 Page 3 of 3