Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_96-cv-01401/USCOURTS-caed-2_96-cv-01401-34/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 535
Nature of Suit: Habeas Corpus - Death Penalty
Cause of Action: 28:2254 Ptn for Writ of H/C - Stay of Execution

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JAMES S. THOMSON

California SBN 79658

Attorney and Counselor at Law

819 Delaware Street 

Berkeley, California 94710

Telephone: (510) 525-9123

Facsimile: (510) 525-9124

JOLIE LIPSIG

Attorney at Law

California SBN 104644

1006 4th St., Suite 301

Sacramento, California 95814

Telephone: (916) 443-6995

Facsimile: (916) 443-7081

Attorneys for Petitioner

WILLIAM A. PROCTOR

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

WILLIAM A. PROCTOR, ) No. CIV-S-96-1401 RBB CMK

)

Petitioner, ) DEATH PENALTY CASE

)

 )

v. ) APPLICATION AND ORDER

) FOR EXTENSION OF TIME 

) TO FILE MERITS BRIEF

)

ROBERT L. AYERS, Warden of )

California State Prison at San Quentin, )

)

Respondent. )

_________________________________)

Pursuant to an order issued January 15, 2009, petitioner’s brief on the merits of

Claims EE, W, Y, CC, EE, and NN is due on March 2, 2009. Petitioner, by and through

his counsel, hereby requests an extension of forty-five days, to and including April 16,

2009, in which to submit his brief. 

This Court has granted two previous extensions of time to file the merits brief. The

extension of time is necessary for the following reasons:

1. Respondent’s brief on the merits was filed on September 17, 2008. Despite

Case 2:96-cv-01401-DAD-DMC Document 300 Filed 03/02/09 Page 1 of 3
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their due diligence, neither Mr. Thomson or Ms. Lipsig have been able to devote sufficient

time to complete work on the answering briefing due to other case obligations.

2. Lead counsel, Mr. Thomson, is counsel in a capital trial in the Northern

District of California, U. S. v Dennis Cyrus, Case # CR-05-00324-MMC. The parties have

begun the presentation of evidence to the jury in that case. Mr. Thomson not only must be

present in court during the day, but is engaged in extensive trial preparation when he is not

in court. Mr. Thomson has spent considerable time preparing for the trial in the past 45

days and it is expected that trial will be lengthy. Due to the progression of the trial, Mr.

Thomson anticipates, however, that he will be able to devote sufficient time to the present

case to complete the merits brief during the next 45 days. 

3. Ms. Lipsig continues to be employed full-time by the Office of the State

Public Defender and has a full case load. She is thus unable to devote significant time to

the present case except on weekends and in the evenings. Unfortunately, due to state

budget problems and staff shortages, Ms. Lipsig has been required to take on additional

duties, including working some weekends and evenings that she normally would devote to

the present case. During the past 45 days she was required to take two multi-day trips to

Southern California to conduct witness interviews. During the month of March she will

have to travel to Oregon for a week-long trip to conduct additional interviews, and also

will have to return to Southern California for several days.

4. Counsel for petitioner have contacted counsel for respondent, Deputy

Attorney General Brian Smiley, regarding this request for an extension of time. He

indicated that he has no objection to the request for an extension of time.

For all the reasons stated above, petitioner requests that he be granted an additional

forty-five (45) days, to and including April 16, 2009, in which to submit his brief on the

merits Claims EE, W, Y, CC, EE, and NN and that respondent’s time in which to submit a

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 reply brief be extended until thirty (30) days thereafter, or until May 15, 2009.

 DATED: February 26, 2009

Respectfully submitted,

/s/JAMES S. THOMSON

/s/ JOLIE LIPSIG

Attorneys for Petitioner

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: March 2, 2009

_____________________________________

_

CRAIG M. KELLISON

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Case 2:96-cv-01401-DAD-DMC Document 300 Filed 03/02/09 Page 3 of 3