Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-5_08-cv-00867/USCOURTS-cand-5_08-cv-00867-1/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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 NOT FOR CITATION

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

FRANCISCO PARTIDA,

Petitioner,

 v.

LELAND McEWEN, Warden,

Respondent.

 /

No. C 08-00867 JF (PR)

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE

Petitioner, a state prisoner at Calipatria State Prison proceeding pro se, seeks a writ of

habeas corpus pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254, challenging his state conviction. The Court

initially dismissed the action without prejudice for Petitioner’s failure to pay the filing fee,

and then subsequently granted Petitioner’s motion for reconsideration, reopened the action,

and granted leave to proceed in forma pauperis. (Docket No. 11.) The Court dismissed the

original petition with leave to amend. Petitioner filed an amended petition on June 2, 2010. 

(Docket No. 17.) 

BACKGROUND

According to the petition, Petitioner was found guilty by a jury in San Francisco

County Superior Court of burglary in the first degree, sexual battery and false imprisonment. 

Case 5:08-cv-00867-JF Document 18 Filed 08/17/10 Page 1 of 4
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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(Am. Pet. at 2.) Petitioner was sentenced on March 17, 2006, to 37 years and 8 months to

life in state prison. (Id.) Petitioner appealed his sentence, and the California Supreme Court

denied the petition for review in 2007. (Id. at 3.)

Petitioner filed the instant federal habeas action on February 8, 2008.

DISCUSSION

A. Standard of Review

A district court may entertain a petition for writ of habeas corpus “in behalf of a

person in custody pursuant to the judgment of a State court only on the ground that he is in

custody in violation of the Constitution or laws or treaties of the United States.” 28 U.S.C. §

2254(a); Rose v. Hodges, 423 U.S. 19, 21 (1975). 

A district court shall “award the writ or issue an order directing the respondent to

show cause why the writ should not be granted, unless it appears from the application that the

applicant or person detained is not entitled thereto.” 28 U.S.C. § 2243. 

B. Petitioner’s Claims

As grounds for federal habeas relief, Petitioner claims the following: 1) the trial judge

committed reversible error by denying Petitioner’s motion to substitute new counsel; 2) the

trial court committed reversible error by denying Petitioner’s motion to admit the testimony

of expert witness; and 3) ineffective assistance of counsel for failure to object to the trial

court’s decision to not allow the admission of expert testimony. (Am. Pet. at 6.) Liberally

construed, Petitioner’s claims are cognizable under § 2254. The Court orders Respondent to

show cause why the petition should not be granted. 

CONCLUSION 

1. The Clerk shall serve by mail a copy of this order and the amended petition, 

(Docket No. 17), and all attachments thereto upon the Respondent and the Respondent’s

attorney, the Attorney General of the State of California. The Clerk shall also serve a copy

of this order on the Petitioner. 

Case 5:08-cv-00867-JF Document 18 Filed 08/17/10 Page 2 of 4
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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Order to Show Cause

P:\PRO-SE\SJ.JF\HC.08\Partida867_osc.wpd 3

2. Respondent shall file with the Court and serve on Petitioner, within sixty (60)

days of the date this order is filed, an answer conforming in all respects to Rule 5 of the

Rules Governing Section 2254 Cases, showing cause why a writ of habeas corpus should not

be granted. Respondent shall file with the answer and serve on Petitioner a copy of all

portions of the state criminal proceedings that have been transcribed previously and that are

relevant to a determination of the issues presented by the amended petition. 

If Petitioner wishes to respond to the answer, he shall do so by filing a traverse with

the Court and serving it on Respondent within thirty (30) days of that the answer is filed.

3. Alternatively, Respondent may, within sixty (60) days of the date this order is

filed, file a motion to dismiss on procedural grounds in lieu of an answer, as set forth in the

Advisory Committee Notes to Rule 4 of the Rules Governing Section 2254 Cases. If

Respondent files such a motion, Petitioner shall file with the Court and serve on Respondent

an opposition or statement of non-opposition within thirty (30) days of the date the motion

is filed, and Respondent shall file with the court and serve on Petitioner a reply within

fifteen (15) days of the date any opposition is filed.

4. It is Petitioner’s responsibility to prosecute this case. Petitioner is reminded

that all communications with the Court must be served on respondent by mailing a true copy

of the document to Respondent’s counsel. Petitioner must keep the Court and all parties

informed of any change of address by filing a separate paper captioned “Notice of Change of

Address.” He must comply with the Court’s orders in a timely fashion. Failure to do so may

result in the dismissal of this action for failure to prosecute pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil

Procedure 41(b). 

5. The Clerk of the Court is directed to substitute Warden Leland McEwen of 

Calpatria State Prison, where Petitioner is currently incarcerated, as Respondent in this

action, pursuant to Rule 2(a) of the Rules Governing Habeas Corpus Cases Under § 2254.

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

Dated: 

JEREMY FOGEL

United States District Judge

8/9/10

Case 5:08-cv-00867-JF Document 18 Filed 08/17/10 Page 3 of 4
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE 

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

FRANCISCO PARTIDA,

Petitioner,

 v.

LELAND McEWAN, Warden,

Respondent. /

Case Number: CV08-00867 JF 

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 , 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.

Francisco Partida F22180

Calipatria State Prison

7018 Blair Road

P.O. Bax 5007

Calipatria, CA 92233

Dated: 

Richard W. Wieking, Clerk

8/17/10

8/17/10

Case 5:08-cv-00867-JF Document 18 Filed 08/17/10 Page 4 of 4