Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_18-cv-01876/USCOURTS-casd-3_18-cv-01876-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 550
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Civil Rights (U.S. defendant)
Cause of Action: 42:1983pr Prisoner Civil Rights

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United States District Court

Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

MICHAEL T PINES,

Plaintiff,

v.

DIRECTOR OF ATASCADERO STATE 

HOSPITAL, et al.,

Defendants.

Case No. 18-cv-03849-SI 

ORDER DENYING REQUEST FOR 

TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER 

AND/OR PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION

Re: Dkt. Nos. 2, 3

This matter is now before the court for consideration of plaintiff’s application for a 

temporary restraining order and/or preliminary injunction “ordering the immediate release of 

plaintiff from Atascadero State Hospital.” Docket No. 2 at 1. Plaintiff alleges in his civil rights 

complaint that he is at Atascadero State Hospital because, at the end of his prison sentence, the 

California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation determined that he was a mentally 

disordered offender (MDO) and sent him to Atascadero State Hospital, even though he did not 

meet the criteria for an MDO commitment. Docket No. 1 at 19-20. 

A writ of habeas is the exclusive remedy for a prisoner who seeks “‘immediate or speedier 

release’” from confinement. Skinner v. Switzer, 562 U.S. 521, 533-34 (2011) (quoting Wilkinson 

v. Dotson, 544 U.S. 74, 82 (2005)); see also Preiser v. Rodriguez, 411 U.S. 475, 500 (1973) (“we 

hold today that when a state prisoner is challenging the very fact or duration of his physical 

imprisonment, and the relief he seeks is a determination that he is entitled to immediate release or 

a speedier release from that imprisonment, his sole federal remedy is a writ of habeas corpus”).

Because a petition for writ of habeas corpus is the exclusive method by which a prisoner 

may seek release from custody, plaintiff’s ex parte application for a temporary restraining order 

and/or preliminary injunction to provide for his immediate release from custody is DENIED. 

Case 3:18-cv-01876-MMA-JLB Document 5 Filed 07/10/18 PageID.<pageID> Page 1 of 2
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United States District Court

Northern District of California

Docket Nos. 2, 3. If plaintiff wants to seek his release from custody, the only sort of action he 

may file in federal court to obtain that relief is a petition for writ of habeas corpus. The proper 

venue for a habeas petition challenging a decision made in San Diego County Superior Court 

(where plaintiff’s conviction occurred) is the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of 

California. The proper venue for a habeas petition challenging a decision made in San Luis 

Obispo County (where Atascadero State Hospital is located) is the U.S. District Court for the 

Central District of California. 

The court will screen the civil rights complaint in due course, after plaintiff submits the 

required in forma pauperis application or pays the $400.00 filing fee. Plaintiff is reminded that 

failure to file a completed in forma pauperis application or pay the filing fee within 28 days of 

filing the complaint will result in the dismissal of this action. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: July 10, 2018

______________________________________

SUSAN ILLSTON

United States District Judge

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