Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-5_16-cv-05646/USCOURTS-cand-5_16-cv-05646-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 530
Nature of Suit: Prisoner Petitions - Habeas Corpus
Cause of Action: 28:2241 Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus

---

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

United States District Court

Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

MARK R. THOMAS,

Plaintiff,

v.

KELLY SANTORO,

Defendant.

Case No. 16-cv-05646-KAW 

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE

Re: Dkt. No. 1

Petitioner Mark R. Thomas, a California prisoner, filed this petition for a writ of habeas 

corpus pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254, challenging his state criminal conviction. Petitioner claims 

that trial counsel rendered ineffective assistance of counsel by failing to challenge the State's 

expert testimony regarding the single-tower methodology to establish the time and location of 

cellular phone calls, which was used to place Petitioner at the crime scene. (Pet. for Writ of 

Habeas Corpus at 8, Dkt. No. 1; see also Pet. for Writ of Habeas Corpus, Exh. C, Schenk Dec. at 

¶¶ 14-18.)

This 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). The 

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 application or person 

detained is not entitled thereto." 28 U.S.C. § 2243. Having reviewed the petition, the Court finds 

that Petitioner's claims are not vague or conclusory, palpably incredible, or patently frivolous or 

false. See Hendricks v. Vasquez, 908 F.2d 490, 491 (9th Cir. 1990). The Court, therefore, orders 

Respondent to show cause why a writ of habeas corpus should not be granted.

Case 5:16-cv-05646-BLF Document 6 Filed 10/19/16 Page 1 of 2
2

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

United States District Court

Northern District of California

Accordingly:

1. The Clerk shall serve a copy of this order, the petition, and all attachments thereto 

upon Respondent and Respondent's counsel. The Clerk shall also serve a copy of this Order on 

Petitioner and Petitioner's counsel.

2. Within 60 days of this order, Respondent shall file an answer conforming in all 

respects to Rule 5 of the Rules Governing § 2254 Cases, showing cause why a writ of habeas 

corpus should not be granted. Respondent shall file the answer together with (a) a memorandum 

of points and authorities, (b) the matters defined in Rule 5 of the Rules Governing § 2254 Cases, 

(c) portions of the trial and appellate record that are relevant to a determination of the issues 

presented by the petition, and (d) a certificate of service. 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 30 

days of his receipt of the answer. If Petitioner does not file a traverse, the petition will be deemed 

submitted and ready for decision 30 days after the date Petitioner is served with Respondent's

answer.

3. Respondent may 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 § 2254 

Cases. If Respondent files such a motion, Petitioner shall serve and file an opposition or statement 

of non-opposition to the motion within 30 days of receipt of the motion. Respondent shall serve 

and file a reply within 15 days of receipt of any opposition.

4. The parties shall file their Consent or Declination to Magistrate Judge Jurisdiction 

on or before the date Respondent's answer is due.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: October 19, 2016

__________________________________

KANDIS A. WESTMORE

United States Magistrate Judge

Case 5:16-cv-05646-BLF Document 6 Filed 10/19/16 Page 2 of 2