Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_15-cv-02037/USCOURTS-caed-2_15-cv-02037-2/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 EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

BOYDD D.J. IRVING, 

Petitioner, 

v. 

DAVE DAVEY, 

Respondent. 

No. 2:15-cv-2037 AC P 

ORDER 

 Petitioner, a state prisoner proceeding pro se, has filed an application for a writ of habeas 

corpus pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254. Currently before the court are petitioner’s motions for 

appointment of counsel (ECF No. 15) and for an extension of time to file an amended petition 

(ECF No. 16). 

Petitioner has requested the appointment of counsel. ECF No. 15. There currently exists 

no absolute right to appointment of counsel in habeas proceedings. See Nevius v. Sumner, 105 

F.3d 453, 460 (9th Cir. 1996). However, 18 U.S.C. § 3006A authorizes the appointment of 

counsel at any stage of the case “if the interests of justice so require.” See Rule 8(c), Fed. R. 

Governing § 2254 Cases. Petitioner has not yet stated any grounds for relief and is being given 

an opportunity to amend the petition to correct this omission. Moreover, petitioner cites delays in 

his ability to access his legal property and obtain legal forms as the basis for the request for 

counsel. These issues can be adequately addressed by granting petitioner’s request for extension 

Case 2:15-cv-02037-AC Document 17 Filed 06/23/16 Page 1 of 3
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of time to file an amended petition. At this early stage, the court does not find that the interests of 

justice would be served by the appointment of counsel at the present time. 

Petitioner has also requested a second, unspecified extension of his time to file an 

amended petition. ECF No. 16. Petitioner cites delays in his ability to access his legal property 

after being transferred to a different prison. Id. The court will grant petitioner an additional thirty 

days to file an amended petition. Any further requests for extension should identify how much 

time petitioner is seeking and why the requested amount of time is necessary. 

Finally, in his motion for extension of time, petitioner verifies that he is seeking to pursue 

relief for two separate judgments of conviction. Id. at 1. The relationship between the two 

judgments is not clear. Petitioner is cautioned that separate criminal convictions must in most 

cases be challenged in separate habeas corpus proceedings. 

Petitioner is also reminded that he has already pursued a federal habeas petition related to 

Sacramento Superior Court Case No. 01F04127, see Irving v. People of the State of California, 

No. 2:05-cv-01621 LKK CMK, and that a second or successive application for habeas relief may 

not be filed in district court without prior authorization by the court of appeals, Felker v. Turpin, 

518 U.S. 651, 657 (1996). “A habeas petition is second or successive only if it raises claims that 

were or could have been adjudicated on the merits.” McNabb v. Yates, 576 F.3d 1028, 1029 (9th 

Cir. 2009) (citing Woods v. Carey, 525 F.3d 886, 888 (9th Cir. 2008)). In other words, if the 

grounds for relief related to Sacramento Superior Court Case No. 01F04127 were or could have 

been addressed by petitioner’s previous federal habeas petition, he cannot pursue them in this 

case unless he gets permission from the Ninth Circuit. 

 Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that: 

1. Petitioner’s request for appointment of counsel (ECF No. 15) is denied without 

prejudice to a renewal of the motion at a later stage of the proceedings. 

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2. Petitioner’s second request for an extension of time to file an amended petition (ECF 

No. 16) is granted and petitioner shall have thirty days from service of this order to file an 

amended petition. 

DATED: June 22, 2016 

Case 2:15-cv-02037-AC Document 17 Filed 06/23/16 Page 3 of 3