Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_16-cv-00110/USCOURTS-caed-2_16-cv-00110-0/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

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF 

CALIFORNIA,

Plaintiff,

v.

AARON SUGGS,

Defendant.

No. 2:16-cv-0110 KJN P

ORDER

Plaintiff is a state prisoner, proceeding without counsel. On January 19, 2016, plaintiff’s 

“Notice of Motion and Motion for Modification of Sentence,” filed pursuant to California Penal 

Code Section 1202.4(f)(1), was submitted to this court for filing. (ECF No. 1.) However, 

plaintiff’s filing is addressed to the Sacramento County Superior Court and bears that court’s case 

number 12F00316.1 Moreover, plaintiff relies solely on California state law and California cases. 

(ECF No. 1.) 

Pursuant to Sacramento County Superior Court’s public case access records, plaintiff was 

sentenced on June 6, 2013, in Case No. 12F00316, and his motion for modification has not been 

 

1

 Plaintiff’s criminal case records are accessed through the Sacramento County Superior Court’s 

Public Case Access records, <https://services.saccourt.ca.gov/PublicCaseAccess>, accessed on 

January 27, 2016. 

Case 2:16-cv-00110-KJN Document 3 Filed 01/28/16 Page 1 of 3
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filed in the superior court. Id. Accordingly, the Clerk of the Court is directed to retrieve 

plaintiff’s original motion from the dump file and strike out all of this court’s identifying 

information, including the file stamp date and case number. Then, the Clerk shall mail plaintiff’s

original motion (not a copy of the scanned motion) to the Sacramento County Superior Court, 720 

Ninth Street, Sacramento, California 95814. 

Finally, the court declines to construe plaintiff’s motion as a petition for writ of habeas 

corpus, or grant him leave to amend, for two reasons: First, the filing is clearly identified as a 

motion to modify his sentence directed to the superior court. Second, in order for plaintiff to 

challenge his underlying conviction, he must first exhaust his state court remedies. The 

exhaustion of state court remedies is a prerequisite to the granting of a petition for writ of habeas 

corpus. 28 U.S.C. § 2254(b)(1). If exhaustion is to be waived, it must be waived explicitly by 

respondent’s counsel. 28 U.S.C. § 2254(b)(3).

2

 A waiver of exhaustion, thus, may not be implied 

or inferred. A prisoner satisfies the exhaustion requirement by providing the highest state court 

with a full and fair opportunity to consider all claims before presenting them to the federal court. 

Picard v. Connor, 404 U.S. 270, 276 (1971); Middleton v. Cupp, 768 F.2d 1083, 1086 (9th Cir. 

1985), cert. denied, 478 U.S. 1021 (1986).

The electronic dockets for the California Supreme Court, California Courts, 

<http://appellatecases.courtinfo.ca.gov>, visited January 27, 2016, show that plaintiff has not 

filed any proceeding in the California Supreme Court. Thus, the court has confirmed that plaintiff

has not exhausted his state court remedies as to the 2013 conviction;

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granting him leave to 

amend to file a petition for writ of habeas corpus would be futile. 

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2 A petition may be denied on the merits without exhaustion of state court remedies. 28 U.S.C. 

§ 2254(b)(2).

3

 Plaintiff is cautioned that the habeas corpus statute imposes a one year statute of limitations for 

filing non-capital habeas corpus petitions in federal court. In most cases, the one year period will 

start to run on the date on which the state court judgment became final by the conclusion of direct 

review or the expiration of time for seeking direct review, although the statute of limitations is 

tolled while a properly filed application for state post-conviction or other collateral review is 

pending. 28 U.S.C. § 2244(d).

Case 2:16-cv-00110-KJN Document 3 Filed 01/28/16 Page 2 of 3
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For all of the above reasons, it appears that the instant action was opened in error, and the 

Clerk of the Court is directed to terminate this action. 

Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:

1. The Clerk of the Court is directed to retrieve plaintiff’s original motion from the 

court’s dump file and, after following the instructions set forth above, mail plaintiff’s original

motion to the Sacramento County Superior Court, 720 Ninth Street, Sacramento, California 

95814; and

2. The Clerk of the Court shall terminate this action.

Dated: January 27, 2016

/sugg0110.clo

Case 2:16-cv-00110-KJN Document 3 Filed 01/28/16 Page 3 of 3