Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_06-cv-07310/USCOURTS-cand-3_06-cv-07310-0/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

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

ENRIQUE ZAMORA SANCHEZ, 

Petitioner,

v.

 JAMES TILTON, DIRECTOR,

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF

CORRECTIONS AND

REHABILITATION,

Respondent. /

No. C 06-7310 JSW (PR)

ORDER OF DISMISSAL WITH

LEAVE TO AMEND AND

INSTRUCTIONS TO THE CLERK

(Docket no. 4)

Petitioner, currently incarcerated at the Sierra Conservation Center in Jamestown,

California, filed this action seeking a writ of habeas corpus pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254. 

Petitioner has also filed a motion seeking to proceed in forma pauperis, which is now

GRANTED (docket no. 4). The petition is now before the court for review pursuant to 28

U.S.C. §2243 and Rule 4 of the Rules Governing Section 2254 Cases. Because the Court

cannot discern the nature of several claims identified therein, the petition is dismissed with

leave to amend within thirty days. 

DISCUSSION

A. Standard of Review

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

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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. Summary

dismissal is appropriate only where the allegations in the petition are vague or conclusory,

palpably incredible, or patently frivolous or false. See Hendricks v. Vasquez, 908 F.2d

490, 491 (9th Cir. 1990) (quoting Blackledge v. Allison, 431 U.S. 63, 75-76 (1977)). 

B. Petitioner’s Claims

As grounds for federal habeas relief, Petitioner asserts that: (1) trial counsel was

ineffective for providing incorrect advise regarding the sentence he faced and for failing to

competently investigate Petitioner’s case; (2) appellate counsel was ineffective; (3) there

was insufficient evidence of Petitioner’s guilt of the charged crime because his blood

alcohol was not tested for five hours; (4) Petitioner was denied the right to a direct appeal;

and (5) Petitioner’s sentence was not authorized by statute.

An application for a federal writ of habeas corpus filed by a prisoner who is in state

custody pursuant to a judgment of a state court must “specify all the grounds for relief

which are available to the petitioner ... and shall set forth in summary form the facts

supporting each of the grounds thus specified.” Rule 2(c) of the Rules Governing § 2254

Cases, 28 U.S.C. foll. § 2254. “‘[N]otice’ pleading is not sufficient, for the petition is

expected to state facts that point to a ‘real possibility of constitutional error.’” Rule 4

Advisory Committee Notes (quoting Aubut v. Maine, 431 F.2d 688, 689 (1st Cir. 1970). 

“Habeas petitions which appear on their face to be legally insufficient are subject to

summary dismissal.” Calderon v. United States Dist. Court (Nicolaus), 98 F.3d 1102,

1108 (9th Cir. 1996) (Schroeder, J., concurring). 

Petitioner lists five claims in the petition. His first claim alleging ineffective

assistance of trial counsel is sufficient to warrant a response. See Hill v. Lockhart, 474

U.S. 52, 56 (1985); Tollett v. Henderson, 411 U.S. 258, 267 (1973); United States v.

Signori, 844 F.2d 635, 638 (9th Cir. 1988). Petitioner’s third claim, regarding the

sufficiency of the evidence, however, fails to state a claim for relief because the alleged

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violation preceded his guilty plea. A defendant who pleads guilty cannot later raise in

habeas corpus proceedings independent claims relating to the deprivation of constitutional

rights that occurred before the plea of guilty. See Haring v. Prosise, 462 U.S. 306, 319-20

(1983) (guilty plea forecloses consideration of pre-plea constitutional deprivations);

Tollett, 411 U.S. at 266-67 (same); Moran v. Godinez, 57 F.3d 690, 700 (9th Cir. 1994). 

However, Petitioner’s other claims must be dismissed for failure to state sufficient facts

for the Court to determine whether they can go forward. Petitioner, however, will be

given leave to amend to cure this defect.

CONCLUSION 

For the foregoing reasons and for good cause shown, this action is dismissed with

leave to file an amended petition within thirty days of the date of this order. The amended

petition must contain the caption and civil case number used in this order, Case No. C-06-

7310 JSW (PR) and the words AMENDED PETITION on the first page. Failure to file an

amended petition by the deadline will result in dismissal of this action.

It is Petitioner's responsibility to prosecute this case. He must keep the Court

informed of any change of address by filing a separate paper with the clerk headed “Notice

of Change of Address.” He must comply with any orders of the Court within the time

allowed, or ask for an extension of that time. 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). 

See Martinez v. Johnson, 104 F.3d 769, 772 (5th Cir. 1997) (Rule 41(b) applicable in

habeas cases). 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: April 17, 2007 

 

JEFFREY S. WHITE

United States District Judge

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