Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-alsd-1_15-cv-00375/USCOURTS-alsd-1_15-cv-00375-0/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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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF ALABAMA

SOUTHERN DIVISION

JAMES MERRILL, JR., : 

 Petitioner, : 

v. : CIVIL ACTION 15-0375-KD-M 

STATE OF ALABAMA, : 

 Respondent. : 

REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION

Petitioner, an inmate at the Atmore Community Work Center 

has filed a petition for habeas corpus relief under 28 U.S.C. § 

2254 (Doc. 1). Petitioner raises several claims, including 

assertions that he received ineffective assistance of both trial 

and appellate counsel (Doc. 1). 

This Court, “in the exercise of its discretion and in 

furtherance of justice” may transfer an application for writ of 

habeas corpus to “the district court for the district within 

which the State court was held which convicted” the petitioner. 

28 U.S.C. § 2241(d). Merrill attacks a sentence imposed upon 

him by the Barbour County Circuit Court (Doc. 1). Barbour

County is located within the jurisdiction of the United States 

District Court for the Middle District of Alabama, Southern 

Division. 28 U.S.C. § 81(b)(1). In light of the foregoing, the 

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Court concludes that transfer of this case to that court for 

review and disposition is appropriate. Braden v. 30th Judicial 

Circuit Court of Ky., 410 U.S. 484, 497 (1973)(“Congress 

explicitly recognized the substantial advantages of having these 

cases resolved in the court which originally imposed the 

confinement or in the court located nearest the site of the 

underlying controversy”); see also 28 U.S.C. § 2241. 

Therefore, it is recommended that, in the interest of 

justice, this action be transferred to the United States 

District Court for the Middle District of Alabama for further 

proceedings. Braden, 410 U.S. at 497.

NOTICE OF RIGHT TO FILE OBJECTIONS 

A copy of this report and recommendation shall be served on

all parties in the manner provided by law. Any party who objects 

to this recommendation or anything in it must, within fourteen 

(14) days of the date of service of this document, file specific 

written objections with the Clerk of this Court. See 28 U.S.C. 

§ 636(b)(1); FED.R.CIV.P. 72(b); S.D. ALA. L.R. 72.4. The parties 

should note that under Eleventh Circuit Rule 3-1, “[a] party 

failing to object to a magistrate judge's findings or 

recommendations contained in a report and recommendation in 

accordance with the provisions of 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1) waives 

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the right to challenge on appeal the district court's order 

based on unobjected-to factual and legal conclusions if the 

party was informed of the time period for objecting and the 

consequences on appeal for failing to object. In the absence of 

a proper objection, however, the court may review on appeal for 

plain error if necessary in the interests of justice.” 11th 

Cir. R. 3-1. In order to be specific, an objection must 

identify the specific finding or recommendation to which 

objection is made, state the basis for the objection, and 

specify the place in the Magistrate Judge’s report and 

recommendation where the disputed determination is found. An 

objection that merely incorporates by reference or refers to the 

briefing before the Magistrate Judge is not specific. 

DONE this 30th day of July, 2015.

s/BERT W. MILLING, JR. 

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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