Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_14-cv-01992/USCOURTS-caed-1_14-cv-01992-0/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

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SEAVON PIERCE,

Petitioner,

v.

BARACK OBAMA, et. al.,

Respondents.

Case No. 1:14-cv-01992-GSA-HC

ORDER DISMISSING PETITION FOR 

WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS AS 

DUPLICATIVE, DIRECTING CLERK OF 

COURT TO CLOSE THE ACTION, AND 

DECLINING TO ISSUE A CERTIFICATE 

OF APPEALABILITY

Petitioner is a state prisoner confined in California State Prison, Corcoran, and 

proceeding pro se with a petition for writ of habeas corpus pursuant to the authority of 28 U.S.C. 

§ 2254.

This Court takes judicial notice of a document which was filed by Petitioner and treated 

as a prisoner civil rights complaint in the Sacramento Division of the Eastern District of 

California on November 12, 2014.

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 That complaint has been assigned case number 2:14-CV02644-AC. On December 15, 2014, Petitioner filed his second amended petition for writ of 

habeas corpus in the Sacramento Division of the Eastern District of California in case number 

2:14-CV-02644-AC, and is presently awaiting screening.

 

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Pursuant to Rule 201 of the Federal Rules of Evidence, this Court may take judicial notice of filings in another 

case. See Biggs v. Terhune, 334 F.3d 910, 916 n. 3 (9th Cir.2003) (materials from a proceeding in another tribunal 

are appropriate for judicial notice); Lee v. City of Los Angeles, 250 F.3d 668, 689 (9th Cir.2001) (noting that a court 

may take judicial notice of “matters of public record”); United States v. Camp, 723 F.2d 741, 744 n. 1 (9th Cir.1984) 

(citing examples of judicially noticed public records).

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On December 15, 2014, Petitioner filed in this Court a duplicate of his second amended 

petition for writ of habeas corpus, which he titled, “HABEAS Petition 1st AMEND RIGHT TO 

PETITION THE GOVERNMETN FOR REDRESS OF GRIEVANCES”. This petition has been 

assigned case number 1:14-CV-01992-GSA HC. On January 20, 2015, Petitioner filed a 

document stating that 28 U.S.C. 2254 does not apply to his petition, and that he has filed a class 

action petition under the 1st Amendment in case number 1:14-CV-01992-GSA HC. (ECF No. 5).

I.

DISCUSSION

A. Procedural Grounds for Summary Dismissal

Rule 4 of the Rules Governing § 2254 Cases requires the Court to make a preliminary

review of each petition for writ of habeas corpus. The Court must dismiss a petition "[i]f it 

plainly appears from the petition . . . that the petitioner is not entitled to relief." Rule 4 of the 

Rules Governing Section 2254 Cases; see also Hendricks v. Vasquez, 908 F.2d 490 (9th 

Cir.1990). The Advisory Committee Notes to Rule 8 indicate that the court may dismiss a 

petition for writ of habeas corpus, either on its own motion under Rule 4, pursuant to the 

respondent‟s motion to dismiss, or after an answer to the petition has been filed. A petition for 

habeas corpus should not be dismissed without leave to amend unless it appears that no tenable 

claim for relief can be pleaded were such leave granted. Jarvis v. Nelson, 440 F.2d 13, 14 (9th 

Cir. 1971). 

B. Duplicative Petition 

Federal courts retain broad powers to control their dockets and “prevent duplicative or 

unnecessary litigation.” Slack v. McDaniel, 529 U.S. 473, 478, 120 S.Ct. 1595, 146 L.Ed.2d 542 

(2000); Link v. Wabash R. Co., 370 U.S. 626, 630–631, 82 S.Ct. 1386, 8 L.Ed.2d 734. “After 

weighing the equities of the case, the district court may exercise its discretion to dismiss a 

duplicative later-filed action, to stay that action pending resolution of the previously filed action, 

to enjoin the parties from proceeding with it, or to consolidate both actions.” Adams v. 

California Dept. of Health Services, 487 F.3d 684, 688 (9th Cir. 2007). “Plaintiffs generally 

have „no right to maintain two separate actions involving the same subject matter at the same

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time in the same court and against the same defendant.‟” Adams, 487 F.3d at 688 (quoting 

Walton v. Eaton Corp., 563 F.2d 66, 70 (3d Cir. 1977) (en banc)). 

In assessing whether a second action is duplicative of the first, the court examines 

whether the causes of action and relief sought, as well as the parties or privies to the action, are 

the same. Adams, 487 F.3d at 689. First, the court must examine whether the causes of action in 

the two suits are identical pursuant to the transaction test, developed in the context of claim 

preclusion. Id. Second, the court determines whether the defendants are the same or in privity. 

Privity includes an array of relationships which fit under the title of “virtual representation.” 

Kourtis v. Cameron, 419 F.3d 989, 996 (9th Cir. 2005). “The necessary elements of virtual 

representation are an identity of interests and adequate representation.” Adams, 487 F.3d at 691 

(citing Kourtis, 419 F.3d at 996). “Additional features of a virtual representation relationship 

include a close relationship, substantial participation, and tactical maneuvering.” Adams, 487 

F.3d at 691 (quoting Kourtis, 419 F.3d at 996).

A plaintiff is required to bring at one time all of the claims against a party or privies 

relating to the same transaction or event. Adams, 487 F.3d at 693. The court has discretion to 

dismiss a duplicative complaint with prejudice to prevent a plaintiff from “fragmenting a single 

cause of action and litigating piecemeal the issues which could have been resolved in one 

action.” Adams, 487 F.3d at 694 (quoting Flynn v. State Bd. of Chiropractic Exam'rs, 418 F.2d 

668, 668 (9th Cir.1969) (per curiam)).

Normally, “where a new pro se petition is filed before the adjudication of a prior petition 

is complete, the new petition should be construed as a motion to amend the pending petition 

rather than as a successive application.” Woods v. Carey, 525 F.3d 886, 888-890 (9th Cir. 

2008). However in this case, the new petition in case number 1:14-CV-01992-GSA HC is an 

exact duplicate of the second amended petition currently pending in the previously-filed action, 

2:14-CV-02644-AC. Therefore, construing the new petition as a motion to amend would serve 

no purpose. Given these circumstances, the Court finds the duplicative petition for writ of

habeas corpus pending in this action should be dismissed to promote judicial economy and 

protect the parties from concurrent litigation of the same claim.

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II.

CERTIFICATE OF APPEALABILITY

A state prisoner seeking a writ of habeas corpus has no absolute entitlement to appeal a 

district court‟s denial of his petition, and an appeal is only allowed in certain circumstances. 

Miller-El v. Cockrell, 537 U.S. 322, 335-36 (2003). The controlling statute in determining 

whether to issue a certificate of appealability is 28 U.S.C. § 2253, which provides as follows:

(a) In a habeas corpus proceeding or a proceeding under section 

2255 before a district judge, the final order shall be subject to 

review, on appeal, by the court of appeals for the circuit in which 

the proceeding is held.

(b) There shall be no right of appeal from a final order in a 

proceeding to test the validity of a warrant to remove to another 

district or place for commitment or trial a person charged with a 

criminal offense against the United States, or to test the validity of 

such person‟s detention pending removal proceedings.

(c) (1) Unless a circuit justice or judge issues a certificate of 

appealability, an appeal may not be taken to the court of 

appeals from–

(A) the final order in a habeas corpus proceeding in which 

the detention complained of arises out of process issued by 

a State court; or

(B) the final order in a proceeding under section 2255.

(2) A certificate of appealability may issue under paragraph (1) 

only if the applicant has made a substantial showing of the 

denial of a constitutional right.

(3) The certificate of appealability under paragraph (1) shall 

indicate which specific issue or issues satisfy the showing 

required by paragraph (2).

If a court denies a petitioner‟s petition, the court may only issue a certificate of 

appealability “if jurists of reason could disagree with the district court‟s resolution of his 

constitutional claims or that jurists could conclude the issues presented are adequate to deserve 

encouragement to proceed further.” Miller-El, 537 U.S. at 327; Slack v. McDaniel, 529 U.S. 473, 

484 (2000). While the petitioner is not required to prove the merits of his case, he must 

demonstrate “something more than the absence of frivolity or the existence of mere good faith on 

his . . . part.” Miller-El, 537 U.S. at 338.

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In the present case, the Court does not find that jurists of reason would find it debatable 

whether the petition was properly dismissed as duplicative. Accordingly, the Court hereby 

DECLINES to issue a certificate of appealability.

III.

ORDER

Accordingly, the Court HEREBY ORDERS that:

1. The petition for writ of habeas corpus is DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE as 

duplicative;

2. Clerk of Court is DIRECTED to close this action; and 

3. The Court declines to issue a certificate of appealability.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: January 22, 2015 /s/ Gary S. Austin 

 UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Case 1:14-cv-01992-GSA Document 7 Filed 01/22/15 Page 5 of 5