Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_07-cv-04447/USCOURTS-cand-3_07-cv-04447-0/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 Northern District of California

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G:\PRO-SE\MJJ\HC.07\davis.dsm.wpd

United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SHERMAN L. DAVIS,

Petitioner,

v.

STATE OF CALIFORNIA,

Respondent. ______________________________

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No. C 07-4447 MJJ (PR)

ORDER OF DISMISSAL

This case was opened when petitioner filed a document titled “Motion an Declaration of

Good Cause for Equitable Tolling and Extension of Time to File Federal Petition – Criminal

Conviction.” In this motion, petitioner seeks to toll the running of the statute of limitations for a

federal habeas petition he wishes to file in the future. 

Article III, Section 2 of the United States Constitution restricts adjudication in federal courts

to "Cases" and "Controversies." See Valley Forge Christian College v. Americans United for

Separation of Church and State, Inc., 454 U.S. 464, 471 (1982). In the absence of an actual petition

for a writ of habeas corpus or other civil complaint, there is no case or controversy for this Court to

adjudicate. See Green v. United States, 260 F.3d 78, 82 (2d Cir. 2001). Although, in some

instances, a motion may be construed to be a petition for a writ of habeas corpus, see id. at 83-84,

petitioner here has not alleged any grounds for such relief, and indeed it is clear that he is not asking

for relief from his conviction, but rather from the applicable statute of limitations. Moreover, the

Court cannot discern from the instant filing whether petitioner can meet even the most basic

requirements for proceeding with a habeas petition in federal court and, in particular, in the Northern

Case 3:07-cv-04447-MJJ Document 3 Filed 10/03/07 Page 1 of 2
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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G:\PRO-SE\MJJ\HC.07\davis.dsm.wpd 2

District, such as proper jurisdiction and venue. Consequently, the motion will not be construed as a

habeas petition. 

Accordingly, the above-titled action is hereby DISMISSED without prejudice to petitioner’s

filing a petition for a writ of habeas corpus or a complaint for other relief. The application to

proceed in forma pauperis is hereby GRANTED. 

This order terminates all pending motions. 

The Clerk shall close the file. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: 10/02/07

 MARTIN J. JENKINS

United States District Judge 

Case 3:07-cv-04447-MJJ Document 3 Filed 10/03/07 Page 2 of 2