Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_07-cv-03663/USCOURTS-cand-3_07-cv-03663-0/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 NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

EUGENE DARREL RUTLEDGE, 

Petitioner,

 vs.

ALAMEDA COUNTY SHERIFF'S

DEPARTMENT, et al.,

Respondent(s). 

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No. C 07-3663 CRB (PR)

ORDER OF DISMISSAL

(Docs # 2 & 3)

Petitioner, a prisoner at the Alameda County Jail, has filed a pro se petition for a 

writ of habeas corpus under 28 U.S.C. § 2254 challenging his recent conviction from the

Superior Court of the State of California in and for the County of Alameda. 

Before the superior court entered judgment on May 25, 2007, petitioner filed 

several petitions for a writ of habeas corpus and/or prohibition in the state courts. Most

have been denied; however, his direct appeal is still pending in the California Court of

Appeal, and a petition for a writ of habeas corpus in still pending in the Supreme Court

of California. 

Petitioner must exhaust state judicial remedies as to all claims before turning to

the federal courts for habeas review. 28 U.S.C. § 2254(b),(c). This requirement is not

satisfied if there is a pending post-conviction proceeding in state court. See Sherwood

v. Tomkins, 716 F.2d 632, 634 (9th Cir. 1983). A would-be federal habeas petitioner

Case 3:07-cv-03663-CRB Document 7 Filed 07/23/07 Page 1 of 2
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must await the outcome of all pending state post-conviction proceedings before his state

remedies are exhausted. See id. Even if the federal constitutional question raised by the

petitioner cannot be resolved in the pending state proceeding, that proceeding may result

in the reversal of the petitioner's conviction on some other ground, thereby mooting the

federal question. See id. (citations omitted). Petitioner must wait until his pending

direct appeal and habeas petition are resolved and exhausted in the state courts before

seeking habeas relief in federal court. Contrary to petitioner’s suggestion, there are no

extraordinary circumstances in this matter compelling a different conclusion.

Accordingly, the instant petition is DISMISSED without prejudice to refiling a

new petition after all pending state post-conviction proceedings are completed.

The clerk shall close the file and terminate all pending motions (see, e.g., docs #

2 & 3) as moot. No fee is due.

SO ORDERED.

DATED: July 23, 2007 

CHARLES R. BREYER

United States District Judge

G:\PRO-SE\CRB\HC.07\Rutledge1.or1.wpd

Case 3:07-cv-03663-CRB Document 7 Filed 07/23/07 Page 2 of 2