Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-3_10-cv-08134/USCOURTS-azd-3_10-cv-08134-4/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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WO

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Steven James Eaton, 

Plaintiff, 

vs.

Charles L. Ryan, et al., 

Defendant. 

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No. CV-10-8134-PHX-GMS (DKD)

ORDER

Pending before this Court is Petitioner Steven Eaton’s “Request to Appeal and

Counsel” (Doc. 14), which the Court is treating as a motion for reconsideration of this

Court’s June 8, 2011 Order, (Doc. 12). For the reasons stated herein, the Court denies

Petitioner’s motion.

In his petition for writ of habeas corpus, Petitioner raised one claim for relief–that he

was denied his right to appeal. (Doc. 1). Petitioner reasserts that claim and essentially argues

that he gave his Notice of Post-Conviction Relief to prison officials, and that their failure to

timely deliver his notice to the court should not be held against him. (Doc. 14). He further

asserts that “the court should have considered [his] appeal and habeas.” (Id.). 

A district court may alter or amend its decision pursuant to Rule 59(e) of the Federal

Rules of Civil Procedure. However, the granting of a motion for reconsideration “is an

extraordinary remedy which should be used sparingly.” 11 C. WRIGHT & A. MILLER,

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FEDERAL PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE § 2810.1 (2d ed. 1995). Such a motion “‘may not be

used to relitigate old matters, or to raise argument or present evidence that could have been

raised prior to the entry of judgment.’” Exxon Shipping Co. v. Baker, 554 U.S. 471, 485 n.5

(2008) (quoting WRIGHT & MILLER, FEDERAL PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE § 2810.1). A

motion for reconsideration under Rule 59(e) is appropriate “if the district court: (1) is

presented with newly discovered evidence, (2) committed clear error or the initial decision

was manifestly unjust, or (3) if there is an intervening change in controlling law.” Circuit

City Stores, Inc. v. Mantor, 417 F.3d 1060, 1063 n.1 (9th Cir. 2005).

Petitioner’s motion raises an argument that he already asserted in his Objection to

Judge Duncan’s Report and Recommendation (“R & R”). He does not allege that there is

newly discovered evidence or that there has been a change in controlling law. Thus, the

Court assumes that Eaton is arguing that the Court committed clear error.

In the R & R, Judge Duncan described the discrepancy in Eaton’s statements

regarding when he first gave his original notice to prison officials. (Doc. 10). As the Court

explained in footnote 1 of its Order, during the state court proceedings, Petitioner asserted

that he submitted the notice to prison officials on February 9, 2009, several months before

he was actually convicted. (Doc. 12). Later he stated that he delivered the notice before the

90-day deadline expired. As noted in this Court’s Order, Judge Duncan made the factual

determination that Eaton’s original notice was submitted to prison officials on February 9,

2010. Petitioner did not object to or even mention this determination. Thus, the Court

adopted Judge Duncan’s factual determinations, including the date on which Petitioner

submitted the original notice.

As this Court noted in its Order, when a claim is procedurally barred, a petitioner must

demonstrate cause for the procedural default and actual prejudice. Gray v. Netherland, 518

U.S. 152, 162 (1996). The Order explained that, even if prison officials failed to file the

original notice, Petitioner’s notice was nevertheless untimely because it was filed several

months too late. As a result, Petitioner could not establish cause for the default based on the

actions of the prison officials. Moreover, he did not describe any additional circumstances

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that would have established cause for his delay in submitting the original notice. Therefore,

Petitioner was not entitled to relief. 

IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that Petitioner Eaton’s motion for reconsideration

and request for counsel (Doc. 14) is DENIED.

DATED this 17th day of June, 2011.

Case 3:10-cv-08134-GMS Document 15 Filed 06/17/11 Page 3 of 3