Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_02-cv-00974/USCOURTS-cand-3_02-cv-00974-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Jim Hamlet
Respondent
Michael Hutchinson
Petitioner

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

MICHAEL HUTCHINSON,

Petitioner,

 vs.

JIM HAMLET, Warden,

Respondent.

 

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No. C 02-974 JSW (PR)

ORDER APPOINTING COUNSEL

PURSUANT TO 18 U.S.C. § 3006A,

SETTING STATUS

CONFERENCE AND

INSTRUCTIONS TO CLERK

Petitioner, a California state prisoner, has filed a pro se petition for a writ of

habeas corpus under 28 U.S.C. § 2254. Petitioner previously filed separate motions

seeking to proceed in forma pauperis (docket no. 2) and appointment of counsel (docket

no. 10). Petitioner’s motion seeking in forma pauperis status was granted (docket no. 5)

by Judge Maxine M. Chesney. However, on June 27, 2002, Judge Chesney denied the

motion for counsel without prejudice to the Court’s sua sponte reconsideration (docket

no. 11). The matter was transferred to this Court on January 14, 2003 (docket no. 20). 

After briefing by the parties, Respondent was ordered to expand the record in two orders

(docket nos. 23, 26). On May 24, 2005, Respondent filed a sealed original document

obtained from the California Court of Appeal, Sixth Appellate District and a final report

regarding his compliance with the Court’s orders. The Clerk is directed to file the

document Respondent obtained from the Court of Appeal and filed in this Court under

seal. 

On May 24, 2005, the Court received a letter from Lawrence A. Gibbs, Esq.,

Case 3:02-cv-00974-JSW Document 30 Filed 01/27/06 Page 1 of 2
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indicating that he and Cliff Gardner, Esq. were prepared to enter an appearance on

Petitioner’s behalf in this matter pro bono, given the Court’s earlier refusal to appoint

counsel. Gibbs and Gardner simultaneously filed a substitution of counsel signed by

Petitioner. Counsel’s letter specifies that he had conferred with Deputy Attorney General

Bruce Ortega and that they were both requesting a status conference be set in this matter. 

On August 4, 2005, the Court ordered Petitioner to file a substitution of counsel (docket

no. 29). However, that order is now withdrawn (docket no. 29). 

Given the status of this case, the Court now reconsiders the earlier order of Judge

Chesney and appoints attorneys Gibbs and Gardner for Petitioner pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §

3006A, which provides for funds to pay appointed counsel. See United States v. Salemo,

81 F.3d 1453, 1459 & n.4 (9th Cir. 1996). Counsel should seek reimbursement pursuant

to 18 U.S.C. § 3006A through the Federal Public Defender's Office.

Further, the Court now sets this matter down for a status conference on February

17, 2006 at 1:30 p.m. The parties are directed to meet and confer about this case and file

a joint status report on or before February 10, 2006. 

The Clerk is directed to send a copy of this order to the Federal Public Defender's

Office.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: January 27, 2006

 

 JEFFREY S. WHITE

United States District Judge

Case 3:02-cv-00974-JSW Document 30 Filed 01/27/06 Page 2 of 2