Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-3_10-cv-08095/USCOURTS-azd-3_10-cv-08095-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Ronald Lee Tsosie
Plaintiff
United States of America
Defendant

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

United States of America, 

Plaintiff, 

vs.

Ronald Lee Tsosie,

Defendant/Movant. 

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No. CV 10-8095-PCT-EHC (JRI)

No. CR 94-031-PCT-EHC

ORDER

In these proceedings under 28 U.S.C. § 2255, Defendant/Movant (“Movant”) filed two

Motions (Doc. 8 & 9) on October 8, 2010 requesting that the Court be disqualified from the

case. The two Motions appear to be basically the same. The reference to the Magistrate

Judge is withdrawn as to Movant’s Motions (Doc. 8 & 9). 

The Court has considered Movant’s Motions under 28 U.S.C. § 455(a) or (b)(1).

Section 455(a) provides that a United States judge “shall disqualify himself in any proceeding

in which his impartiality might reasonably be questioned.” Section 455(b)(1) provides that

a judge must also disqualify himself “[w]here he has a personal bias or prejudice concerning

a party, or personal knowledge of disputed evidentiary facts concerning the proceeding[.]” 

Recusal under § 455(a) and (b)(1) is required only if the bias or prejudice stems from an extrajudicial source, not from conduct or rulings during the course of proceedings. See Hasbrouck

v. Texaco, Inc., 842 F.2d 1034, 1046 (9th Cir. 1987), aff’d, 496 U.S. 543 (1990).

The alleged grounds discussed in Movant’s Motions concern conduct or rulings during

the course of the criminal proceedings (see Doc. 4 - Exhibit A (United States v. Ronald Lee

Case 3:10-cv-08095-PGR Document 14 Filed 12/28/10 Page 1 of 2
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Tsosie, No. 95-10068 (9th Cir. April 5, 1996)(Memorandum at 1-5)). The grounds asserted

are not a basis for disqualification. 

Accordingly,

IT IS ORDERED that the reference to the Magistrate Judge is withdrawn as to

Movant’s Motions (Doc. 8 & 9).

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Movant’s Motions (Doc. 8 & 9) to disqualify are

denied.

 DATED this 27th day of December, 2010.

Case 3:10-cv-08095-PGR Document 14 Filed 12/28/10 Page 2 of 2