Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_10-cv-00141/USCOURTS-cand-3_10-cv-00141-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Karriem B. Shaheed
Plaintiff
State of California
Defendant

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

KARRIEM B. SHAHEED, 

Plaintiff,

 vs.

STATE OF CALIFORNIA, 

Defendant. 

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No. C 10-0141 JSW (PR)

ORDER DISMISSING COMPLAINT

WITHOUT PREJUDICE AS FILED IN

ERROR AND INSTRUCTIONS TO

THE CLERK; NO FEE IS DUE

INTRODUCTION

Petitioner, currently incarcerated by the State of California at San Quentin State

Prison, has filed a pro se civil rights complaint under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. The complaint

apparently challenges certain aspects of Plaintiff’s criminal trial. This order reviews the

complaint pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915A and dismisses the complaint as improperly

filed as a civil rights case, instead of a petition for a writ of habeas corpus. In light of the

error, the case is dismissed as filed in error and no fee is due.

DISCUSSION

Plaintiff’s complaint is directed to the validity of the sentence imposed on him

after a criminal trial in Alameda County in 1997. Plaintiff complains that the unlawful

sentence should be declared null and void.

A. Standard of Review

Federal courts must engage in a preliminary screening of cases in which prisoners

seek redress from a governmental entity or officer or employee of a governmental entity. 

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See 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(a). In its review the court must identify any cognizable claims,

and dismiss any claims which are frivolous, malicious, fail to state a claim upon which

relief may be granted, or seek monetary relief from a defendant who is immune from

such relief. See id. at 1915A(b)(1),(2). Pro se pleadings must be liberally construed. See

Balistreri v. Pacifica Police Dep't, 901 F.2d 696, 699 (9th Cir. 1990).

To state a claim under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, a plaintiff must allege two essential

elements: (1) that a violation of a right secured by the Constitution or laws of the United

States was violated, and (2) that the alleged deprivation was committed by a person

acting under the color of state law. See West v. Atkins, 487 U.S. 42, 48 (1988).

B. Legal Claim

In this case, Plaintiff has sued the State of California under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. 

However, he has improperly filed his claim as a civil rights action. A district court may

construe a habeas petition by a prisoner attacking the conditions of his confinement as a

civil rights action under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Wilwording v. Swenson, 404 U.S. 249, 251

(1971). The opposite is not true, however: a civil rights complaint seeking habeas relief

should be dismissed without prejudice to bringing it as a petition for writ of habeas

corpus. Trimble v. City of Santa Rosa, 49 F.3d 583, 586 (9th Cir. 1995).

Any claim by a prisoner attacking the validity or duration of his confinement must

be brought under the habeas sections of Title 28 of the United States Code. Calderon v.

Ashmus, 523 U.S. 740, 747 (1998); Preiser v. Rodriguez, 411 U.S. 475, 500 (1973). A

prisoner must bring a habeas petition if the nature of his claim is such that it would

necessarily imply the invalidity of his conviction or continuing confinement. Bogovich

v. Sandoval, 189 F.3d 999, 1002 (9th Cir. 1999) (ADA claim); Butterfield v. Bail, 120

F.3d 1023, 1024 (9th Cir. 1997) (§ 1983 claim). In this case, it appears that the

substance of Plaintiff’s claim is an attack on the validity of his confinement such that it

necessarily implies the invalidity of his continuing confinement. To the extent that

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Plaintiff seeks to challenge his conviction in this manner, the matter is DISMISSED

without prejudice. As such, the entire complaint fails to state a claim for relief and is

dismissed. 

CONCLUSION 

Based on the foregoing, this action is DISMISSED. The Clerk of Court shall

close the file, enter judgment in accordance with this order and send Plaintiff the Court’s

prisoner habeas corpus petition form.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: January 22, 2010

 JEFFREY S. WHITE

United States District Judge

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE 

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

KARRIEM B. SHAHEED,

Plaintiff,

 v.

CALIFORNIA STATE OF et al,

Defendant. /

Case Number: CV10-00141 JSW 

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I, the undersigned, hereby certify that I am an employee in the Office of the Clerk, U.S. District

Court, Northern District of California.

That on January 22, 2010, I SERVED a true and correct copy(ies) of the attached, by placing

said copy(ies) in a postage paid envelope addressed to the person(s) hereinafter listed, by

depositing said envelope in the U.S. Mail, or by placing said copy(ies) into an inter-office

delivery receptacle located in the Clerk's office.

Karriem B. Shaheed

H65017

San Quentin State Prison

San Quentin, CA 94974

Dated: January 22, 2010

Richard W. Wieking, Clerk

By: Jennifer Ottolini, Deputy Clerk

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