Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-arwd-4_24-cv-04096/USCOURTS-arwd-4_24-cv-04096-1/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Robert Gillard
Petitioner
Miller County, Arkansas
Respondent

Document Text:

1 

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

WESTERN DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS

TEXARKANA DIVISION

ROBERT GILLARD PETITIONER

v. Case No. 4:24-cv-04096 

 

MILLER COUNTY, ARKANSAS RESPONDENT

 

MAGISTRATE JUDGE'S REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION

Robert Gillard (“Gillard”) filed a Petition for Habeas Corpus Relief pursuant 28 U.S.C. § 

2254 on September 12, 2024. ECF No. 1. The Petition was referred for findings of fact, 

conclusions of law, and recommendations for the disposition of the case. Gillard proceeds pro se

and, because his Petition has yet to be served, no appearance has been made by, or on behalf of, 

the Respondent. For the reasons discussed below, the Court recommends that Gillard's habeas 

corpus petition be summarily dismissed pursuant to Rule 4 of The Rules Governing 

Section 2254 Cases in The United States District Courts.

1. Background:

According to the Petition, Gillard is an inmate in the Miller County Detention Facility in 

Texarkana, Arkansas. He is currently being held there pending trial on charges of negligent 

homicide.0F

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 As far as the Court can determine from reviewing the Petition, Gillard makes the 

following claims:

-false imprisonment and ineffective counsel 

-he has been in jail for 2 years and “they have not gave me an offer or havenit spoke 

with attorney” 

-“I have been try to talk to my lawyer sence 6 months ago I don’t know the status 

of my case is has exceeded trial limitation”

 

ECF No. 1. 

1 https://caseinfo.arcourts.gov/opad/case/46CR-22-533 (accessed November 12, 2024).

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2. Discussion: 

 a. Section 2254. 

 Habeas corpus has long been held to be a post-conviction remedy. See Peyton v. Rowe, 

391 U.S. 54, 59 (1968). See also Jones v. Perkins, 245 U.S. 390, 391 (1918) (stating that it “is 

well settled that in the absence of exceptional circumstances in criminal cases the regular judicial 

procedure should be followed and habeas corpus should not be granted in advance of trial”).

Section 2254 is available only for individuals who are “in custody pursuant to the judgment of a 

State court.” 28 U.S.C. § 2254(a) and (b) (emphasis added). See Dickerson v. State of 

Louisiana, 816 F.2d 220, 224 (5th Cir.) (detainee's “petition under 28 U.S.C. § 2254 is improper 

because that section applies only to posttrial situations and affords relief to a petitioner ‘in custody 

pursuant to the judgment of a state court’ ”), cert. denied, 484 U.S. 956 (1987). 

This case is different from most Federal habeas corpus proceedings initiated by individuals 

in state custody. Gillard is not challenging a state criminal conviction or sentence, or any other 

final state court judgment. To the contrary, Gillard admits several times in his Petition that he is 

awaiting trial and he has not pled guilty. Here, Gillard is not presently in custody pursuant to a 

final judgment of a state court, so the remedy provided by § 2254 is not available to him at this 

time. 

 b. Summary Dismissal. 

Rule 4 of the Rules Governing § 2254 Cases in the United States District Courts provides, 

in part, that a district court shall summarily dismiss a 28 U.S.C. § 2254 petition: “If it plainly 

appears from the petition and any attached exhibits that the petitioner is not entitled to relief in the 

district court, the judge must dismiss the petition and direct the clerk to notify the petitioner.” 

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Here, it plainly appears Gillard is not entitled to relief because he is not “a person in custody 

pursuant to the judgment of a State court.” See 28 U.S.C. § 2254(a). Rather, he is a pretrial 

detainee who is still awaiting either a trial or a plea hearing. As § 2254 relief is not available to 

Gillard pre-judgment, the instant Petition must be denied and dismissed. 

c. Certificate of Appealability. 

The Court has also considered whether or not a certificate of appealability should issue. 

See 28 U.S.C. § 2253(c)(1)(A) (“Unless a circuit justice or judge issues a certificate of 

appealability, an appeal may not be taken to the court of appeals from ... the final order in a habeas 

corpus proceeding in which the detention complained of arises out of process issued by a State 

court”). To issue such a certificate, the Court must find a substantial showing of the denial of a 

federal right. See Tiedeman v. Benson, 122 F.3d 518, 522 (8th Cir. 1997). “A substantial showing 

is a showing that issues are debatable among reasonable jurists, a court could resolve the issues 

differently, or the issues deserve further proceedings.” Cox v. Norris, 133 F.3d 565, 569 (8th Cir. 

1997). Gillard has made no such a showing, and no certificate of appealability should issue. 

3. Recommendation: 

Based on the foregoing, the Court recommends Gillard’s pro se Petition for Habeas Corpus

Relief pursuant 28 U.S.C. § 2254 (ECF No. 1) be DENIED and dismissed without prejudice and 

that Gillard be notified of this denial and dismissal by the Clerk of this Court. It is further 

recommended that no certificate of appealability be issued. 

The Parties have fourteen (14) days from receipt of this Report and Recommendation 

in which to file written objections pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1). The failure to file timely 

objections may result in waiver of the right to appeal questions of fact. The Parties are 

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reminded that objections must be both timely and specific to trigger de novo review by the 

district court. See Thompson v. Nix, 897 F.2d 356, 357 (8th Cir. 1990). 

DATED this 13th day of November 2024. 

 /s/ Barry A. Bryant 

 HON. BARRY A. BRYANT

 UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

 

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