Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_15-cv-03147/USCOURTS-cand-3_15-cv-03147-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Monterey County Department of Social and Employment Services
Respondent
Keith R. Rios
Petitioner

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United States District Court

Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

KEITH R. RIOS,

Petitioner,

v.

MONTEREY COUNTY DEPARTMENT 

OF SOCIAL AND EMPLOYMENT 

SERVICES,

Respondent.

Case No. 15-cv-03147-VC (PR)

ORDER DISMISSING WITH 

PREJUDICE PETITION FOR WRIT OF 

HABEAS CORPUS

Re: Dkt. Nos. 3, 4

Petitioner Keith R. Rios is a state prisoner incarcerated at Avenal State Prison. He has 

filed a pro se petition for a writ of habeas corpus pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254, challenging an 

order of the Monterey County Superior Court terminating his parental rights under the California 

Welfare and Institutions Code. Rios’ motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis is granted. 

He also moves for the appointment of counsel, which is denied.

Federal law opens two main avenues to relief on complaints related to imprisonment: a 

petition for habeas corpus, 28 U.S.C. § 2254, and a complaint under the Civil Rights Act, 42 

U.S.C. § 1983. Hill v. McDonough, 547 U.S. 573, 579 (2006). Challenges to the lawfulness of 

confinement or to particulars affecting its duration are the province of habeas. Id. A challenge to 

the circumstances of an inmate’s confinement may be brought under § 1983. Id.

Because Rios is challenging a state court order terminating his parental rights and is not 

challenging the lawfulness or duration of his confinement in prison, his claims are not cognizable 

in a federal habeas proceeding. Therefore, this action must be dismissed. Because amendment 

would be futile, the action is dismissed with prejudice.1 

 

1Rios previously challenged the same state court proceeding in a federal civil rights action, 

which was dismissed on November 28, 2011. See Rios v. Nady, et al., Case No. C 11-4860 PJH 

(PR), ECF Dkt. No. 11.

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United States District Court

Northern District of California

Further, a certificate of appealability is denied. Rios has not shown "that jurists of reason 

would find it debatable whether the district court was correct in its procedural ruling." Slack v. 

McDaniel, 529 U.S. 473, 484 (2000). Rios may seek a certificate of appealability from the Ninth 

Circuit Court of Appeals. 

This order terminates docket numbers 3 and 4. The clerk shall enter a separate judgment 

and close the file.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: July 22, 2015

______________________________________

VINCE CHHABRIA

United States District Judge

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United States District Court

Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

KEITH R. RIOS,

Plaintiff,

v.

MONTEREY COUNTY DEPARTMENT 

OF SOCIAL AND EMPLOYMENT 

SERVICES,

Defendant.

Case No. 15-cv-03147-VC 

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 July 22, 2015, 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.

Keith R. Rios ID: AG0877

Avenal State Prison 330-23-1L

PO Box 903

Avenal, CA 93204 

Dated: July 22, 2015

Richard W. Wieking

Clerk, United States District Court

By:________________________

Kristen Melen, Deputy Clerk to the 

Honorable VINCE CHHABRIA

Case 3:15-cv-03147-VC Document 7 Filed 07/22/15 Page 3 of 3