Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_07-cv-02334/USCOURTS-cand-3_07-cv-02334-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Tom Felker
Respondent
Bobby T. McHenry
Petitioner

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

BOBBY T. MCHENRY, 

Petitioner,

v.

TOM FELKER, Warden, 

Respondent. /

No. C 07-2334 JSW (PR)

ORDER OF DISMISSAL WITH

LEAVE TO AMEND

(Docket Nos. 2, 5)

Petitioner, currently incarcerated at High Desert State Prison in Susanville,

California, filed this action seeking a writ of habeas corpus pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254. 

The petition is now before the court for review pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §2243 and Rule 4 of

the Rules Governing Section 2254 Cases. Petitioner’s motions to proceed in forma

pauperis (docket nos. 2, 5) are now GRANTED. The petition contain claims regarding

admission of evidence, testimony by an “incompetent” witness, the sufficiency of the

evidence, admission of hearsay evidence, and ineffective assistance of trial and appellate

counsel. However, in the petition, Petitioner fails to allege that his federal constitutional

rights were violated by the above errors. 

DISCUSSION

A. Standard of Review

This court may entertain a petition for writ of habeas corpus "in behalf of a person

in custody pursuant to the judgment of a State court only on the ground that he is in

custody in violation of the Constitution or laws or treaties of the United States." 28

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U.S.C. § 2254(a); Rose v. Hodges, 423 U.S. 19, 21 (1975). 

A district court shall "award the writ or issue an order directing the respondent to

show cause why the writ should not be granted, unless it appears from the application that

the applicant or person detained is not entitled thereto." 28 U.S.C. § 2243. Summary

dismissal is appropriate only where the allegations in the petition are vague or conclusory,

palpably incredible, or patently frivolous or false. See Hendricks v. Vasquez, 908 F.2d

490, 491 (9th Cir. 1990) (quoting Blackledge v. Allison, 431 U.S. 63, 75-76 (1977)). 

B. Petitioner’s Claims

Petitioner’s petition contains six separate claims. However, the petition has a

critical defect: the petition does not mention any violation of a federal right with regard

to any of the claims he wishes to raise. A person in custody pursuant to the judgment of a

state court can obtain a federal writ of habeas corpus only on the ground that he is in

custody in violation of the Constitution or laws or treaties of the United States. 28 U.S.C.

§ 2254(a). In other words, a writ of habeas corpus is available under § 2254(a) "only on

the basis of some transgression of federal law binding on the state courts." Middleton v.

Cupp, 768 F.2d 1083, 1085 (9th Cir. 1985) (citing Engle v. Isaac, 456 U.S. 107, 119

(1982)), cert. denied, 478 U.S. 1021 (1986). It is unavailable for violations of state law or

for alleged error in the interpretation or application of state law. See Estelle v. McGuire,

502 U.S. 62, 67-68 (1991); Engle, 456 U.S. at 119; Peltier v. Wright, 15 F.3d 860, 861-62

(9th Cir. 1994). Petitioner’s petition must be dismissed for failure to state a cognizable

claim for federal habeas relief. However, he will be given leave to amend to cure this

defect.

CONCLUSION 

For the foregoing reasons and for good cause shown, this action is dismissed with

leave to file an amended petition within thirty days of the date of this order in which

Petitioner presents only claims for violations of his rights under the laws, treaties, or

Constitution of the United States. Each and every such claim must have been presented

to the California Supreme Court before it may be asserted in a federal habeas action. The

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amended petition must contain the caption and civil case number used in this order and

the words AMENDED PETITION on the first page. Failure to file an amended petition

by the deadline will result in dismissal of this action.

It is Petitioner's responsibility to prosecute this case. He must keep the Court

informed of any change of address by filing a separate paper with the clerk headed

“Notice of Change of Address.” He must comply with any orders of the Court within the

time allowed, or ask for an extension of that time. Failure to do so may result in the

dismissal of this action for failure to prosecute pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil

Procedure 41(b). See Martinez v. Johnson, 104 F.3d 769, 772 (5th Cir. 1997) (Rule 41(b)

applicable in habeas cases). 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: October 15, 2007

 

JEFFREY S. WHITE

United States District Judge

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE 

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

BOBBY T. MCHENRY,

Plaintiff,

 v.

TOM FELKER et al,

Defendant. /

Case Number: CV07-02334 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 October 15, 2007, 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.

Bobby T. McHenry

V62322

P.O. Box 3030

Susanville, CA 96127

Dated: October 15, 2007

Richard W. Wieking, Clerk

By: Jennifer Ottolini, Deputy Clerk

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