Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca5-15-20413/USCOURTS-ca5-15-20413-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Rafael E. Rivas-Lopez
Appellant
United States of America
Appellee

Document Text:

IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT

No. 15-20413

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Plaintiff-Appellee

v.

RAFAEL E. RIVAS-LOPEZ,

Defendant-Appellant

Appeal from the United States District Court

for the Southern District of Texas

USDC No. 4:09-CV-3335

USDC No. 4:04-CR-145-2

Before CLEMENT, ELROD, and SOUTHWICK, Circuit Judges.

PER CURIAM:*

Rafael E. Rivas-Lopez, federal prisoner # 16285-179, requests a 

certificate of appealability (COA) so that he may appeal the district court’s 

dismissal of his 28 U.S.C. § 2255 motion. His request to supplement his COA 

motion and his motion to proceed in forma pauperis are GRANTED.

In 2012, we remanded the case to the district court and ordered it to hold 

an evidentiary hearing on Rivas-Lopez’s claim that he received ineffective 

 

* Pursuant to 5TH CIR. R. 47.5, the court has determined that this opinion should not 

be published and is not precedent except under the limited circumstances set forth in 5TH 

CIR. R. 47.5.4.

United States Court of Appeals

Fifth Circuit

FILED

May 23, 2016

Lyle W. Cayce

Clerk

 Case: 15-20413 Document: 00513516341 Page: 1 Date Filed: 05/23/2016
No. 15-20413

2

assistance of counsel during the plea negotiating stage of his criminal 

proceedings. Rivas-Lopez now challenges the district court’s failure to appoint 

counsel to represent him at that hearing. Rule 8(c) of the Rules Governing

§ 2255 Proceedings required the district court to appoint Rivas-Lopez counsel 

for the evidentiary hearing because Rivas-Lopez was unable to afford retained

counsel. See United States v. Vasquez, 7 F.3d 81, 84 (5th Cir. 1993). RivasLopez’s motion for a COA is therefore GRANTED. The district court’s 

judgment is VACATED, and the case is REMANDED for a new evidentiary 

hearing with appointed counsel. Rivas-Lopez’s motion for the preparation of a 

transcript at the Government’s expense is DENIED.

 Case: 15-20413 Document: 00513516341 Page: 2 Date Filed: 05/23/2016