Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-akd-3_20-cv-00021/USCOURTS-akd-3_20-cv-00021-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Nancy Dahlstrom
Respondent
Jeremy Duncan
Petitioner
Earl Houser
Respondent

Document Text:

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ALASKA

JEREMY DUNCAN,

Petitioner,

vs.

EARL HOUSER, Superintendent, Goose

Creek Correctional Center,1

Respondent.

No. 3:20-cv-00021-JKS

ORDER DIRECTING SERVICE 

AND RESPONSE

On January 20, 2020, Jeremy Duncan, a state prisoner proceeding pro se, filed a Petition

for Writ of Habeas Corpus under 28 U.S.C. § 2254. Docket No. 1 (“Petition”). Duncan

challenges the judgment of conviction following a jury trial entered by the Superior Court for the

State of Alaska, Case Number 3VA-07-00146CR. Id. at 1. Duncan contends that his conviction

should be overturned because it was secured in part through the use of statements illegally

obtained by law enforcement in violation of his Miranda2

 rights. Id. at 5. Duncan asserts that

the grounds for relief raised in his Petition have been brought in the Alaska state courts,

1 Earl Houser, Superintendent, Goose Creek Correctional Center, is substituted for

Nancy Dahlstrom, Commissioner, Alaska Department of Corrections. FED. R. CIV. P. 25(c);

Rule 2(a), Rules Governing Section 2254 Cases in the United States District Courts; Stanley v.

Cal. Supreme Court, 21 F.3d 359, 360 (9th Cir. 1994).

2 Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436 (1966).

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Case 3:20-cv-00021-JKS Document 2 Filed 02/05/20 Page 1 of 4
including the Alaska Supreme Court, as required by § 2254(b). Id. at 6. The records of the

Alaska state courts3 reflect that the Alaska Court of Appeals affirmed his conviction on May 25,

2011,4

 and the Alaska Supreme Court denied his petition for hearing on June 30, 2011.5 On

February 6, 2013, Duncan filed in the Alaska Superior Court a petition for post-conviction

review, which was denied on November 20, 2017.6

 The Court of Appeals affirmed the denial on

May 15, 2019,7

 and the Supreme Court denied the petition for hearing on August 7, 2019.8 The

Petition in this Court followed.

Pursuant to the Rules Governing Section 2254 Cases, the Court must review the Petition

to determine whether “it plainly appears from the face of the petition and any attached exhibits

that the petitioner is not entitled to relief in the district court.” Rules Governing § 2254 Cases,

Rule 4; see 28 U.S.C. § 2243. After a preliminary review, it does not plainly appear from his

Petition that Duncan is not entitled to relief.

3 The Court takes judicial notice of state court records. Judicial notice is “[a]

court’s acceptance, for purposes of convenience and without requiring a party’s proof, of a wellknown and indisputable fact; the court’s power to accept such a fact.” Black’s Law Dictionary

(10th ed. 2014); see also Headwaters Inc. v. U.S. Forest Service, 399 F.3d 1047, 1051 n. 3 (9th

Cir. 2005) (“Materials from a proceeding in another tribunal are appropriate for judicial notice.”)

(internal quotation marks and citation omitted).

4 See https://appellate-records.courts.alaska.gov (Case No. A10481).

5 Id. (Case No. S14341).

6 See https://records.courts.alaska.gov (Case No. 3VA-13-00034CI).

7 See https://appellate-records.courts.alaska.gov (Case No. A13036).

8 Id. (Case No. S17475).

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Case 3:20-cv-00021-JKS Document 2 Filed 02/05/20 Page 2 of 4
IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED:

1. The Clerk of the Court is directed to serve this order and the Petition at Docket

No. 1 on:

Tamara DeLucia

Office of Criminal Appeals

1031 W. 4th Ave, Suite 200

Anchorage, Alaska 99501

2. By agreement between the Court and the Office of Criminal Appeals, the Office

of Criminal Appeals will accept service on behalf of the Respondent.9 Once an

attorney is assigned to this case by the Office of Criminal Appeals, that

attorney shall immediately—and in no more than fourteen (14) days from

the date of this order—file a notice of appearance.

3. Respondent shall file and serve either an answer or a motion in response to the

Petition within sixty (60) days from the date of this Order. See Rule 4, Rules

Governing § 2254 Cases. The Court also notes its preference that procedural

issues be addressed concurrently with the merits of the habeas petition. Any

response shall be accompanied by any and all transcripts or other documents

relevant to the determination of the issues presented in the application. See Rules

4 and 5, Rules Governing § 2254 Cases. This should include a copy of:

(1) any brief that the Petitioner submitted in an appellate court contesting

the conviction or sentence, or contesting an adverse judgment or order in

a post-conviction proceeding;

(2) any brief that the prosecution submitted in an appellate court relating

to

the conviction or sentence; and

(3) the opinions and dispositive orders of the state appellate courts relative

9 In this regard, Respondent has waived Federal Habeas Corpus Rule 4 regarding

service.

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Case 3:20-cv-00021-JKS Document 2 Filed 02/05/20 Page 3 of 4
to the conviction or sentence.

4. Duncan’s reply, if any, shall be filed and served within thirty (30) days of service

of an answer.

Dated at Anchorage, Alaska this 5th day of February, 2020.

 s/James K. Singleton, Jr. 

JAMES K. SINGLETON, JR.

Senior United States District Judge

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