Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ared-3_19-cv-00376/USCOURTS-ared-3_19-cv-00376-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Barton
Defendant
Lisa Murphy
Plaintiff

Document Text:

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

EASTERN DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS 

NORTHERN DIVISION 

LISA MURPHY PETITIONER 

ADC #760343 

 CASE NO. 3:19-CV-376-DPM-BD 

BARTON RESPONDENT 

 ORDER 

 Lisa Murphy filed a pro se petition for writ of habeas corpus under 28 U.S.C. 

§ 2241.1

 (Docket entry #1) Ms. Murphy is currently serving an eleven-year sentence in 

the Arkansas Division of Correction (ADC).2

 See Murphy v. State, 30CR-09-217 on 

CourtConnect, Arkansas Judiciary homepage (https://caseinfo.arcourts.gov/cconnect/). 

There are problems with Ms. Murphy’s petition. As an initial matter, she states 

that her petition generally concerns “jail or prison conditions” and “prison discipline.” 

(#1 at 1) The purpose of a habeas corpus petition is to challenge unlawful detention or 

the length of a prison sentence. Prisoners cannot challenge the conditions of their 

confinement through habeas corpus. 

 

1

 Ms. Murphy filed her petition for writ of habeas corpus using the form for a prisoner 

who seeks a writ of habeas corpus under 28 U.S.C. §2241. The Clerk, however, correctly 

docketed the petition as one brought under 28 U.S.C. §2254, which is applicable to 

prisoners such as Ms. Murphy, who seek relief from a state-court judgment. 

2

 The Arkansas Department of Correction has been renamed the Arkansas Division of 

Correction. See ARK. CODE ANN. § 25-43-402(a)((5) (Supp. 2019); FED. R. CIV. P. 

25(d). 

Case 3:19-cv-00376-DPM Document 2 Filed 12/26/19 Page 1 of 3
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If Ms. Murphy intends to challenge the conditions of her confinement, she may do 

so by notifying the Court that she wishes to convert her habeas corpus petition to a civil 

action under 42 U.S.C. §1983. To pursue conditions-of-confinement claims, Ms. Murphy 

must either file a motion to proceed in forma pauperis (IFP) or pay a $400 filing fee. If 

she is granted IFP status, she will be permitted to pay a $350 filing fee in monthly 

installments. 

To pursue a federal petition for writ of habeas corpus, Ms. Murphy must file an 

amended habeas corpus petition within 30 days that complies with 28 U.S.C. §2254. 

Specifically, she must state how her current custody violates either the Constitution or 

laws of the United States. Also, she must either file a motion to proceed in forma 

pauperis or paid the $5.00 filing fee required in habeas corpus cases. The Court is aware 

that Ms. Murphy already has two pending federal petitions for writ of habeas corpus: 

Murphy v. Bradley, 1:19-CV-77-BSM-JTK (filed Aug. 28, 2019) and Murphy v. Johnson 

et al., 1:19-CV-90-KGB (filed September 12, 2019). Before electing to pursue this case 

as a petition for habeas corpus relief, she is cautioned that such a petition would 

apparently be an unauthorized second or successive petition. See 28 U.S.C. § 2244(b)(1). 

Ms. Murphy must file an amended petition for habeas corpus relief or notify the 

Court of her wish to convert her pending petition to a civil complaint within 30 days. 

With either choice, she must address the appropriate filing fee. The Clerk is directed to 

send Ms. Murphy an application to proceed in forma pauperis, along with a copy of this 

order. 

Case 3:19-cv-00376-DPM Document 2 Filed 12/26/19 Page 2 of 3
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Ms. Murphy’s failure to fully comply with this order within 30 days will result in 

dismissal of this action under Local Rule 5.5(c)(2) and the Federal Rules of Civil 

Procedure. 

 IT IS SO ORDERED, this 26th day of December, 2019. 

 ___________________________________ 

 UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE 

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