Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_07-cv-00258/USCOURTS-caed-1_07-cv-00258-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Eddie Barton
Petitioner
Kathy Mendoza-Powers
Respondent

Document Text:

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA I 

EDDIE BARTON, I Civil No. 07-021 1 H (WMc) 

Respondent. 

Petitioner, 

VS. 

KATHY MENDOZA-POWERS, 

Petitioner is a state prisoner proceeding with a habeas corpus action filed pursuant to 

ORDER TRANSFERRING ACTION 

TO UNITED STATES DISTRICT 

COURT FOR THE EASTERN 

DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

18 28 U S C 5 2254 attacking the denial of parole by the CalifomiaBoard ofprison Terms. Upon II ... 

19 reviewing the petition, the Court finds that this case should be transferred in the interest of II I 

22 either the judicial district in which the petitioner is presently confined or the judicial district in II 

20 

21 

23 which the judgment was entered. See 28 U.S.C. 5 2241(d); Braden v. 30th Judicial Circuit I1 

justice. 

1 A petition for writ of habeas corpus may be filed in the United States District Court of 

24 Court, 410 U.S. 484,497 (1973). The application in the present matter attacks the findings and II I 

25 disposition of a parole hearing at Avenal State Prison, in Kings County, which is within the I1 

26 

27 

jurisdictional boundaries of the United States District Court for the Eastern District. 

//I 

Case 1:07-cv-00258-CW Document 3 Filed 02/16/07 Page 1 of 3
See 28 U.S.C. 5 84(b). Petitioner is also presently confined at Avenal State Prison in Kings 

County. Thus, jurisdiction exists in the Eastern District; and not in the Southern District. 

Although this Court does not have jurisdiction over the action, "[ulnder aprovision ofthe 

Federal Courts Improvement Act, 28 U.S.C. 5 1631, if a court finds that there is a want of 

jurisdiction the court shall transfer the action to any other such court in which the action could 

have been brought 'if it is in the interest ofjustice."' Miller v. Hambrick, 905 F,2d259,262 (9th 

Cir. 1990) (citing In re McCauley, 814 F.2d 1350, 135 1-52 (9th Cir. 1987)). The Ninth Circuit 

has held that transferring a habeas co~pus proceeding to a distric~ with proper jurisdiction will 

be in the interest of justice because normally dismissal of an action that could be brought 

elsewhere is "time-consuming and justice-defeating." Miller, 905 F.2d at 262 (quoting 

Goldlawr, Inc. v. Heiman, 369 U.S. 463,467 (1962). Therefore, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 5 163 1, 

this Court may transfer this proceeding to a district with proper jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. 

5 2241(d). 

Whena habeas petitioner is challenging a state conviction, the district court ofthe district 

in which a petitioner was convicted and sentenced is a more convenient forum because of the 

accessibility of evidence, records and witnesses. Thus, it is generally the practice of the district 

courts in California to transfer habeas actions challenging parole determinations to the district 

in which the hearing was conducted. Any and all records, witnesses and evidence necessary for 

the resolution of Petitioner's contentions are more readily available in Kings County, which is 

thus a more convenient forum. See Braden, 410 U.S. at 497,499 n. 15 (stating that a court can, 

of course, transfer habeas cases to the district of conviction which is ordinarily a more 

convenient forum); Laue v. Nelson, 279 F. Supp. 265,266 (N.D. Cal. 1968). 

/I 1 

/ / / 

I// 

/I / 

/I / 

/I / 

Case 1:07-cv-00258-CW Document 3 Filed 02/16/07 Page 2 of 3
Therefore, in the furtherance of justice, IT IS ORDERED that the Clerk of this Court 

transfer this matter to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California. See 

28 U.S.C. 5 2241(d). IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Clerk of this Court serve a copy 

of this Order upon Petitioner and upon the California Attorney General. 

DATED: February 7,2007 

'I hereby :ar~egt Bnd am(y 0n 

CC: ALL FARTIESOF RECORD 

Case 1:07-cv-00258-CW Document 3 Filed 02/16/07 Page 3 of 3