Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_17-cv-06572/USCOURTS-cand-3_17-cv-06572-1/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Pedro Ruiz
Petitioner
Stuart Ryan
Respondent

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United States District Court

Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

PEDRO RUIZ,

Petitioner,

v.

STUART RYAN,

Respondent.

Case No. 17-cv-06572-WHO (PR) 

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE

Dkt. No. 4

INTRODUCTION 

Petitioner Pedro Ruiz seeks federal habeas relief from his state convictions. The 

petition for such relief was stayed at his request. He now moves to dissolve the stay. That 

motion (Dkt. No. 4) is GRANTED. The stay is DISSOLVED and the action is 

REOPENED. The Clerk shall modify the docket accordingly. 

The petition has been reviewed under 28 U.S.C. § 2243 and Rule 4 of the Rules 

Governing Section 2254 Cases and has been found to state cognizable claims. 

Accordingly, on or before April 16, 2018, respondent shall file an answer or dispositive 

motion in response to the habeas petition. 

BACKGROUND 

In 2015, a Monterey County Superior Court jury convicted Ruiz on charges of lewd 

acts upon a child under the age of 14. In consequence, Ruiz was sentenced to 12 years in 

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United States District Court

Northern District of California

state prison. 

Ruiz’s attempts to overturn the decision in state court were unsuccessful. This 

federal habeas petition followed. 

DISCUSSION 

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 U.S.C. 

§ 2254(a). A district court considering an application for a writ of habeas corpus 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). 

As grounds for federal habeas relief, Ruiz alleges (1) defense counsel rendered 

ineffective assistance, particularly when Miranda, jury instruction, and Confrontation 

Clause issues arose; and (2) appellate counsel rendered ineffective assistance. When 

liberally construed, these claims are cognizable on federal habeas review. 

CONCLUSION 

 1. The Clerk shall serve a copy of this order, the petition and all attachments 

thereto, on respondent and respondent’s counsel, the Attorney General for the State of 

California. The Clerk shall also serve a copy of this order on petitioner. 

 2. On or before April 16, 2018, respondent shall file with the Court and serve on 

petitioner, an answer conforming in all respects to Rule 5 of the Rules Governing Section 

2254 Cases, showing cause why a writ of habeas corpus should not be granted based on 

petitioner’s cognizable claims. Respondent shall file with the answer and serve on 

petitioner a copy of all portions of the state trial record that previously have been 

transcribed and that are relevant to a determination of the issues presented by the petition. 

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 3. If petitioner wishes to respond to the answer, he shall do so by filing a traverse 

with the Court and serving it on respondent’s counsel within thirty (30) days of the date the 

answer is filed. 

 4. In lieu of an answer, respondent may file, on or before April 16, 2018, a motion 

to dismiss on procedural grounds, as set forth in the Advisory Committee Notes to Rule 4 

of the Rules Governing Section 2254 Cases. If respondent files such a motion, petitioner 

shall file with the Court and serve on respondent an opposition or statement of nonopposition within thirty (30) days of the date the motion is filed, and respondent shall file 

with the Court and serve on petitioner a reply within fifteen (15) days of the date any 

opposition is filed. 

 5. Petitioner is reminded that all communications with the Court must be served on 

respondent by mailing a true copy of the document to respondent’s counsel. 

 6. It is petitioner’s responsibility to prosecute this case. Petitioner must keep the 

Court and respondent informed of any change of address and must comply with the 

Court’s orders in a timely fashion. 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). 

 7. Upon a showing of good cause, requests for a reasonable extension of time will 

be granted provided they are filed on or before the deadline they seek to extend. 

 8. The motion to dissolve the stay (Dkt. No. 4) is GRANTED. 

 9. The Clerk shall terminate Dkt. No. 4. 

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

Dated: February 16, 2018

_________________________ 

WILLIAM H. ORRICK 

United States District Judge

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