FI L ED

U.S. COURT OF APPEAL S

EL EVENTH CI RCUI T

MAY 7, 2009

THOMAS K. KAH

N

CL ERK [ P U B L I S H ]

I N T H E U N I T E D S T A T E S C O U R T O F A P P E A L S

F O R T H E E L E V E N T H C I R C U I T

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

N o

. 0 8

- 1 0 9 5 5

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

D

. C

. D o c k e t N o

. 0 7

- 2 1 9 3 4

- C V

- A S G

J O S H U A D

. C L A R K E

,

P e t i t i o n e r

- A p p e l l a n t

,

v e r s u s

D E P A R T M E N T O F C O R R E C T I O N S S T A T E O F

F L O R I D A

,

W a l t e r A

. M c N e i l

, S e c r e t a r y

, A T T O R N E Y G E N E R A L O F T H E S T A T E O F

F L O R I D A

,

B i l l M c C o l l u m

,

R e s p o n d e n t s

- A p p e l l e e s

.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

A p p e a l f r o m t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s D i s t r i c t C o u r t

f o r t h e S o u t h e r n D i s t r i c t o f F l o r i d a

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

( M a y 7

, 2 0 0 9 )

B e f o r e M A R C U S a n d P R Y O R

, C i r c u i t J u d g e s

, a n d S C H L E S I N G E R

, D i s t r i c t *

J u d g e

.

Honora

ble Har vey E. Schlesing er, U nited States District J udg e for the Middle District *

of F lorida, sitting by

desig nation.P E R C U R I A M :

J o s h u a D

. C l a r k e a p p e a l s f r o m t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t ’ s d e n i a l o f h i s p r o s e 2 8

U

. S

. C

. § 2 2 5 4 p e t i t i o n f o r w r i t o f h a b e a s c o r p u s

. T h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t g r a n t e d a

c e r t i f i c a t e o f a p p e a l a b i l i t y ( “ C O A ” ) o n t h e l i m i t e d i s s u e o f “ w h e t h e r a p p e l l a n t ’ s

h a b e a s p e t i t i o n i s t i m e

- b a r r e d

. ” O n a p p e a l

, t h e q u e s t i o n b e f o r e u s t u r n s o n w h e t h e r

a b e l a t e d d i r e c t a p p e a l C l a r k e f i l e d i n s t a t e c o u r t w a s p a r t o f t h e d i r e c t a p p e a l

p r o c e s s o r w a s a c o l l a t e r a l p r o c e e d i n g

- - a n i s s u e t h a t h a s r e c e n t l y b e e n a d d r e s s e d

b y t h e S u p r e m e C o u r t i n J i m e n e z v

. Q u a r t e r m a n

, 1 2 9 S

. C t

. 6 8 1 ( 2 0 0 9 )

. A f t e r

t h o r o u g h r e v i e w

, w e r e v e r s e a n d r e m a n d f o r f u r t h e r p r o c e e d i n g s i n l i g h t o f

J i m e n e z

.

W e r e v i e w d e n o v o t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t ’ s d e c i s i o n t h a t a h a b e a s p e t i t i o n i s

t i m e

- b a r r e d

. H e p b u r n v

. M o o r e

, 2 1 5 F

. 3 d 1 2 0 8

, 1 2 0 9 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 2 0 0 0 )

.

T h e r e l e v a n t f

a c t s a n d p r o c e d u r a l h i s t o r y a r e a s f o l l o w s

. O n J u l y 1 6

, 2 0 0 1

,

t h e s t a t e t r i a l c o u r t s e n t e n c e d C l a r k e t o f i v e y e a r s ’ i m p r i s o n m e n t f o r s i x c o u n t s o f

a t t e m p t e d r o b b e r y a n d t o l i f e i m p r i s o n m e n t f

o r f o u r c o u n t s o f f

e l o n y c a u s i n g

b o d i l y i n j u r y

. C l a r k e ’ s t i m e t o f i l e a d i r e c t a p p e a l f

r o m h i s c o n v i c t i o n s a n d

s e n t e n c e s e x p i r e d o n A u g u s t 1 5

, 2 0 0 1

. S e e F l a

. R

. A p p

. P

. 9

. 1 1 0 ( b )

, a m e n d e d b y

F l a

. C t

. O r d e r 0 2 ( 2 0 0 9 )

. O n J a n u a r y 9

, 2 0 0 2

, C l a r k e f i l e d a p e t i t i o n f

o r b e l a t e d

d i r e c t a p p e a l

, a r g u i n g t h a t h i s p r i v a t e t r i a l c o u n s e l n e g l e c t e d t o i n f o r m h i s

2a p p o i n t e d a p p e l l a t e c o u n s e l o f h i s a p p o i n t m e n t o r C l a r k e ’ s r e q u e s t t o a p p e a l

. O n

J a n u a r y 2 2

, 2 0 0 2

, t h e s t a t e c o u r t g r a n t e d t h e p e t i t i o n f o r b e l a t e d d i r e c t a p p e a l

,

s t a t i n g t h a t “ [ i t s ] o r d e r s h a l l s e r v e a s a t i m e l y n o t i c e o f a p p e a l f r o m t h e j u d g m e n t

a n d s e n t e n c e

. ” O n M a r c h 2 6

, 2 0 0 3

, t h e s t a t e a p p e l l a t e c o u r t p e r c u r i a m a f f i r m e d

C l a r k e ’ s c o n v i c t i o n s a n d s e n t e n c e s

, a n d o n A p r i l 1 1

, 2 0 0 3

, i s s u e d i t s m a n d a t e

.

T h e r e a f t e r

, b e g i n n i n g o n M a r c h 1 9

, 2 0 0 4

, C l a r k e f i l e d i n t h e s t a t e t r i a l c o u r t

t w o c o l l a t e r a l m o t i o n s f o r p o s t c o n v i c t i o n r e l i e f c h a l l e n g i n g h i s c o n v i c t i o n s a n d

s e n t e n c e s

, a s w e l l a s a m o t i o n f o r r e h e a r i n g

- - a l l o f w h i c h w e r e d e n i e d b y

D e c e m b e r 1 5

, 2 0 0 4

. T h e n

, f r o m F e b r u a r y 1 7

, 2 0 0 5 o n w a r d

, C l a r k e f i l e d i n s t a t e

c o u r t s e v e r a l o t h e r p e t i t i o n s f o r c o l l a t e r a l r e l i e f

, a n d t h e s e u n i f

o r m l y u n s u c c e s s f

u l

s t a t e c o l l a t e r a l p r o c e e d i n g s r e m a i n e d p e n d i n g u n t i l J u l y 2 7

, 2 0 0 7

, w h e n C l a r k e

f i l e d h i s p e t i t i o n f

o r a w r i t o f h a b e a s c o r p u s p u r s u a n t t o 2 8 U

. S

. C

. § 2 2 5 4 i n

f e d e r a l d i s t r i c t c o u r t

.

A f t e r r e v i e w i n g C l a r k e ’ s § 2 2 5 4 p e t i t i o n

, t h e m a g i s t r a t e j u d g e r e c o m m e n d e d

d e n y i n g t h e p e t i t i o n a s t i m e

- b a r r e d u n d e r t h e A n t i t e r r o r i s m a n d E f f e c t i v e D e a t h

P e n a l t y A c t o f 1 9 9 6 ( “ A E D P A ” )

, P u b

. L

. N o

. 1 0 4

- 1 3 2

, 1 1 0 S t a t

. 1 2 1 4 ( 1 9 9 6 )

,

w h i c h i m p o s e s a o n e

- y e a r s t a t u t e o f l i m i t a t i o n s f o r f i l i n g a § 2 2 5 4 p e t i t i o n

. 2 8

U

. S

. C

. § 2 2 4 4 ( d ) ( 1 )

. T h e m a g i s t r a t e j u d g e b e g a n b y r e c o g n i z i n g t h a t p u r s u a n t t o

t h e A E D P A

, t h e l i m i t a t i o n s p e r i o d i n t h i s c a s e w a s t r i g g e r e d b y “ t h e d a t e o n w h i c h

3t h e j u d g m e n t b e c a m e f i n a l b y t h e c o n c l u s i o n o f d i r e c t r e v i e w o r t h e e x p i r a t i o n o f

t h e t i m e f

o r s e e k i n g s u c h r e v i e w

. ” 2 8 U

. S

. C

. § 2 2 4 4 ( d ) ( 1 ) ( A )

. T h e m a g i s t r a t e 1

j u d g e n o t e d

, h o w e v e r

, t h a t i t w a s d e b a t a b l e w h e t h e r C l a r k e ’ s j u d g m e n t b e c a m e

f i n a l o n A u g u s t 1 5

, 2 0 0 1

, w h e n t h e t i m e f o r h i m t o f

i l e a d i r e c t a p p e a l f

r o m h i s

c o n v i c t i o n s a n d s e n t e n c e s e x p i r e d

, o r i n M a r c h o r A p r i l o f 2 0 0 3

, w h e n h i s p e t i t i o n

f o r b e l a t e d d i r e c t a p p e a l o f h i s c o n v i c t i o n s a n d s e n t e n c e s w a s r e s o l v e d

. T h e

m a g i s t r a t e j u d g e f

o u n d n o c a s e s i n t h i s C i r c u i t a n s w e r i n g w h e t h e r a n o u t

- o f

- t i m e

a p p e a l t a k e n f

r o m t h e j u d g m e n t o f c o n v i c t i o n i t s e l f a c t s t o t o l l t h e t i m e t h a t p a s s e s

a f t e r t h e o r d e r o r j u d g m e n t b e c o m e s f i n a l u n t i l t h e a p p l i c a t i o n f o r t h e b e l a t e d

a p p e a l i s f

i l e d

, a n d n o t e d t h a t t h e r e w a s a s p l i t o f a u t h o r i t y o n t h i s i s s u e a m o n g t h e

o t h e r c i r c u i t s

.

P e r s u a d e d b y t h e r e a s o n i n g o f t h e F i f t h C i r c u i t i n S a l i n a s v

. D r e t k e

, 3 5 4

F

. 3 d 4 2 5 ( 5 t h C i r

. 2 0 0 4 )

, t h e m a g i s t r a t e j u d g e d e t e r m i n e d t h a t C l a r k e ’ s j u d g m e n t

w a s f i n a l o n A u g u s t 1 5

, 2 0 0 1

, r e g a r d l e s s o f h i s J a n u a r y 9

, 2 0 0 2 m o t i o n f o r b e l a t e d

a p p e a l

. A s a r e s u l t

, t h e m a g i s t r a t e j u d g e f o u n d t h a t 1 5 9 d a y s o f t h e o n e

- y e a r

l i m i t a t i o n s p e r i o d e x p i r e d b e f o r e C l a r k e f

i l e d h i s p e t i t i o n f

o r a b e l a t e d d i r e c t

a p p e a l i n s t a t e c o u r t

. T h e m a g i s t r a t e j u d g e f u r t h e r n o t e d t h a t o t h e r p e r i o d s o f

The AED PA further

provides that “[t]he tim e during which a pr operly filed applica tion 1

for State post-c onviction or other c ollatera l reviewwith respec t to the pertinent judg ment or

claim is pending shall not be counted towa rd any period of limitation.” 28 U.S.C. § 2244(d)(2)

.

4u n t o l l e d t i m e h a d p a s s e d a f t e r t h i s d a t e b u t b e f

o r e C l a r k e f

i l e d h i s § 2 2 5 4 p e t i t i o n

,

i n c l u d i n g t h e 2 6 8

- p l u s d a y s b e t w e e n w h e n t h e s t a t e a p p e l l a t e c o u r t r e s o l v e d

C l a r k e ’ s m o t i o n f

o r b e l a t e d d i r e c t a p p e a l o f h i s c o n v i c t i o n s a n d s e n t e n c e s a n d

w h e n C l a r k e f

i l e d h i s f i r s t b a t c h o f c o l l a t e r a l m o t i o n s i n s t a t e c o u r t

. A d d i n g 1 5 9

d a y s t o 2 6 8 d a y s

, t h e m a g i s t r a t e j u d g e c o n c l u d e d t h a t a t l e a s t 4 2 7 d a y s o f u n t o l l e d

t i m e h a d p a s s e d b e f

o r e C l a r k e f

i l e d h i s § 2 2 5 4 p e t i t i o n

, a n d t h e r e f o r e

, t h a t C l a r k e ’ s

p e t i t i o n w a s u n t i m e l y

. 2

O v e r C l a r k e ’ s o b

j e c t i o n s

, t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t a d o p t e d a n d a f f i r m e d t h e

m a g i s t r a t e j u d g e ’ s r e c o m m e n d a t i o n

. C l a r k e f i l e d a n o t i c e o f a p p e a l

, w h i c h t h e

d i s t r i c t c o u r t c o n s t r u e d a s a m o t i o n f o r a C O A

. T h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t a c k n o w l e d g e d

t h a t t h i s C o u r t h a d y e t t o s p e c i f y w h e t h e r b e l a t e d d i r e c t a p p e a l s w e r e c o l l a t e r a l

The mag istrate judg e also obser ved that the timeliness of Clarke ’s petition presente d a 2

second unr esolved issue: whe ther Clarke was e ntitled to st atutory tolling under

§ 2244(d)( 2) for

the 90-da y period following the re solution of his belated direc t appea l, during which he c ould

have f iled a petition for wr it of cer tiorari to the United States Supreme Court, but failed to do so.

See g ener ally

Pugh v. Smith, 465 F.3d 1295, 1299 (11th Cir. 2006) (“ I n our dec isions reg arding

the timeliness of habe as petitions filed by Florida prisoners, we have r equire d the inclusion of

the 90-da y period for

seeking direc t reviewin the Supreme Court whe never the prisoner

soug ht

revie w in the hig hest court of Florida in which direc t reviewcould have been ha d.”); Chave rs v.

Sec’y , Fla. D ep’t of Corr ., 468 F.3d 1273, 1275 ( 11th Cir. 2006) (holding tha t the 90-day period

runs from the da

te of e ntry

of the judg ment soug ht to be revie wed, r ather than from the issuanc e

of the manda te); Nix v. S ec’ y for De p’t of Corr., 393 F .3d 1235, 1236-37 (11th Cir. 2004)

(holding that a state pr isoner’s c onviction becomes f inal when the U .S. Supreme Court denies

cer tiorari or issues a

decision on the mer its, or when the 90- day period in which to see k cer tiorari

expires, reg ardle ss of whethe r the de fenda nt raised a

ny fede ral issues in his direct a ppeal) . The

mag istrate judg e did not resolve this issue, bec ause the court ha d previously deter mined that

Clarke wa s not entitled to tol l the time before he filed his petition for a belated dir ect a

ppeal a nd

had ther efor e fa

r excee ded the one -y ear

statute of limitation, whether or not this 90-day period

was c onsidered tolled.

5p r o c e e d i n g s a n d g r a n t e d a C O A i n l i g h t o f t h i s u n r e s o l v e d q u e s t i o n t o d e t e r m i n e

“ w h e t h e r a p p e l l a n t ’ s h a b e a s p e t i t i o n i s t i m e

- b a r r e d

. ”

A f t e r t h e p a r t i e s b r i e f

e d t h e i s s u e t o t h i s C o u r t

, t h e S u p r e m e C o u r t d e c i d e d

J i m e n e z

, w h i c h h e l d t h a t “ w h e r e a s t a t e c o u r t g r a n t s a c r i m i n a l d e f e n d a n t t h e r i g h t

t o f i l e a n o u t

- o f

- t i m e d i r e c t a p p e a l d u r i n g s t a t e c o l l a t e r a l r e v i e w

, b u t b e f o r e t h e

d e f e n d a n t h a s f

i r s t s o u g h t f

e d e r a l h a b e a s r e l i e f

, h i s j u d g m e n t i s n o t y e t ‘ f i n a l ’ f o r

p u r p o s e s o f § 2 2 4 4 ( d ) ( 1 ) ( A )

. ” 1 2 9 S

. C t

. a t 6 8 6

. J i m e n e z f u r t h e r h e l d t h a t i n t h e s e

k i n d s o f c a s e s

, t h e p e t i t i o n e r ’ s c o n v i c t i o n d o e s n o t b e c o m e “ f i n a l ” u n t i l “ t h e

a v a i l a b i l i t y o f d i r e c t a p p e a l t o t h e s t a t e c o u r t s

, a n d t o t h [ e S u p r e m e ] C o u r t

, h a s

b e e n e x h a u s t e d

. ” I d

. a t 6 8 5 ( q u o t a t i o n s a n d c i t a t i o n s o m i t t e d )

. J i m e n e z t h u s

a n s w e r s t h e q u e s t i o n u n d e r l y i n g t h e C O A i n t h i s c a s e

, a n d d i r e c t s t h a t t h e 1 5 9

- d a y

d e l a y b e t w e e n C l a r k e ’ s c o n v i c t i o n a n d p e t i t i o n f o r a b e l a t e d d i r e c t a p p e a l o f h i s

c o n v i c t i o n s h o u l d b e c o n s i d e r e d t o l l e d t i m e f o r p u r p o s e s o f c a l c u l a t i n g t h e s t a t u t e

o f l i m i t a t i o n s u n d e r t h e A E D P A

. A s a r e s u l t

, t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t e r r e d b y i n c l u d i n g

t h o s e d a y s a s u n t o l l e d i n i t s c a l c u l a t i o n

.

A c c o r d i n g l y

, w e R E V E R S E t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t ’ s o r d e r a n d R E M A N D f o r

f u r t h e r p r o c e e d i n g s i n l i g h t o f J i m e n e z

.

R E V E R S E D a n d R E M A N D E D

.

6