NOT FOR PUB LIC ATION UNITED STATES C OUR T OF APPEALS FOR THE NINTH C IR C U IT
JOSE SANTOS C R

UZ, Pe titione r,
v. ER IC H. HOLDER , Jr., Attorne y Ge ne ra l, R

e sponde n t . No. 09-71655 Age n c y No. A094-227-957
ORDER

On Pe tition for Re vie w of a n Orde r of the B oa rd of Im m igration Appe a ls Subm i tte d M ay

10, 2013 ** Pa sa de n a , C a l ifornia B e fore : PREGER SON a

nd FISHER , C irc uit Judge s, a nd DANIEL, Se n ior Distric t Judge
. * This c a se is R

EM A N DED to theB oa

rd of Im m igration Appe a ls (“ B IA” ) to de te rm i ne whe t

h e r Pe titione r’ s c onvic tion qua lifie s a s a m i sde m e anor unde r e ithe r C a lifornia Pe na l C ode se c tion 17(b)(1) or 17(b)(3). Se e Fe rre ira v . Ashc r oft , 382 

# FIL ED AUG 01 2014 M OLLY C. DW Y ER, CLERK U
. S
. CO URT O F APPEALS

** The pa

ne l una nim ously c onc lude s this c a se is suita ble for de c ision without ora l a

rgum e nt. Se e Fe d. R . App. P. 34(a )(2). * The Honora

ble W ile y Y. Da n ie l , Se nior Distric t Judge for the U.S. Distric t C ourt for C olora do, sitting by de signa tion.F.3d 1045, 1051 (9th C ir. 2004) (“ Onc e the sta te c ourt se nte nc e d [Pe titione r] to a
c ounty ja il te rm ra the r tha

n a te rm in the sta te prison, theoffe nse a

utom atic a lly
c onve rte d from

a fe lony into a

m isde m e anor for a ll purpose s.” ), ov e rrule d on othe r grounds by C

e ron v . Holde r , 747 F.3d 773, 778 (9th C ir. 2014) (e n ba nc ); Garc iaLope z v . Ashc r oft , 334 F.3d 840, 842 (9th C ir. 2003) (The “ sta te c o urt’ s de c la

ra t ion that [Pe titione r’ s] offe nse wa s a m isde m e an or is binding on [Petitione r’ s] subse q ue nt im m i gration proc e e dings[.] ” ), o v e rrule d on othe r grounds by C

e ron v . Holde r , 747 F.3d a

t 778. W e are a lso c onc e rne d a

bout the a ppa re nt ine ffe c tive ne ss of pe titione r’ s c ounse l. The B IA’ s April 29, 2009 de c i sion e xpla ine d: “ The re sponde nt ha s a va lid ‘ c onvic tion’ for im

m igration purpose s a

nd his pla nne d future c olla

t e ra l atta c k upon tha t c onvic tion doe s not ope ra t e to ne gate its va l idity until it is in fa c t
ove rturne d or m ate ria lly

am e nde d.” On July

17, 2009, within the

90 da y window to re ope n with theB IA, Pe titione r’ s c onvic tion wa s m ate ria lly am e nde d. The Supe rior C ourt “ re duc [e d ] the fe lony offe nse to a

m isde m e anor” unde r C a lifornia Pe na l C ode se c tion 17. Pe titione r’ s c ounse l, howe ve r, did not m ove to re ope n with the B IA to submit this new e vide nc e . Ine ffe c tive a ssista nc e of c ounse l c an toll the de a dline to file a

m otion to re ope n. S

e e Av agy an v . Holde r , 646 F.3d 672, 677 (9thC ir. 2011). Pe titione r m ay w i sh to obtain ne w c ounse l. 1 Alte rnative ly , the B IA

m ight c onside r a

ppointm e nt of pro bono c ounse l. Pe titione r’ s re m ova l i s STAYED pe nding the re solution of his a p pe a l. The pa ne l re ta ins jurisdic tion ove r subse que nt a ppe a ls in this c a se . Pe titione r’ s c ounse l is orde re d to se rve M r. C ruza c opy of this orde r a t his la st known a ddre ss. L IM IT E D RE M AND

1 Orga niz a tions suc h

a s the following m ay be a ble to providepro bono le ga l c ounse l: The C e n t

ra l Am e ric an R e s ourc e C e nte r (C A R EC EN), (213) 385-7800 e xt.171, 2845 W e st 7th Stre e t , Los Ange le s, C A 90005, www.c are c e n-la
. org; Le ga l Aid Founda

tion of Los Ange le s (LAFLA), (800) 399-4529, 5228 W hittie r B lvd., Los Ange le s, C A 90022, www.la fla .org.