IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS

LUFKIN DIVISION

THOMAS EARL SMITH §

VS. § CIVIL ACTION NO. 9:23-cv-134

DIRECTOR, TDCJ-CID §

MEMORANDUM OPINION REGARDING TRANSFER

Petitioner Thomas Earl Smith, an inmate confined at the Ellis Unit of the Texas Department

of Criminal Justice, Correctional Institutions Division, proceeding pro se, brings this Petition for

Writ of Habeas Corpus pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2241.1 

Discussion

Petitioner submitted this Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus asserting that he is being held

illegally in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Petitioner seeks to be taken into custody by

the Federal Bureau of Prisons to begin serving his 84 month federal sentence. 

Analysis

Title 28 U.S.C. § 2241(a) provides that “Writs of habeas corpus may be granted by the

Supreme Court, any justice thereof, the district courts and any circuit judge within their respective

jurisdictions.” “To entertain a § 2241 habeas petition, the district court must, upon the filing of the

petition, have jurisdiction over the prisoner or his custodian.” United States v. Gabor, 905 F.2d 76,

78 (5th Cir. 1990). A § 2241 Petition must be filed in the district where the Petitioner is

incarcerated. Hooker v. Sivley, 187 F.3d 680, 682 (5th Cir. 1999). Thus, only the district court

1

Petitionerfiled a “Motion forClarification ofJudgment andCommitmentCustody” in his criminal case. The court

interpreted the motion as a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus and filed the above-styled action..

Case 9:23-cv-00134-MAC-ZJH Document 4 Filed 08/03/23 Page 1 of 2 PageID #: 11
where the Petitioner is confined at the time the Petition is filed has jurisdiction to entertain the

§ 2241 Petition. Id.

Petitioner was confined at the Ellis Unit located in Huntsville, Texas when he filed this

Petition, where he remains. Thus, the only court with jurisdiction to entertain this Petition is the

district court serving Huntsville, Texas where Petitioner is incarcerated. The city of Huntsville, is

located in Walker County, Texas. Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 124, Walker County, Texas is located

within the jurisdictional boundaries of the United States District Court for the Southern District of

Texas, Houston Division. As Petitioner is not incarcerated in the Eastern District of Texas, this court

is without jurisdiction to consider Petitioner’s Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus; subject-matter

jurisdiction cannot be waived. See DeCell & Assocs. v. F.D.I.C., 36 F.3d 464, 471 (5th Cir. 1991).

Under 28 U.S.C. § 1404(a), for the convenience of parties and witnesses and in the interest

of justice, a district court may transfer any civil action to any other district or division where it could

have been brought. Such a transfer may be done sua sponte and is reviewable only for an abuse of

discretion. Mills v. Beech Aircraft Corp., 886 F.2d 758, 761 (5th Cir. 1989). 

After considering the circumstances, the court has determined that the interests of justice

would best be served if this Petition were transferred to the district in which the Petitioner is

confined rather than dismissed the case for lack of jurisdiction. An Order of Transfer so providing

shall be entered in accordance with this Memorandum Order.

_________________________

Zack Hawthorn

United States Magistrate Judge SIGNED this 3rd day of August, 2023.

Case 9:23-cv-00134-MAC-ZJH Document 4 Filed 08/03/23 Page 2 of 2 PageID #: 12