Case Name: Larry J. HUNTER, Petitioner, v. David EVANS and Lanson Newsome, Respondents
Court: United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
Jurisdiction: United States
Decision Date: 1986-06-23
Citations: 791 F.2d 1487
Docket Number: No. 85-8763
Parties: Larry J. HUNTER, Petitioner, v. David EVANS and Lanson Newsome, Respondents.
Judges: Before FAY, JOHNSON and CLARK, Circuit Judges.
Reporter: Federal Reporter 2d Series
Volume: 791
Pages: 1487–1489

Head Matter:
Larry J. HUNTER, Petitioner, v. David EVANS and Lanson Newsome, Respondents.
No. 85-8763
Non-Argument Calendar.
United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit.
June 23, 1986.
Neal B. Childers, Atlanta, Ga., for respondents.
Before FAY, JOHNSON and CLARK, Circuit Judges.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM:
Appellant does have the right to bring his exhausted claims into federal court immediately. Under Rose v. Lundy, 455 U.S. 509, 102 S.Ct. 1198, 71 L.Ed.2d 379 (1982), appellant has the option of amending his initial "mixed petition" to eliminate the unexhausted claims rather than repairing to state court. Filing a separate revised petition is equally appropriate. Yet, we cannot say that appellant has correctly exercised his rights under Rose since neither of his subsequent petitions were made part of the record. This lapse is not attributable to appellant, however, for the petitions should have become part of the record as a matter of course. Appellant brought his petitions pro se under 28 U.S.C. § 1915, in forma pauperis. Upon receipt of such a petition, the district court should have first docketed the petition and then considered the sufficiency of the allegations. See Watson v. Ault, 525 F.2d 886 (5th Cir.1976) (petition should be docketed once economic eligibility determined). In that way, the petition would become part of the record available for review on appeal from dismissal. Since the district court did not comply with this procedure, the order refusing to docket the petition shall be vacated and the case remanded for further proceedings in accord with Watson.
VACATED and REMANDED.