Opinion ID: 1113311
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: standards governing filing of habeas corpus petitions and compensation of counsel in relation to such petitions

Text: The Supreme Court promulgates these standards as a means of implementing the following goals with respect to petitions for writs of habeas corpus relating to capital cases: (i) ensuring that potentially meritorious habeas corpus petitions will be presented to and heard by this court in a timely fashion; (ii) providing appointed counsel some certainty of payment for authorized legal work and investigation expenses; and (iii) providing this court with a means to monitor and regulate expenditure of public funds paid to counsel who seek to investigate and file habeas corpus petitions. For these reasons, effective June 6, 1989, all petitions for writs of habeas corpus arising from judgments of death, whether the appeals therefrom are pending or previously resolved, are governed by these standards: 1. Timeliness standards 1-1. [Revised.] Appellate counsel in capital cases shall have a duty to investigate factual and legal grounds for the filing of a petition for a writ of habeas corpus. The duty to investigate is limited to investigating potentially meritorious grounds for relief that have come to counsel's attention in the course of preparing the appeal. It does not impose on counsel an obligation to conduct, nor does it authorize the expenditure of public funds for, an unfocused investigation having as its object uncovering all possible factual bases for a collateral attack on the judgment. Instead, counsel has a duty to investigate potential habeas corpus claims only if counsel has become aware of information that might reasonably lead to actual facts supporting a claim. All petitions for writs of habeas corpus should be filed without substantial delay. 1-1.1 A petition for a writ of habeas corpus will be presumed to be filed without substantial delay if it is filed within 90 days after the final due date for the filing of appellant's reply brief on the direct appeal. 1-1.2 [ Revised. ] A petition filed more than 90 days after the final due date for the filing of appellant's reply brief on the direct appeal may establish absence of substantial delay if it alleges with specificity facts showing the petition was filed within a reasonable time after petitioner or counsel (a) knew, or should have known, of facts supporting a claim and (b) became aware, or should have become aware, of the legal basis for the claim. 1-1.3 Alternatively, a petition may establish absence of substantial delay if it alleges with specificity facts showing that although petitioner or counsel was aware of the factual and legal bases for the claim before January 16, 1986 (the date of finality of In re Stankewitz (1985) 40 Cal.3d 391, 396-397, fn. 1 [220 Cal. Rptr. 382, 384, fn. 1, 708 P.2d 1260, 1262, fn. 1]), the petition was filed within a reasonable time after that date. 1-2. If a petition is filed after substantial delay, the petitioner must demonstrate good cause for the delay. A petitioner may establish good cause by showing particular circumstances sufficient to justify substantial delay. 1-3. Any petition that fails to comply with these requirements may be denied as untimely. 2. Compensation standards 2-1. This court's appointment of counsel for a person under a sentence of death is for the following: (i) pleadings and proceedings related to preparation and certification of the appellate record; (ii) representation in the direct appeal before the California Supreme Court; (iii) preparation and filing of habeas corpus petitions and other ancillary pleadings in the California Supreme Court; (iv) preparation and filing of a petition for a writ of certiorari, or an answer thereto, in the United States Supreme Court; (v) representation in the trial court relating to proceedings pursuant to Penal Code sections 1193 and 1227; and (vi) preparation and filing of a petition for clemency with the Governor of California no earlier than after exhaustion of the initial round of collateral challenges in federal court. Absent prior authorization by this court, this court will not compensate counsel for the filing of any other motion, petition, or pleading in any other California or federal court or court of another state. Counsel who seek compensation for representation in another court should secure appointment by, and compensation from, that court. 2-2. Appellate counsel should expeditiously investigate possible bases for filing a petition for a writ of habeas corpus. As a general rule, this investigation should be done concurrently with review of the appellate record and briefing on appeal. Requests by appointed counsel for authorization to incur, and reimbursement of, investigation expenses shall be governed by the following standards: 2-2.1 Without prior authorization of the court, counsel may incur expenses up to a total of $3,000 for habeas corpus investigation, and may submit to the court claims for reimbursement up to that amount. The court will reimburse counsel for expenses up to $3,000 that were reasonably incurred. 2-2.2 If after incurring $3,000 in expenses, counsel determines it is necessary to incur additional expenses for which he or she plans to seek reimbursement from the court, counsel must seek and obtain prior authorization from the court. As a general rule, the court will not reimburse counsel for expenses exceeding $3,000, without prior authorization of the court. Requests by appointed counsel for prior authorization of investigation expenses shall be governed by the following standards: 2-3. On or before the date the appellant's opening brief on appeal is filed, counsel shall file with this court a Confidential request for authorization to incur expenses to investigate potential habeas corpus issues. The court will entertain an initial request filed at a later time only if good cause for the delay is shown. 2-4. The confidential request for authorization to incur expenses shall set out: 2-4.1 The issues to be explored; 2-4.2 Specific facts that suggest there may be an issue of possible merit; 2-4.3 An itemized list of the expenses requested for each issue of the proposed habeas corpus petition; and 2-4.4 (a) An itemized listing of all expenses previously sought from, and/or approved by any court of this state and/or any federal court in connection with any habeas corpus proceeding or investigation concerning the same judgment and petitioner; (b) A statement summarizing the status of any proceeding or investigation in any court of this state or any federal court concerning the same judgment and petitioner; and (c) A copy of any related petition previously filed in any trial or lower appellate court of this state or any federal court concerning the same judgment and petitioner. 2-5. Counsel generally will not be awarded compensation for fees and expenses relating to matters that are clearly not cognizable in a petition for a writ of habeas corpus. 2-6. Each request for fees relating to a habeas corpus petition must be accompanied by: (a) An itemized listing of all fees previously sought from, and/or approved by any court of this state and/or any federal court in connection with any habeas corpus proceeding or investigation concerning the same judgment and petitioner; (b) A statement summarizing the status of any proceeding or investigation in any court of this state or any federal court concerning the same judgment and petitioner; and (c) A copy of any related petition previously filed in any trial or lower appellate court of this state or any federal court concerning the same judgment and petitioner.