Opinion ID: 1248055
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: analysis

Text: In Rehbein v. Clarke, 257 Neb. 406, 409-10, 598 N.W.2d 39, 43 (1999), we stated: Habeas corpus is a special civil proceeding providing a summary remedy to persons illegally detained.... A writ of habeas corpus is a remedy which is constitutionally available in a proceeding to challenge and test the legality of a person's detention, imprisonment, or custodial deprivation of liberty.... A writ of habeas corpus in this state is quite limited in comparison to those of federal courts, which allow a writ of habeas corpus to a prisoner when he is in custody in violation of the federal Constitution, law, or treaties of the United States. . . . It is established that where a judgment is attacked in a way other than a proceeding in the original action to have the judgment vacated, reversed, or modified, or a proceeding in equity to prevent its enforcement, the attack is considered a collateral attack.... An action for habeas corpus is an example of such a collateral attack. (Citations omitted.) As only a void judgment is subject to attack in a habeas corpus action, an appellate court is limited in such a case to reviewing a question of law, namely, is the judgment in question void? Berumen v. Casady, 245 Neb. 936, 515 N.W.2d 816 (1994). A writ of habeas corpus is a statutory remedy in Nebraska. It is available to those persons falling within the criteria established by Neb.Rev.Stat. § 29-2801 (Reissue 1995), namely, those who are detained without having been convicted of a crime and committed for the same, those who are unlawfully deprived of their liberty, or those who are detained without any legal authority. Glantz concedes that he does not fall within any of these criteria. He contends however that it is unfair to force him to wait to petition for a writ of habeas corpus until after the date upon which the sentencing court stated he would be discharged when the Department has already informed him that he will not be discharged on that date. He argues that we should avoid the possible danger of allowing a prisoner to be illegally detained and that the Department will benefit by being on early notice as to whether its action, which increases Glantz' sentence, is permissible. Statutory interpretation presents a question of law, in connection with which an appellate court has an obligation to reach an independent conclusion irrespective of the decision made by the court below. Tilt-Up Concrete v. Star City/Federal, 261 Neb. 64, 621 N.W.2d 502 (2001). Section 29-2801 speaks in terms of present detention. We do not read into this section the possibility of future illegal detention as the basis for a writ of habeas corpus. Such a reading would be inconsistent with the nature of a writ of habeas corpus. The writ is generally available only when the release of the prisoner from the detention he attacks will follow as a result of a decision in his favor. 39 Am. Jur.2d Habeas Corpus § 13 at 221-22 (1999). It is not within the province of this court to expand the availability of this statutory remedy, and we leave that to the Legislature. Since the relief sought by Glantz would not result in his release, a writ of habeas corpus may not lie. Glantz also argues that the State, and therefore the Department, has lost the right to challenge the sentence pronounced because the State did not appeal from the pronouncement of the sentence. Although this is an interesting argument, it is without merit. Glantz mistakenly cites to Neb. Rev.Stat. § 29-2306 (Reissue 1995) to support his position. Neb.Rev.Stat. § 29-2320 (Reissue 1995) provides for appeal of a sentence by a prosecutor and limits such appeals to cases where the prosecutor reasonably believes that the sentence is excessively lenient. Section 29-2320 does not extend to the appeal of a sentence that is not in conformity with the law. Therefore, we conclude that this argument is without merit.