Opinion ID: 466411
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: interim release on bail

Text: 14 Since the District Court cannot entertain a habeas action, it most assuredly cannot bail the appellees out of jail. Bail is available as interim relief only when the court would ultimately have power to release the prisoners if they were successful on the merits. In Baker v. Sard, 420 F.2d 1342, 1343 (D.C.Cir.1969), this court noted: When an action pending in a United States court seeks release from what is claimed to be illegal detention, the court's jurisdiction to order release as a final disposition of the action includes an inherent power to grant relief pendente lite, to grant bail or release pending determination of the merits. 15 It is clear that appellees in this action cannot merely allege that because their confinement is illegal they must be released. Litigation concerning the fact or duration of confinement must be brought via a habeas corpus action. Preiser v. Rodriguez, 411 U.S. 475, 93 S.Ct. 1827, 36 L.Ed.2d 439 (1973). Based on the above analysis, the District Court has no jurisdiction over a habeas corpus action in this case. 2 16 Even if the appellees' complaint could be viewed as a form of action other than a petition for habeas corpus, an issue we do not reach, cf. In re Chatman-Bey, 718 F.2d 484, 487-88 & nn. 7-8 (D.C.Cir.1983) (per curiam), the District Court still could not release them. If the Parole Commission's general rule were invalidated, a decision to release the prisoners would still remain within the sole discretion of the Commission. Iuteri v. Nardoza, 732 F.2d 32, 36 (2d Cir.1984); Billiteri v. United States Bd. of Parole, 541 F.2d 938, 944 (2d Cir.1976). While the District Court does have power to review the Commission's guidelines, [t]he only remedy which the court can give is to order the [Commission] to correct the abuses or wrongful conduct within a fixed period of time. Id. If the Commission's actions in this case are invalidated, release would not inexorably follow. The Commission could conceivably promulgate a new policy for determining severity factors for unlisted crimes, promulgate a valid guideline for criminal contempt, or completely disregard its guidelines in deciding the appellees' cases. 18 U.S.C. Sec. 4206(c) (1982). The District Court would still be limited to ordering the Parole Commission to follow the court's interpretation of the law. The court would have no power to hold its own parole hearing. Billiteri, 541 F.2d at 943-44. Since the power to release remains in the Commission's hands, the District Court could not release the appellees even if they were successful on the merits. Thus, it certainly cannot release them in the interim. Baker v. Sard, 420 F.2d 1342 (D.C.Cir.1969). 17