Opinion ID: 1255705
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Absence of a Complete Record

Text: Ford contends that because the district court did not have access to the full record, her case must be remanded to the district court for a thorough and valid evaluation of her claims based upon the complete record. Ford notes that the United States Supreme Court has emphasized the importance of assuring that capital sentences are reviewed on a complete record. Dobbs v. Zant, ___ U.S. ___, ___, 113 S.Ct. 835, 836, 122 L.Ed.2d 103 (1993); see Richmond v. Ricketts, 774 F.2d 957, 961 (9th Cir.1985) (quoting Turner v. Chavez, 586 F.2d 111, 112 (9th Cir.1978) (`The very nature of the habeas corpus action demands an independent review [of the record]')). Ford insists that the district court's decision, which was based on cause and prejudice, procedural bars, and a comparison of the merits of her case with the Dawson case, required reference to the record. She asserts that the district court's actions violated the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution and similar provisions in the Nevada Constitution. Ford claims that her motion to have the State underwrite the expense of producing renumbered volumes of the entire record constituted a reasonable attempt to present the record before the district court. We disagree. The burden of production lies with the petitioner in petitions for writ of habeas corpus. NRS 34.370(4) provides in part: Affidavits, records or other evidence supporting the allegations in the petition must be attached unless the petition recites the cause for failure to attach these materials. Contrary to Ford's assertions, her motion to have the State cover the expense of copying the record was nothing more than a motion to copy the record; it cannot be construed as a request to retrieve and transport the existing record from Las Vegas to Carson City. In addition, we conclude, for the reasons stated above, that the petition failed on its face; therefore, it was not necessary to review the entire record prior to dismissing Ford's petition. Unlike initial petitions which certainly require a careful review of the record, successive petitions may be dismissed based solely on the face of the petition. See NRS 34.810; Phelps, 104 Nev. at 659, 764 P.2d at 1305.