Opinion ID: 1265966
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Distinction between the availability of habeas relief under federal and West Virginia law

Text: Pethal brought the instant action seeking habeas relief under West Virginia law. Thus, West Virginia law will control the outcome of this matter. However, because the IAD is also federal law, we find it necessary to address the scope of habeas relief available for alleged IAD violations under federal law in order to note both the similarities and distinctions between the relief available under West Virginia and federal law. The availability of habeas relief under federal law and West Virginia law is not identical. As noted above, habeas relief is available in West Virginia where there has been a constitutional violation, the court lacked jurisdiction to impose the sentence, the sentence imposed was excessive or the conviction would have been subject to collateral attack pursuant to prior common or statutory law. Under federal law, a state prisoner, such as Pethel, may seek habeas relief only on the ground that he is in custody in violation of the Constitution or laws or treaties of the United States. 28 U.S.C. § 2254(a) (1996). [34] Prior to the United States Supreme Court decision in Reed, federal courts presented numerous, often conflicting, positions on the availability of habeas relief to remedy violations of the IAD. Focusing upon the IAD's status as a federal law, the various jurisdictions concentrated their analysis upon whether the violation constituted a fundamental defect and/or whether prejudice resulted. [35] The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, whose jurisdiction includes West Virginia, found that violations of the IAD do not constitute fundamental defects which would entitle a state prisoner to seek federal habeas relief absent a showing of prejudice. Bush v. Muncy, 659 F.2d 402, 408 (4th Cir. 1981), cert. denied, 455 U.S. 910, 102 S.Ct. 1259, 71 L.Ed.2d 449 (1982) (violation of IAD's anti-shuttling provision); Kerr v. Finkbeiner, 757 F.2d 604, 607 (4th Cir.1985), cert. denied, 474 U.S. 929, 106 S.Ct. 263, 88 L.Ed.2d 269 (1985) (violation of 180 day rule). Similarly, the Eighth and Eleventh Circuits concurred with the Fourth Circuit's finding that an IAD violation did not constitute a fundamental defect, but left the door open for habeas relief upon a showing of prejudice. See Huff v. United States, 599 F.2d 860, 863 (8th Cir.1979), cert. denied, 444 U.S. 952, 100 S.Ct. 428, 62 L.Ed.2d 323 (1979) (mere violation of IAD anti-shuttling provisions, without more, does not justify habeas relief); Seymore, 846 F.2d at 1359 (violation of IAD is not fundamental defect cognizable in federal habeas proceeding absent showing of prejudice). The Third and Ninth Circuits, however, have found that the prisoner must demonstrate the IAD violation constituted a fundamental defect in the proceedings before federal habeas relief would be considered. See, Casper v. Ryan, 822 F.2d 1283, 1289-90 (3rd Cir.1987), cert. denied, 484 U.S. 1012, 108 S.Ct. 714, 98 L.Ed.2d 664 (1988), (claim for violation of IAD cognizable in federal habeas action only upon showing of fundamental defect); Tinghitella v. California, 718 F.2d 308, 310-11 (9th Cir.1983) (habeas relief available for violation of IAD, a federal law, where violation constitutes fundamental defect). The First, Second and Sixth Circuits preclude federal habeas review for IAD violations altogether. See, Fasano v. Hall, 615 F.2d 555, 558 (1st Cir.1980), cert. denied, 449 U.S. 867, 101 S.Ct. 201, 66 L.Ed.2d 86 (1980) (violations of IAD are not fundamental defects indicating a miscarriage of justice so as to be cognizable in federal habeas proceeding); Reilly v. Warden, FCI Petersburg, 947 F.2d 43, 44 (2nd Cir.1991) (per curiam), cert. denied, 502 U.S. 1115, 112 S.Ct. 1227, 117 L.Ed.2d 462 (1992), (violation of IAD not basis for federal habeas relief); Browning v. Foltz, 837 F.2d 276, 283 (6th Cir.1988), cert. denied, 488 U.S. 1018, 109 S.Ct. 816, 102 L.Ed.2d 805 (1989) (violation of IAD does not give rise to federal habeas relief). Conversely, the Fifth and Seventh Circuits simply recognized the availability of federal review. See, Birdwell v. Skeen, 983 F.2d 1332 (5th Cir.1993) (affirming grant of writ of habeas based upon IAD violation); Webb v. Keohane, 804 F.2d 413, 414 (7th Cir.1986) (finding violation of federal law cognizable in a federal habeas petition). Recognizing the split in authority among the various federal courts of appeals regarding the availability of federal habeas review for IAD claims, the United States granted certiorari in Reed to address the issue in the context of the IAD's speedy trial provisions. Reed, 512 U.S. at 346, 114 S.Ct. 2291. In Reed, a plurality opinion, the United States Supreme Court affirmed the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals' denial of federal habeas relief to an Indiana prisoner where the prisoner's arguments relating to violation of the IAD's speedy trial provisions had been considered and rejected by Indiana courts. Id. at 342, 114 S.Ct. 2291. It did not, however, provide clear guidance as to the availability of federal habeas relief to remedy IAD violations. Justice Ginsberg, writing for the majority, found that the IAD's speedy trial provision does not implicate the constitutional right to a speedy trial. Id. at 352-3, 114 S.Ct. at 2299. Further, the majority concluded that federal habeas review may be available to both federal and state prisoners to address federal statutory violations where the prisoner has not raised the claim on direct review if the prisoner can establish both cause for the waiver and actual prejudice arising from the violation. Id. at 354, 114 S.Ct. 2291, quoting, Wainwright v. Sykes, 433 U.S. 72, 84, 97 S.Ct. 2497, 2505, 53 L.Ed.2d 594 (1977). In light of the IAD's status as a federal law, Justice Ginsberg, joined by then  Chief Justice Rehnquist and then-Justice O'Connor, noted that the Hill standard governing habeas review of non-constitutional questions would be applicable to address IAD violations in the appropriate circumstance. Id. at 348-9, 114 S.Ct. 2291. However, these Justices found, in light of the defendant's clear failure to object to the trial date prior to the expiration of the 120 day time limit, that [a]n unwitting judicial slip of the kind involved [there] ranks with the nonconstitutional lapses [they] have held not cognizable in a post-conviction proceeding. Id. at 349, 114 S.Ct. 2291. These three Justices concluded that the state court's failure to observe the IAD's 120 day rule was not cognizable in a federal habeas proceeding where the defendant registered no objection to the trial date at the time it was set, and suffered no prejudice attributable to the delayed commencement. Id. at 352, 114 S.Ct. 2291. In a separate opinion authored by Justice Scalia and joined by Justice Thomas, Justice Scalia agreed that the Hill fundamental defect test was the appropriate standard to apply in habeas actions brought by both federal and state prisoners alleging a statutory violation. Id. at 355-6, 114 S.Ct. 2291. However, Justice Scalia disagreed with Justice Ginsberg's reliance upon the prisoner's failure to object to the trial delay and waiver analysis. Id. at 356-7, 114 S.Ct. at 2301. Justice Scalia noted that [t]he class of procedural rights that are not guaranteed by the Constitution (which includes the Due Process Clauses), but that nonetheless are inherently necessary to avoid a complete miscarriage of justice, or numbered among the rudimentary demands of fair procedure, is no doubt a small one, if it indeed not a null set. Id. at 357, 114 S.Ct. 2291 (emphasis in original). Justice Scalia proceeded to affirmatively conclude: If there was ever a technical rule, the IAD's 120-day limit is one. I think we produce confusion by declining to state the obvious: that violation of that technicality, intentional or unintentional, neither produces nor is analogous to (1) lack of jurisdiction of the convicting court, (2) constitutional violation, or (3) miscarriage of justice or denial of rudimentary procedures. It is no basis for federal habeas relief. Id. at 358, 114 S.Ct. 2291 (emphasis added). Conversely, a dissenting opinion authored by then-Justice Blackman and joined by Justices Stevens, Kennedy and Souter, disagreed completely with the plurality decision. The dissenters found distinctions between the scope of relief available in habeas proceedings, arguing the importance of broader federal oversight of state proceedings to promote uniformity. Id. at 361-6, 114 S.Ct. 2291. Likewise, the dissenters opined that non-constitutional claims should be treated no differently than constitutional claims in habeas proceedings. Id. at 364-6, 114 S.Ct. 2291. Stressing the statutory dismissal provisions for IAD violations, the dissenters concluded federal habeas relief should be available to address violations where the state has failed to act. Id. at 367-70, 114 S.Ct. 2291. Analyzing the impact of Reed 's plurality opinion, the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit has stated: The standard, then, appears to be that nonconstitutional claims not raised at trial or on direct appeal are waived for collateral review except where the errors amount to something akin to a denial of due process. . . . Hence, when a federal statute, but not the Constitution, is the basis for post-conviction attack, collateral relief from a defaulted claim of error is appropriate only where there has been fundamental unfairness, or what amounts to a breakdown of the trial process. Grant v. United States, 72 F.3d 503 (6th Cir.1996), cert. denied, 517 U.S. 1200, 116 S.Ct. 1701, 134 L.Ed.2d 800 (1996) citing Reed. See also, Medellin v. Dretke, 544 U.S. 660, 125 S.Ct. 2088, 161 L.Ed.2d 982 (2005) ( per curiam ) (noting violation of federal statutory rights constitute non-constitutional lapses not cognizable in habeas action unless they meet the Hill fundamental defect test). Post- Reed, federal courts require a showing of exceptional circumstances demonstrating prejudice amounting to a miscarriage of justice before deeming an IAD violation cognizable in a federal habeas action. Cross, 87 F.3d at 587-8 (claim of IAD violation not cognizable in habeas action as IAD provision at issue has nothing to do with securing a fair trial and there has been no allegation that violation impaired defense or appeal); Lara v. Johnson, 141 F.3d 239, 242 (5th Cir.1998) (must show exceptional circumstance that violation of IAD constitutes fundamental defect causing a miscarriage of justice to the prejudice of the defendant before claim is cognizable under federal habeas statutes); Remeta v. Singletary, 85 F.3d 513, 519 (11th Cir.1996), cert. denied, 520 U.S. 1225, 117 S.Ct. 1727, 137 L.Ed.2d 848 (1997) (IAD violations are not cognizable in habeas proceedings absent a showing that the violation prejudiced the rights of the accused by affecting or impugning the integrity of the fact-finding process); Maggard v. Gammon, 197 F.Supp.2d 1321, 1330-31 (D.Kan.2002) (technical violation of IAD does not present special circumstances warranting federal habeas relief as where there is no allegation that delay in trial rendered trial unfair, prevented presentation of defense or led to conviction of an innocent man). Thus, it appears that the availability of federal habeas relief for a violation of the IAD is extremely narrow and is limited to those rare circumstances where the violation results in a fundamental miscarriage of justice, such as the incarceration of an innocent man. As noted in Fasano: the fact that the violations of the IAD alleged by appellant had no bearing on the determination of his guilt or innocence is particularly important, although not necessarily dispositive, in determining cognizability in a habeas proceeding. The central purpose of the habeas writ is to provide a collateral means of redressing the wrong inherent in the incarceration of one who is not guilty. Schneckloth v. Bustamonte, 412 U.S. 218, 256-58, 93 S.Ct. 2041, 2062-63, 36 L.Ed.2d 854 (1973) (Powell, J. concurring). Fasano, 615 F.2d at 558. Where habeas relief is sought based upon an alleged violation of federal law, such as a violation of the IAD instead of a constitutional or jurisdictional error, federal courts wisely limit the scope of available relief to those errors constituting a fundamental miscarriage of justice impinging upon the underlying question of guilt. Unlike federal habeas relief, which may be available where a violation of federal statutory law rises to the level of a fundamental defect in the proceedings, habeas relief is not available in West Virginia solely on the basis of a violation of statutory law. [36] West Virginia limits the availability of habeas relief to constitutional violations, jurisdictional errors, illegal sentences and those convictions which would have been subject to collateral attack by statute or at common-law prior to the adoption of our post-conviction habeas statute. W. Va.Code § 53-4A-1 (a). By so restricting the availability of habeas relief, our jurisprudence is concerned with remedying defects in the proceeding which constitute a fundamental miscarriage of justice or which result in the imprisonment of a innocent man and which were not adjudicated on direct appeal. Under West Virginia law, the provisions of the IAD do not rise to the level of constitutionally protected rights nor do they control a trial court's jurisdiction over criminal proceedings. They are procedural technicalities which do not affect a trial court's power. [37] As such, they do not fall within the parameters of our habeas statute. The violation of the IAD alleged herein did not impact the fairness of Pethel's trial or lead to the incarceration of an innocent man. Habeas relief is simply not available, under West Virginia law, to remedy a violation of a procedural technicality, such as the violation of a statutory IAD provision. [38] Accordingly, we now hold that the violation of a provision of the Interstate Agreement on Detainers Act, W. Va.Code § 62-14-1, et seq. (1971), is not cognizable in a post-conviction habeas corpus action brought pursuant to West Virginia Code § 53-4A-1 (1967). Therefore, we reverse the circuit court's grant of habeas relief to Pethel because the same was based upon a violation of the IAD's anti-shuttling provision. B.