Opinion ID: 1441142
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Timely Filing of the Habeas Petition

Text: As a preliminary matter, we address the state's argument, raised for the first time on appeal, that the district court's judgment should be affirmed because Barnett's petition for a writ of habeas corpus was not timely filed as required by 28 U.S.C. § 2244(d). Barnett concedes that his application was filed twenty-five days late, but argues that the state has waived this defense. [2] The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure govern habeas proceedings unless superseded by the rules governing section 2254 or 2255 cases. Fed.R.Civ.P. Rule 81(a)(4). The Rules provide that limitations defenses are forfeited unless pleaded in an answer or an amendment to the answer. Day v. McDonough, 547 U.S. 198, 207-08, 126 S.Ct. 1675, 164 L.Ed.2d 376 (2006) (citing Rules 8(c), 12(b), and 15(a)). The Supreme Court has carved out an exception in habeas cases that allows a district court to consider sua sponte the timeliness of a state prisoner's petition. Day, 547 U.S. at 209, 126 S.Ct. 1675. Even if this exception extends to allowing district courts to consider a party's belated motion alleging untimeliness, we decline to extend it to the appellate level, in part because the Supreme Court has also held that only an objection to subject matter jurisdiction may be raised post-trial; objections to untimeliness can no longer be raised after the case has been decided. Kontrick v. Ryan, 540 U.S. 443, 459-60, 124 S.Ct. 906, 157 L.Ed.2d 867 (2004). Because it raised no limitations-period objections to Barnett's motion for an extension of time to file his habeas petition, nor did it raise the issue in any responsive pleading or at any other time before the district court, the state has forfeited the objection and may not raise it for the first time on appeal.