Opinion ID: 3064892
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: July 11, 2003 to October 1, 2003

Text: [3] We have little difficulty determining that Ramirez is not entitled to equitable tolling from July 11, 2003 through October 1, 2003, simply because he remained in administrative segregation and had limited access to “the law library [and] copy machine.” Ordinary prison limitations on Ramirez’s access to the law library and copier (quite unlike the denial RAMIREZ v. YATES 8637 altogether of access to his personal legal papers) were neither “extraordinary” nor made it “impossible” for him to file his petition in a timely manner. Given even the most common day-to-day security restrictions in prison, concluding otherwise would permit the exception to swallow the rule— according to Ramirez’s theory, AEDPA’s limitations period would be tolled for the duration of any and every prisoner’s stay in administrative segregation, and likely under a far broader range of circumstances as well. Our conclusion here finds substantial support in the observation that during the same period of time Ramirez claims that he was “unable to prepare” his federal habeas petition due to limited library and copier access, he filed a lengthy and well-researched motion in federal court requesting the limitations period be tolled, and a successful discovery motion in the California Superior Court. Ramirez offers no explanation of how or why his restricted library access made it impossible for him to file a timely § 2254 petition but not these other substantial legal filings. Accordingly, Ramirez is not entitled to equitable tolling from July 11, 2003 through October 1, 2003.