Habeas Corpus; Successive Petitions

U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit

Rule Set: Local Rules of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit

Rule: 22.1

Jurisdiction: CA1

Bluebook Citation: 1st Cir. R. 22.1

All Rules: 1st Cir. Local Rules, complete index


Text

(a) Motion for Authorization. Any petitioner seeking to file a second or successive petition for relief pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 2254 or 2255 must first file a motion with this court for authorization. A motion for authorization to file a second or successive § 2254 or § 2255 petition must be sufficiently complete on filing to allow the court to assess whether the standard set forth in 28 U.S.C. §§ 2244(b) or 2255, as applicable, has been satisfied. The motion must be accompanied by both: (1) a completed application form, available from this court, stating the new claims(s) presented and addressing how Section 2244(b) or Section 2255's standard is satisfied; and (2) copies of all relevant portions of earlier court proceedings, which must ordinarily include: (A) copies of all § 2254 or § 2255 petitions earlier filed; (B) the respondent’s answer to the earlier petitions (including any portion of the state record the respondent submitted to the district court); (C) any magistrate-judge’s report and recommendation in the earlier § 2254 or § 2255 proceedings; (D) the district court’s decision in the earlier proceedings; and (E) the portions of the state court record needed to evaluate the claims presented and to show that movant has exhausted state court remedies.

(b) Incomplete Motion. Failure to provide the requisite application and attachments may result in the denial of the motion for authorization with or without prejudice to refiling. At its discretion, the court may instead treat the motion as lodged, the filing being deemed complete when the deficiency is remedied. (c) Service.

The movant shall serve a copy of the motion to file a second or successive petition and all accompanying attachments on the state attorney general (§ 2254 cases) or United States Attorney for the federal judicial district in which movant was convicted (§ 2255 cases) and shall comply with Fed. R. App. P. 25. (d) Response. The state attorney general (§ 2254 cases) or United States Attorney (§ 2255 cases) is requested to file a response within 14 days of the filing of the motion. (e) Transfer.

If a second or successive § 2254 or § 2255 petition is filed in a district court without the requisite authorization by the court of appeals pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2244(b)(3), the 40 district court will transfer the petition to the court of appeals pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1631 or dismiss the petition. If the petition is transferred, the petitioner must file a motion meeting the substantive requirements of 1st Cir. R. 22.1(a) within 45 days of the date of notice from the clerk of the court of appeals that said motion is required. If the motion is not timely filed, the court will enter an order denying authorization for the § 2254 or § 2255 petition.

Rule 23. Custody or Release of a Prisoner in a Habeas Corpus Proceeding (a) Transfer of Custody Pending Review. Pending review of a decision in a habeas corpus proceeding commenced before a court, justice, or judge of the United States for the release of a prisoner, the person having custody of the prisoner must not transfer custody to another unless a transfer is directed in accordance with this rule. When, upon application, a custodian shows the need for a transfer, the court, justice, or judge rendering the decision under review may authorize the transfer and substitute the successor custodian as a party.

(b) Detention or Release Pending Review of Decision Not to Release. While a decision not to release a prisoner is under review, the court or judge rendering the decision, or the court of appeals, or the Supreme Court, or a judge or justice of either court, may order that the prisoner be: (1) detained in the custody from which release is sought; (2) detained in other appropriate custody; or (3) released on personal recognizance, with or without surety. (c) Release Pending Review of Decision Ordering Release. While a decision ordering the release of a prisoner is under review, the prisoner must — unless the court or judge rendering the decision, or the court of appeals, or the Supreme Court, or a judge or justice of either court orders otherwise — be released on personal recognizance, with or without surety.

(d) Modification of the Initial Order on Custody. An initial order governing the prisoner’s custody or release, including any recognizance or surety, continues in effect pending review unless for special reasons shown to the court of appeals or the Supreme Court, or to a judge or justice of either court, the order is modified or an independent order regarding custody, release, or surety is issued. Rule 24. Proceeding in Forma Pauperis (a) Leave to Proceed in Forma Pauperis.

(1) Motion in the District Court. Except as stated in Rule 24(a)(3), a party to a district- court action who desires to appeal in forma pauperis must file a motion in the district court. The party must attach an affidavit that: 41 (A) shows in the detail prescribed by Form 4 of the Appendix of Forms the party’s inability to pay or to give security for fees and costs; claims an entitlement to redress; and (B) states the issues that the party intends to present on appeal. (2) Action on the Motion.

If the district court grants the motion, the party may proceed on appeal without prepaying or giving security for fees and costs, unless a statute provides otherwise. If the district court denies the motion, it must state its reasons in writing. (3) Prior Approval. A party who was permitted to proceed in forma pauperis in the district- court action, or who was determined to be financially unable to obtain an adequate defense in a criminal case, may proceed on appeal in forma pauperis without further authorization, unless: (A) the district court — before or after the notice of appeal is filed — certifies that the appeal is not taken in good faith or finds that the party is not otherwise entitled to proceed in forma pauperis and states in writing its reasons for the certification or finding; or (B) a statute provides otherwise.

(4) Notice of District Court’s Denial. The district clerk must immediately notify the parties and the court of appeals when the district court does any of the following: (A) denies a motion to proceed on appeal in forma pauperis; (B) certifies that the appeal is not taken in good faith; or (C) finds that the party is not otherwise entitled to proceed in forma pauperis. (5) Motion in the Court of Appeals. A party may file a motion to proceed on appeal in forma pauperis in the court of appeals within 30 days after service of the notice prescribed in Rule 24(a)(4).

The motion must include a copy of the affidavit filed in the district court and the district court’s statement of reasons for its action. If no affidavit was filed in the district court, the party must include the affidavit prescribed by Rule 24(a)(1). (b) Leave to Proceed in Forma Pauperis on Appeal from the United States Tax Court or on Appeal or Review of an Administrative-Agency Proceeding. A party may file in the court of appeals a motion for leave to proceed on appeal in forma pauperis with an affidavit prescribed by Rule 24(a)(1): (1) in an appeal from the United States Tax Court; and (2) when an appeal or review of a proceeding before an administrative agency, board, commission, or officer proceeds directly in the court of appeals.

42 (c) Leave to Use Original Record. A party allowed to proceed on appeal in forma pauperis may request that the appeal be heard on the original record without reproducing any part.

TITLE VII.

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Rule 25. Filing and Service (a) Filing. (1) Filing with the Clerk. A paper required or permitted to be filed in a court of appeals must be filed with the clerk.

(2) Filing: Method and Timeliness. (A) Nonelectronic Filing. (i) In General. For a paper not filed electronically, filing may be accomplished by mail addressed to the clerk, but filing is not timely unless the clerk receives the papers within the time fixed for filing.

(ii) A Brief or Appendix. A brief or appendix not filed electronically is timely filed, however, if on or before the last day for filing, it is: • mailed to the clerk by first-class mail, or other class of mail that is at least as expeditious, postage prepaid; or • dispatched to a third-party commercial carrier for delivery to the clerk within 3 days. (iii) Inmate Filing. If an institution has a system designed for legal mail, an inmate confined there must use that system to receive the benefit of this Rule 25(a)(2)(A)(iii).

A paper not filed electronically by an inmate is timely if it is deposited in the institution’s internal mail system on or before the last day for filing and: • it is accompanied by: a declaration in compliance with 28 U.S.C. § 1746—or a notarized statement—setting out the date of deposit and stating that first-class postage is being prepaid; or evidence (such as a postmark or date stamp) showing that the paper was so deposited and that postage was prepaid; or • the court of appeals exercises its discretion to permit the later filing of a declaration or notarized statement that satisfies Rule 25(a)(2)(A)(iii). (B) Electronic Filing and Signing. 43 (i) By a Represented Person—Generally Required; Exceptions. A person represented by an attorney must file electronically, unless nonelectronic filing is allowed by the court for good cause or is allowed or required by local rule.

(ii) By an Unrepresented Person—When Allowed or Required. A person not represented by an attorney: • may file electronically only if allowed by court order or by local rule; and • may be required to file electronically only by court order, or by a local rule that includes reasonable exceptions. (iii) Signing. A filing made through a person's electronic-filing account and authorized by that person, together with that person's name on a signature block, constitutes the person's signature.

(iv) Same as a Written Paper. A paper filed electronically is a written paper for purposes of these rules. (3) Filing a Motion with a Judge. If a motion requests relief that may be granted by a single judge, the judge may permit the motion to be filed with the judge; the judge must note the filing date on the moti on and give it to the clerk.

(4) Clerk’s Refusal of Documents. The clerk must not refuse to accept for filing any paper presented for that purpose solely because it is not presented in proper form as required by these rules or by any local rule or practice. (5) Privacy Protection. An appeal in a case whose privacy protection was governed by Federal Rule of Bankruptcy Procedure 9037, Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 5.2, or Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 49.1 is governed by the same rule on appeal.

In all other proceedings, privacy protection is governed by Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 5.2, except that Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 49.1 governs when an extraordinary writ is sought in a criminal case. The provisions on remote electronic access in Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 5.2(c)(1) and (2) apply in a petition for review of a benefits decision of the Railroad Retirement Board under the Railroad Retirement Act. (b) Service of All Papers Required. Unless a rule requires service by the clerk, a party must, at or before the time of filing a paper, serve a copy on the other parties to the appeal or review.

Service on a party represented by counsel must be made on the party’s counsel. (c) Manner of Service. (1) Nonelectronic service may be any of the following: (A) personal, including delivery to a responsible person at the office of counsel; (B) by mail; or 44 (C) by third-party commercial carrier for delivery within 3 days. (2) Electronic service of a paper may be made (A) by sending it to a registered user by filing it with the court's electronic-filing system or (B) by sending it by other electronic means that the person to be served consented to in writing.

(3) When reasonable considering such factors as the immediacy of the relief sought, distance, and cost, service on a party must be by a manner at least as expeditious as the manner used to file the paper with the court. (4) Service by mail or by commercial carrier is complete on mailing or delivery to the carrier. Service by electronic means is complete on filing or sending, unless the party making service is notified that the paper was not received by the party served. (d) Proof of Service.

(1) A paper presented for filing must contain either of the following if it was served other than through the court's electronic-filing system: (A) an acknowledgment of service by the person served; or (B) proof of service consisting of a statement by the person who made service certifying: (i) the date and manner of service; (ii) the names of the persons served; and (iii) their mail or electronic addresses, facsimile numbers, or the addresses of the places of delivery, as appropriate for the manner of service. (2) When a brief or appendix is filed by mailing or dispatch in accordance with Rule 25(a)(2)(A)(ii), the proof of service must also state the date and manner by which the document was mailed or dispatched to the clerk. (3) Proof of service may appear on or be affixed to the papers filed. (e) Number of Copies.

When these rules require the filing or furnishing of a number of copies, a court may require a different number by local rule or by order in a particular case.

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