PETITION FOR WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS

Court Information

Court Name: _______________________________________________

Case Number: _____________________________________________

Judge: ___________________________________________________

Case Caption

IN THE MATTER OF:

[Petitioner Full Name], Petitioner,

v.

[Warden/Superintendent Name], Respondent.

PETITION FOR WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS

COMES NOW Petitioner, [Full Legal Name], and pursuant to [State Constitution Article/Section] and [State Habeas Corpus Statute], respectfully petitions this Honorable Court for a Writ of Habeas Corpus, and in support thereof states as follows:

I. PRELIMINARY INFORMATION

A. Petitioner Information

☐ Full Legal Name: __________________________________________

☐ Inmate/ID Number: _________________________________________

☐ Date of Birth: ____________________________________________

☐ Current Place of Confinement: _____________________________

☐ Address: __________________________________________________

B. Respondent Information

☐ Respondent Name: __________________________________________

☐ Title: ____________________________________________________

☐ Institution: ______________________________________________

☐ Address: __________________________________________________

II. JURISDICTIONAL STATEMENT

☐ This Court has jurisdiction over this petition pursuant to:
- ☐ State Constitution: _____________________________________
- ☐ State Statute: __________________________________________
- ☐ Court Rule: _____________________________________________

☐ Petitioner is currently in custody within this Court's jurisdiction

☐ Venue is proper because: ___________________________________

III. CONVICTION AND SENTENCE INFORMATION

A. Court of Conviction

☐ Court Name: _______________________________________________

☐ County: ___________________________________________________

☐ Case Number: ______________________________________________

☐ Judge: ____________________________________________________

B. Charges and Conviction

C. Sentence

☐ Date of Sentencing: _______________________________________

☐ Sentence Imposed:
- ☐ Imprisonment: ___________________________________________
- ☐ Consecutive/Concurrent: _________________________________
- ☐ Probation/Parole: _______________________________________
- ☐ Fines: __________________________________________________
- ☐ Restitution: ____________________________________________

☐ Projected Release Date: ___________________________________

☐ Time Served: ______________________________________________

IV. PRIOR PROCEEDINGS

A. Direct Appeal

☐ Direct appeal filed: ☐ Yes ☐ No

☐ If yes:
- Court: ___________________________________________________
- Case Number: _____________________________________________
- Date Filed: ______________________________________________
- Issues Raised: ___________________________________________
- Decision: ☐ Affirmed ☐ Reversed ☐ Remanded ☐ Pending
- Date of Decision: ________________________________________

☐ Petition for review/certiorari to higher court: ☐ Yes ☐ No
- Court: ___________________________________________________
- Case Number: _____________________________________________
- Decision: ________________________________________________
- Date: ____________________________________________________

B. Prior Post-Conviction Proceedings

☐ Prior habeas petition(s) filed: ☐ Yes ☐ No

☐ If yes, for each prior petition:

Petition 1:
- Court: ___________________________________________________
- Case Number: _____________________________________________
- Date Filed: ______________________________________________
- Grounds Raised: __________________________________________
- Disposition: _____________________________________________
- Date of Disposition: _____________________________________

Petition 2:
- Court: ___________________________________________________
- Case Number: _____________________________________________
- Date Filed: ______________________________________________
- Grounds Raised: __________________________________________
- Disposition: _____________________________________________
- Date of Disposition: _____________________________________

☐ Other post-conviction motions filed: ☐ Yes ☐ No
- Type: ____________________________________________________
- Disposition: _____________________________________________

V. TIMELINESS

☐ This petition is timely because:

• ☐ Filed within statutory time limit of _____________________
• ☐ Statute of limitations: _________________________________
• ☐ Date conviction became final: ____________________________
• ☐ Filing deadline: ________________________________________

☐ If filing appears untimely, grounds for tolling:

• ☐ Newly discovered evidence discovered on: _________________
• ☐ New constitutional rule announced on: ____________________
• ☐ State impediment removed on: _____________________________
• ☐ Actual innocence exception applies
• ☐ Equitable tolling applies because: _______________________

VI. EXHAUSTION OF STATE REMEDIES

☐ Petitioner has exhausted all available state remedies for the claims raised herein

☐ For each ground raised, exhaustion status:

☐ If not exhausted, explain why exhaustion should be excused:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

VII. GROUNDS FOR RELIEF

GROUND ONE:

Nature of Ground:
☐ Ineffective assistance of counsel
☐ Prosecutorial misconduct
☐ Brady violation
☐ Involuntary plea
☐ Illegal sentence
☐ Newly discovered evidence
☐ Actual innocence
☐ Jury instruction error
☐ Insufficient evidence
☐ Fourth Amendment violation
☐ Fifth Amendment violation
☐ Sixth Amendment violation
☐ Other constitutional violation: ___________________________

Statement of Ground:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

Supporting Facts:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

Constitutional Provision Violated:
_____________________________________________________________

How Ground Was Raised Below:
_____________________________________________________________

Why Relief Should Be Granted:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

GROUND TWO:

Nature of Ground:
☐ Ineffective assistance of counsel
☐ Prosecutorial misconduct
☐ Brady violation
☐ Involuntary plea
☐ Illegal sentence
☐ Newly discovered evidence
☐ Actual innocence
☐ Jury instruction error
☐ Insufficient evidence
☐ Fourth Amendment violation
☐ Fifth Amendment violation
☐ Sixth Amendment violation
☐ Other constitutional violation: ___________________________

Statement of Ground:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

Supporting Facts:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

Constitutional Provision Violated:
_____________________________________________________________

How Ground Was Raised Below:
_____________________________________________________________

Why Relief Should Be Granted:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

GROUND THREE:

Nature of Ground:
☐ Ineffective assistance of counsel
☐ Prosecutorial misconduct
☐ Brady violation
☐ Involuntary plea
☐ Illegal sentence
☐ Newly discovered evidence
☐ Actual innocence
☐ Jury instruction error
☐ Insufficient evidence
☐ Fourth Amendment violation
☐ Fifth Amendment violation
☐ Sixth Amendment violation
☐ Other constitutional violation: ___________________________

Statement of Ground:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

Supporting Facts:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

Constitutional Provision Violated:
_____________________________________________________________

How Ground Was Raised Below:
_____________________________________________________________

Why Relief Should Be Granted:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

GROUND FOUR:

Nature of Ground:
☐ Ineffective assistance of counsel
☐ Prosecutorial misconduct
☐ Brady violation
☐ Involuntary plea
☐ Illegal sentence
☐ Newly discovered evidence
☐ Actual innocence
☐ Jury instruction error
☐ Insufficient evidence
☐ Fourth Amendment violation
☐ Fifth Amendment violation
☐ Sixth Amendment violation
☐ Other constitutional violation: ___________________________

Statement of Ground:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

Supporting Facts:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

Constitutional Provision Violated:
_____________________________________________________________

How Ground Was Raised Below:
_____________________________________________________________

Why Relief Should Be Granted:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

VIII. INEFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE OF COUNSEL CLAIMS

Complete this section if raising ineffective assistance claims under Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668 (1984)

A. Trial Counsel

☐ Name of Trial Counsel: ____________________________________

☐ Counsel was: ☐ Retained ☐ Appointed

Deficient Performance:

Counsel failed to:
- ☐ Investigate: ___________________________________________
- ☐ Interview witnesses: ___________________________________
- ☐ File pretrial motions: __________________________________
- ☐ Object to evidence: ____________________________________
- ☐ Cross-examine effectively: ______________________________
- ☐ Present defense evidence: _______________________________
- ☐ Request jury instructions: ______________________________
- ☐ Advise on plea/trial decision: ___________________________
- ☐ Advise on immigration consequences (Padilla): __________
- ☐ Other: _________________________________________________

Prejudice:

But for counsel's errors:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

There is a reasonable probability the result would have been different because:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

B. Appellate Counsel

☐ Name of Appellate Counsel: ________________________________

☐ Counsel was: ☐ Retained ☐ Appointed ☐ Same as trial counsel

Deficient Performance:

Counsel failed to raise the following meritorious issues:
- ☐ ________________________________________________________
- ☐ ________________________________________________________
- ☐ ________________________________________________________

Prejudice:

Had these issues been raised, there is a reasonable probability the appeal would have succeeded because:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

IX. BRADY VIOLATION CLAIMS

Complete this section if raising Brady v. Maryland claims

☐ The prosecution failed to disclose:
_____________________________________________________________

☐ This evidence was:
- ☐ Exculpatory
- ☐ Impeaching (Giglio v. United States)

☐ The evidence was material because:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

☐ When Petitioner discovered this evidence: __________________

☐ How Petitioner discovered this evidence: ___________________

X. ACTUAL INNOCENCE CLAIM

Complete this section if claiming actual innocence

☐ Petitioner claims actual innocence based on:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

☐ New evidence supporting innocence:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

☐ This evidence was not available at trial because:
_____________________________________________________________

☐ This evidence establishes that no reasonable juror would have convicted because:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

XI. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

☐ The following documents are attached or incorporated:

• ☐ Judgment of Conviction
• ☐ Sentencing Order
• ☐ Direct Appeal Decision
• ☐ Prior Post-Conviction Decisions
• ☐ Trial Transcripts (relevant portions)
• ☐ Plea Hearing Transcript
• ☐ Sentencing Transcript
• ☐ Affidavits/Declarations: _______________________________
• ☐ Other evidence: ________________________________________

XII. REQUEST FOR EVIDENTIARY HEARING

☐ Petitioner requests an evidentiary hearing because:

• ☐ Facts are in dispute
• ☐ Credibility determinations required
• ☐ Record is incomplete
• ☐ Claims were not developed below
• ☐ Witnesses need to be examined: __________________________

XIII. REQUEST FOR APPOINTMENT OF COUNSEL

☐ Petitioner requests appointment of counsel because:

• ☐ Petitioner is indigent
• ☐ Case presents complex legal issues
• ☐ Evidentiary hearing is required
• ☐ Interests of justice require counsel

XIV. PRAYER FOR RELIEF

WHEREFORE, Petitioner respectfully requests that this Honorable Court:

1. Issue a Writ of Habeas Corpus directing Respondent to bring Petitioner before this Court;

2. Vacate and set aside the conviction and sentence;

3. Grant a new trial or other appropriate relief;

4. Conduct an evidentiary hearing on the claims raised herein;

5. Appoint counsel to represent Petitioner;

6. Grant such other and further relief as the Court deems just and proper.

XV. VERIFICATION

I, [Petitioner Name], declare under penalty of perjury that:

☐ I am the Petitioner in this matter

☐ The facts stated in this petition are true and correct to the best of my knowledge, information, and belief

☐ I have not filed any other habeas petition challenging this conviction except as disclosed herein

☐ I understand that making false statements may subject me to penalties for perjury

Petitioner Signature: _____________________________________

Date: ___________________________________________________

Subscribed and sworn before me this _____ day of ____________, 20____.

Notary Public / Prison Official: __________________________

XVI. CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I hereby certify that on [Date], I served a true and correct copy of this Petition upon:

☐ Respondent's Attorney/Attorney General:
Name: ______________________________________________________
Address: ___________________________________________________

☐ Prosecutor's Office:
Name: ______________________________________________________
Address: ___________________________________________________

Method of Service: ☐ Mail ☐ Electronic ☐ Personal Delivery

Signature: ______________________________________________

ORDER

[FOR COURT USE]

☐ The Petition is ACCEPTED FOR FILING

☐ Respondent shall file a response within _____ days

☐ An evidentiary hearing is set for _________________________

☐ Counsel is appointed: ____________________________________

☐ The Petition is SUMMARILY DENIED because:
_____________________________________________________________

☐ Other orders: ____________________________________________

Judge's Signature: _______________________________________

Date: ___________________________________________________

This petition invokes the constitutional protections of the Suspension Clause (Art. I, Sec. 9, Cl. 2), Fifth Amendment due process, Sixth Amendment right to effective assistance of counsel under Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668 (1984), and disclosure requirements under Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83 (1963).