Enriquez v. Rarden

U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota

Enriquez v. Rarden

Trial Court Opinion

                UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT                             
                    DISTRICT OF MINNESOTA                                


Rosendo Enriquez,                  Case No. 24-CV-344 (JMB/TNL)          

               Petitioner,                                               

v.                                   ORDER ON REPORT AND                 
                                      RECOMMENDATION                     
Jared Rarden,                                                            
Warden, Rochester FMC,                                                   

              Respondent.                                                


    This matter is before the Court on the Report and Recommendation (R&R) of 
United States Magistrate Judge Tony N. Leung, dated March 7, 2024.  (Doc. No. 4.)  The 
R&R recommends that Petitioner Rosendo Enriquez’s Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus 
under 
28 U.S.C. § 2241
 (Doc. No. 1) be dismissed without prejudice.  (See Doc. No. 4.)1  
For the following reasons, the Court adopts the R&R.                      
    The Court reviews the challenged portions of an R&R under a de novo standard of 
review.  
28 U.S.C. § 636
(b)(1)(C); Fed. R. Civ. P. 72(b)(3); D. Minn. L.R. 72.2(b)(3).  
However, the Court need only review for clear error any aspect of an R&R to which no 

1 The R&R recommended that Enriquez’s Petition be dismissed under Rule 41(b) for 
Enriquez’s failure to pay the filing fee.  (Doc. No. 6.)  In the alternative, the R&R 
recommends  Enriquez’s  Petition  be  dismissed  without  prejudice  because  the  relief 
Enriquez seeks is not cognizable on habeas review.  (Id.)  The Docket indicates that 
Enriquez paid the filing fee five days after the R&R was filed.  (Doc. No. 5.)  The Court’s 
review of the R&R leaves no indication that dismissal without prejudice is not proper on 
the  alternative  grounds  outlined  in  the  R&R  and,  therefore,  the  R&R’s  dismissal 
recommendation is not moot.                                               
specific objection is made.  See Grinder v. Gammon, 
73 F.3d 793, 795
 (8th Cir. 1996).  
Because  Enriquez  is self-represented,  his  objection  is  entitled  to  liberal 

construction.  Erickson v. Pardus, 
551 U.S. 89, 94
 (2007).                
    Here, Enriquez filed a letter in response to the R&R.  (Doc. No. 6.)  The Court 
closely reviewed the documents to determine whether it could discern any objections to the 
R&R, but the Court found none.  Rather, Enriquez’s letter requests that this Court order 
the BOP to “issue [Enriquez] a new calculation sheet showing the correct number of earned 
time credits” and “issue a directive to the BOP ordering them to follow policy and stop 

trying to dictate it.”  (Doc. No. 6.)  Enriquez’s letter indicates that he does not have any 
objections to the R&R’s determination—that he has already been awarded 365 days of 
credit towards his release his release, the maximum permitted under the First Step Act, 
18 U.S.C. § 3624
(g)(3), and that therefore, his challenge relates neither to the fact nor the 
duration of his confinement.  (Doc. Nos. 4, 6.)                           

    As stated in the R&R, habeas relief is not the proper remedy for the relief Enriquez 
currently seeks.  Spencer v. Haynes, 
774 F.3d 467, 469
 (8th Cir. 2014) (admonishing that 
actions for writ of habeas corpus are not proper remedy where prisoner does not challenge 
validity of conviction or length of detention).  The Court has reviewed the R&R and 
discerns no error, clear or otherwise, in the Magistrate Judge’s reasoning. 

    Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:                              
    1.   The R&R (Doc. No. 4) is ADOPTED;                                
    2.   Petitioner Rosendo Enriquez’s Petition for a Writ of Habeas Corpus Under 
         
28 U.S.C. § 2241
 (Doc. No. 1) is DENIED;                        
    3.   This action is DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE.                     
    LET JUDGMENT BE ENTERED ACCORDINGLY.                                 


Dated: April 25, 2024                   /s/ Jeffrey M. Bryan              
                                       Judge Jeffrey M. Bryan            
                                       United States District Court      

Trial Court Opinion

                UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT                             
                    DISTRICT OF MINNESOTA                                


Rosendo Enriquez,                  Case No. 24-CV-344 (JMB/TNL)          

               Petitioner,                                               

v.                                   ORDER ON REPORT AND                 
                                      RECOMMENDATION                     
Jared Rarden,                                                            
Warden, Rochester FMC,                                                   

              Respondent.                                                


    This matter is before the Court on the Report and Recommendation (R&R) of 
United States Magistrate Judge Tony N. Leung, dated March 7, 2024.  (Doc. No. 4.)  The 
R&R recommends that Petitioner Rosendo Enriquez’s Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus 
under 
28 U.S.C. § 2241
 (Doc. No. 1) be dismissed without prejudice.  (See Doc. No. 4.)1  
For the following reasons, the Court adopts the R&R.                      
    The Court reviews the challenged portions of an R&R under a de novo standard of 
review.  
28 U.S.C. § 636
(b)(1)(C); Fed. R. Civ. P. 72(b)(3); D. Minn. L.R. 72.2(b)(3).  
However, the Court need only review for clear error any aspect of an R&R to which no 

1 The R&R recommended that Enriquez’s Petition be dismissed under Rule 41(b) for 
Enriquez’s failure to pay the filing fee.  (Doc. No. 6.)  In the alternative, the R&R 
recommends  Enriquez’s  Petition  be  dismissed  without  prejudice  because  the  relief 
Enriquez seeks is not cognizable on habeas review.  (Id.)  The Docket indicates that 
Enriquez paid the filing fee five days after the R&R was filed.  (Doc. No. 5.)  The Court’s 
review of the R&R leaves no indication that dismissal without prejudice is not proper on 
the  alternative  grounds  outlined  in  the  R&R  and,  therefore,  the  R&R’s  dismissal 
recommendation is not moot.                                               
specific objection is made.  See Grinder v. Gammon, 
73 F.3d 793, 795
 (8th Cir. 1996).  
Because  Enriquez  is self-represented,  his  objection  is  entitled  to  liberal 

construction.  Erickson v. Pardus, 
551 U.S. 89, 94
 (2007).                
    Here, Enriquez filed a letter in response to the R&R.  (Doc. No. 6.)  The Court 
closely reviewed the documents to determine whether it could discern any objections to the 
R&R, but the Court found none.  Rather, Enriquez’s letter requests that this Court order 
the BOP to “issue [Enriquez] a new calculation sheet showing the correct number of earned 
time credits” and “issue a directive to the BOP ordering them to follow policy and stop 

trying to dictate it.”  (Doc. No. 6.)  Enriquez’s letter indicates that he does not have any 
objections to the R&R’s determination—that he has already been awarded 365 days of 
credit towards his release his release, the maximum permitted under the First Step Act, 
18 U.S.C. § 3624
(g)(3), and that therefore, his challenge relates neither to the fact nor the 
duration of his confinement.  (Doc. Nos. 4, 6.)                           

    As stated in the R&R, habeas relief is not the proper remedy for the relief Enriquez 
currently seeks.  Spencer v. Haynes, 
774 F.3d 467, 469
 (8th Cir. 2014) (admonishing that 
actions for writ of habeas corpus are not proper remedy where prisoner does not challenge 
validity of conviction or length of detention).  The Court has reviewed the R&R and 
discerns no error, clear or otherwise, in the Magistrate Judge’s reasoning. 

    Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:                              
    1.   The R&R (Doc. No. 4) is ADOPTED;                                
    2.   Petitioner Rosendo Enriquez’s Petition for a Writ of Habeas Corpus Under 
         
28 U.S.C. § 2241
 (Doc. No. 1) is DENIED;                        
    3.   This action is DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE.                     
    LET JUDGMENT BE ENTERED ACCORDINGLY.                                 


Dated: April 25, 2024                   /s/ Jeffrey M. Bryan              
                                       Judge Jeffrey M. Bryan            
                                       United States District Court      

Reference

Status
Unknown