Kinnison v. U. S. Board of Parole
Kinnison v. U. S. Board of Parole
Opinion of the Court
ORDER
Dec. 18,1975
THE BACKGROUND OF THIS ORDER IS AS FOLLOWS:
Kinnison filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus on October 29, 1975 challenging the action of the United States Board of Parole in denying him parole. He claims and the Government admits
Kinnison alleges that this action by the Administrative Hearing Examiner and the Regional Director violates his rights in two ways. First, Kinnison relies on 18 U.S.C. § 4205
Kinnison’s second assertion is that the Regional Director did not follow the proper procedure in changing the examiner panel’s decision. Kinnison claims that his situation is governed by 28 C.F.R. § 2.24
Kinnison raised several issues in his traverse to the Government’s response which were not raised in his original petition. The first issue is the applicability of § 557(c) of the Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. § 557(c), to his case. Kinnison contends that the Board did not follow the mandates of that section before making the decision to continue his incarceration. Secondly, Kinnison
Now, therefore, it is ordered that:
The Respondents shall within 15 days of the date of this Order submit a brief on the applicability of the Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. § 557(c) to its proceedings in Kinnison’s case.
ORDER
Jan. 21, 1976.
THE BACKGROUND OF THIS ORDER IS AS FOLLOWS:
On December 18, 1975, this Court ordered the Respondents to submit an additional brief on the applicability of the Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. § 557(c) to the Board’s proceedings with respect to Kinnison. The statutory provision in question mandates a procedure for the submission of supporting materials to agency decision-makers when an initial decision by subordinate personnel is being reviewed. The procedure is required in cases of agency “adjudication” which are mandated by statute after a hearing. See 5 U.S.C. §§ 554-556.
The Government contends that since the procedures of the United States Board of Parole are fixed by statute, the procedural requirements in the Administrative Procedure Act discussed above have no application to it. The government relies on Hiatt v. Compagna et al., 178 F.2d 42 (5th Cir. 1949), aff’d per curiam, 340 U.S. 880, 71 S.Ct. 192, 95 L.Ed. 639 (1950) and its position has merit. Hiatt involved parole revocation and held that the Administrative Procedure Act had no application to the Board of Parole. The Third Circuit Court of Appeals has also viewed the Administrative Procedure Act as being inapplicable to a case involving the right to counsel at parole revocation hearings. Washington v. Hagen, 287 F.2d 332 (3d Cir. 1960). In Hyser v. Reed, 115 U.S.App.D.C. 254, 318 F.2d 225 (1963), then Circuit Judge Burger stated that the coverage of the Administrative Procedure Act is limited to agencies which are required by their own statute of creation to “adjudicate” after a hearing and concluded that the Board of Parole did not “adjudicate” nor was it required by statute to hold hearings in the parole release decision-making process.
Kinnison’s reliance on Pickus, v. U. S. Board of Parole, 507 F.2d 1107 (D.C.Cir. 1974) is misplaced. Pickus held that the Board was an “agency” within the meaning of the Administrative Procedure Act and had to comply with the Act’s rule-making procedures. That case does not have any bearing on the issues herein which involve agency decision-making.
The other issues Kinnison raised were discussed in the Order issued by the Court on December 18, 1975 and found to be without merit. The issue discussed here is also without merit and, therefore, his petition will be denied.
Now, therefore, it is ordered that:
1. Kinnison’s petition for a writ of habeas corpus is denied.
2. The Deputy Clerk of Court shall enter judgment in favor of the Respondents.
. 18 U.S.C. § 4205 provides in relevant part: “A warrant for the retaking of any United States prisoner who has violated his parole, may be issued only by the Board of Parole or a member thereof and within the maximum term or terms for which he was sentenced
. 28 C.F.R. § 2.24 states: “A Regional Director may review the decision of any examiner panel and refer this decision, prior to written notification to the prisoner, with his recommendation and vote to the National Directors for reconsideration and any action deemed appropriate. Written notice of this reconsideration action shall be mailed or transmitted to the prisoner within 15 working days of the date of the hearing. The RegionaliiDirector and each National Director shall have one vote and decision shall be based on the concurrence of two votes.”
. 28 C.F.R. § 2.23(c) states “When a hearing examiner panel proposes to make a decision which falls outside of explicit guidelines for parole decision-making promulgated by the Board, the case shall be reviewed by the appropriate regional Administrative Hearing Examiner. When an Administrative Hearing Examiner does not concur in a decision of an examiner panel to set a parole effective date or continuance outside the Board’s guidelines he may with the concurrence of the Regional Director modify the date to the nearest limit of the guidelines.”
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Gerald KINNISON v. U. S. BOARD OF PAROLE and Warden Arnold
- Status
- Published