Dietrich v. Czerniak
Dietrich v. Czerniak
Opinion of the Court
MEMORANDUM
Petitioner Robert Dietrich (“Dietrich”) appeals the district court’s ruling that statutory and equitable tolling are inapplicable to prevent his habeas petition from being time-barred under the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 (“AEDPA”), 28 U.S.C. § 2241 et. seq. We have jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1291 and 2253. We affirm in part, and vacate and remand in part.
On January 29, 1997, Dietrich, with the assistance of appointed counsel, sought post-conviction relief in the Oregon trial court based on claims that his trial counsel was incompetent and Petitioner entered into an involuntary plea agreement. The trial court denied post-conviction relief. After a timely appeal, the Oregon Court of Appeals granted Respondent’s motion for summary affirmance on January 22, 1999. When Petitioner did not seek discretionary review, the appeals court issued a final judgment on April 8, 1999 dismissing the claims.
The district court dismissed Petitioner’s federal petition for habeas corpus as untimely. Adopting the Magistrate Judge’s Findings and Recommendation, the district court held that under 28 U.S.C. § 2244(d)(2) and Carey v. Saffold, 536 U.S. 214, 122 S.Ct. 2134, 153 L.Ed.2d 260 (2002), the interval between the April 8, 1999 judgment and Petitioner’s May 17, 2000 motion for leave to file an untimely petition was not tolled by the statute because no state application was “pending” during this period.
We review de novo the district court’s denial of a petition for writ of habeas corpus as untimely. Miles v. Prunty, 187 F.3d 1104, 1105 (9th Cir. 1999). Findings of fact are reviewed for clear error. Riley v. Payne, 352 F.3d 1313, 1317 (9th Cir. 2003).
I. Statutory Tolling
Petitioner is not entitled to statutory tolling because he had no application for post-conviction relief pending during the interim between the April 8, 1999 judgment and Petitioner’s May 17, 2000 motion for leave to file an untimely petition. In a recent decision clarifying Saffold, 536 U.S. 214, 122 S.Ct. 2134, the United States Supreme Court held that “[t]he time that an application for state postconviction review is ‘pending’ includes the period between (1) a lower court’s adverse determination, and (2) the prisoner’s filing of a notice of appeal, provided that the filing of the notice of appeal is timely under state law.” Evans v. Chavis, 546 U.S. 189, 126 S.Ct. 846, 849, 163 L.Ed.2d 684 (2006) (emphasis original).
Here, Dietrich did not under state law file a timely petition for discretionary review in the Supreme Court of Oregon. A person may petition the state supreme court “within 35 days after the date of the decision.” Or.Rev.Stat. § 2.520. A petition after the 35-day period is late, even if the state supreme court forgives the untimeliness by granting a motion for leave to file a late petition.
II. Equitable Tolling
The mere ineffective assistance of post-conviction counsel cannot be the basis for equitable tolling. See Miranda v. Castro, 292 F.3d 1063, 1067-1068 (9th Cir. 2002) (holding appointed counsel’s miscalculation of the AEDPA limitations period was not grounds for equitable tolling because petitioner has no right to effective assistance of counsel during the post-conviction phase). We have acknowledged, however, “that where an attorney’s misconduct is sufficiently egregious, it may constitute an ‘extraordinary circumstance’ warranting equitable tolling of AEDPA’s statute of limitations.” Spitsyn v. Moore, 345 F.3d 796, 800 (9th Cir. 2003) (remanding for determination of equitable tolling where retained post-conviction counsel made affirmative statements that he would file federal habeas petition but failed to do so, and where counsel did not release file to petitioner upon request). Determining whether equitable tolling is warranted is a “fact-specific inquiry.” Frye v. Hickman, 273 F.3d 1144, 1146 (9th Cir. 2001).
The district court’s dismissal of Dietrich’s petition as time-barred is VACATED. The case is REMANDED to the district court for an evidentiary hearing related to equitable tolling and for other proceedings not inconsistent with this decision.
This disposition is not appropriate for publication and may not be cited to or by the courts of this circuit except as provided by 9th Cir. R. 36-3.
. Under Oregon law, a petitioner is allowed 35 days to file a petition for discretionary review with the Supreme Court of Oregon. See Or.Rev.Stat. § 2.520 and Or. R.App. P. § 9.05. Petitioner’s time for filing a petition for discretionary review expired on February 26, 1999.
. Because eighty-five days remained under the statute of limitations when Petitioner filed his initial state application on January 29, 1997, his federal petition was time-barred in
. Dietrich's request for discretionary review to the Supreme Court of Oregon was entitled "Motion for Leave to File Late Petition for Review and Substitute Counsel.” (Emphasis added).
. The details of Petitioner’s prior allegations are recited in the Petitioner’s unsuccessful request to the district court for an evidentiary hearing, within Exhibit 130 to that request.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.