Rivenbark v. Commonwealth of Virginia , 305 F. App'x 144 ( 2008 )


Menu:
  •                               UNPUBLISHED
    UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
    FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT
    No. 08-1395
    DOUGLAS ALLEN RIVENBARK,
    Petitioner – Appellant,
    v.
    COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA;         ROBERT   F.   MCDONALD,   Esquire,
    Attorney General,
    Respondents – Appellees.
    Appeal from the United States District Court for the Eastern
    District of Virginia, at Richmond.  Henry E. Hudson, District
    Judge. (3:07-cv-00676-HEH)
    Submitted:    November 18, 2008             Decided:   December 30, 2008
    Before NIEMEYER, TRAXLER, and GREGORY, Circuit Judges.
    Vacated and remanded by unpublished per curiam opinion.
    Douglas Allen Rivenbark, Appellant Pro Se.
    Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit.
    PER CURIAM:
    Douglas Allen Rivenbark appeals the district court’s
    order    dismissing       his     self-styled      “Petition         for       Writ   of
    Mandamus,”      which   the     district   court   construed     as        a   mandamus
    petition under 
    28 U.S.C. § 1651
     (2000).                  After conducting its
    
    28 U.S.C. §§ 1915
    (e)(2)       and   1915(A)    screening,         the      district
    court    recognized     that     Rivenbark     sought    a    writ     of      mandamus
    directing the Commonwealth of Virginia “to order his release
    from incarceration and vacate his state convictions,” but found
    that it lacked jurisdiction to grant mandamus relief against
    state officials and dismissed Rivenbark’s petition.
    Given the nature of the relief sought by Rivenbark, we
    find that the district court should have construed Rivenbark’s
    petition as a 
    28 U.S.C. § 2254
     (2000) petition. *                Accordingly, we
    grant Rivenbark’s application to proceed in forma pauperis and
    vacate    and    remand    the     district    court’s       order     for      further
    proceedings.      We dispense with oral argument because the facts
    and legal contentions are adequately presented in the materials
    *
    We note that before characterizing Rivenbark’s filing as a
    § 2254 petition, the district court must provide Rivenbark with
    the proper notice and an opportunity to respond as required by
    Castro v. United States, 
    540 U.S. 375
    , 377 (2003).     See United
    States v. Blackstock, 
    513 F.3d 128
    , 132-35 (4th Cir. 2008).
    2
    before   the   court   and   argument   would   not    aid   the   decisional
    process.
    VACATED AND REMANDED
    3
    

Document Info

Docket Number: 08-1395

Citation Numbers: 305 F. App'x 144

Judges: Niemeyer, Traxler, Gregory

Filed Date: 12/30/2008

Precedential Status: Non-Precedential

Modified Date: 11/5/2024