Resources for Managing Capital Cases

Overview
Resources for Managing Federal Death Penalty Trials | Additional Resources
Resources for Managing Habeas Corpus Review of Capital Convictions

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Resources for Managing Habeas Corpus Review of Capital Convictions

Resource Guide for Managing Capital Cases, Volume II: Habeas Corpus Review of Capital Convictions (revised March 2010)
Asifa Quraishi, Margaret A. Fainer, Kristine M. Fox
This 42-page guide covers management of cases involving federal habeas corpus review of state and federal capital convictions. It is meant to assist judges and court staff by providing a summary of relevant law and case-management procedures used by the federal courts in these cases.

Supplemental materials, such as sample plans and orders, can be downloaded below. Note that provision of case-related materials by the Federal Judicial Center does not constitute the Center's endorsement of their use or legality. Anyone contemplating using or borrowing from these materials should research case law to determine their current viability.

Note: Attorneys from the Capital Defense Network are available to assist judges and defense counsel in managing capital habeas cases.

Appendix A: Orders Staying Execution

Appendix A-1: District of Arizona—Order Staying Execution (PDF, 2 pp.)
Appendix A-2: Eastern District of California—Order Staying Execution (PDF, 2 pp.)
Appendix A-3: Southern District of Ohio—Order Staying Execution of Sentence of Death (PDF, 2 pp.)

Appendix B: Orders Appointing Counsel

Appendix B-1: Eastern District of Missouri—Order Appointing Counsel (PDF, 1 pp.)
Appendix B-2: District of Nevada—Order Appointing Counsel (PDF, 2 pp.)
Appendix B-3: Southern District of Ohio—Order Appointing Counsel, Granting Leave to Proceed In Forma Pauperis, and Setting Certain Procedures (PDF, 6 pp.)
Appendix B-4: Western District of Oklahoma—Order Appointing Counsel (PDF, 1 pp.)
Appendix B-5: Middle District of Pennsylvania—Order Appointing Counsel (PDF, 1 pp.)
Appendix B-6: Northern District of Texas—Order Appointing Counsel (PDF, 2 pp.)

Appendix C: Budgeting and Cost Management

Appendix C-1: Judicial Council of the Fifth Circuit—Special Procedures for Reviewing Attorney Compensation Requests in Death Penalty Cases (PDF, 1 pp.)
Appendix C-2: Judicial Council of the Ninth Circuit—Amended CJA Capital Habeas Costs Policy (PDF, 5 pp.)
Appendix C-3: Middle District of Alabama—Order Providing Format for Proposed Litigation Budget (PDF, 3 pp.)
Appendix C-4: Middle District of Alabama—Order Detailing Budget Procedure and Hourly Rates (PDF, 4 pp.)
Appendix C-5: Middle District of Alabama—Order Requiring Pre-Authorization for Travel (PDF, 2 pp.)
Appendix C-6: Middle District of Alabama—Order Authorizing Travel (PDF, 3 pp.)
Appendix C-7: District of Arizona—Cost Management Order (PDF, 18 pp.)
Appendix C-8: Eastern District of California—Guide to Case Management and Budgeting in Capital Habeas Cases (PDF, 31 pp.)
Appendix C-9: Eastern District of California—Capital Case Budget and Expenses Worksheets (PDF, 11 pp.)
Appendix C-10: Eastern District of Missouri—Order Detailing CJA Billing Procedures (PDF, 7 pp.)
Appendix C-11: District of Montana—A Plan for Budgeting and Case Management in Capital Habeas Cases in the District of Montana (PDF, 9 pp.)
Appendix C-12: Southern District of Ohio—Order Requesting Circuit Authorization for Budget in Excess of $100,000 (PDF, 1 pp.)
Appendix C-13: Eastern District of Oklahoma—Order Appointing Counsel and Detailing Budget and CJA Payment Procedures (PDF, 13 pp.)
Appendix C-14: Northern District of Texas—Order Requiring Budget (PDF, 3 pp.)
Appendix C-15: Western District of Texas—Order Denying Motions for Authorization of Expert Assistance and Leave to File Ex Parte Application Under Seal (PDF, 10 pp.)

Appendix D: Local Rules Applicable to Capital Cases

Appendix D-1: Southern District of California—Local Rules Applicable to Capital Cases (PDF, 6 pp.)
Appendix D-2: Eastern District of Tennessee—Local Rules Applicable to Capital Cases (PDF, 5 pp.)

Appendix E: General Procedure Orders

Appendix E-1: Middle District of Alabama—General Procedure Order (PDF, 5 pp.)
Appendix E-2: District of Arizona—General Procedure Order (PDF, 7 pp.)
Appendix E-3: Eastern District of California—General Procedure Order (PDF, 2 pp.)
Appendix E-4: Middle District of Florida—General Procedure Order (PDF, 4 pp.)
Appendix E-5: District of Nevada—General Procedure Order (PDF, 2 pp.)
Appendix E-6: Northern District of Ohio—General Procedure Order (PDF, 11 pp.)
Appendix E-7: Western District of Oklahoma—General Procedure Order (PDF, 1 pp.)
Appendix E-8: Middle District of Pennsylvania—General Procedure Order (PDF, 4 pp.)
Appendix E-9: District of South Carolina—General Procedure Order (Forthcoming)
Appendix E-10: Middle District of Tennessee—General Procedure Order (PDF, 4 pp.)
Appendix E-11: Northern District of Texas—General Procedure Order (PDF, 4 pp.)
Appendix E-12: Western District of Texas—General Procedure Order (PDF, 8 pp.)

Appendix F: Scheduling Orders

Appendix F-1: District of Arizona—Scheduling Order (PDF, 2 pp.)
Appendix F-2: Eastern District of California—Scheduling Order (PDF, 3 pp.)
Appendix F-3: Eastern District of Missouri—Scheduling Order (PDF, 2 pp.)
Appendix F-4: District of Nevada—Scheduling Order (PDF, 3 pp.)
Appendix F-5: Western District of Oklahoma—Scheduling Order (PDF, 1 pp.)
Appendix F-6: Southern District of Ohio—Scheduling Order (PDF, 2 pp.)
Appendix F-7: Northern District of Texas—Scheduling Order (PDF, 1 pp.)

Appendix G: Exhaustion/Stay and Abeyance

Appendix G-1: Southern District of Ohio—Decision and Order Granting Motion to Hold Case in Abeyance (PDF, 2 pp.)
Appendix G-2: Southern District of Ohio—Order Staying Case Pending State Court Proceedings (PDF, 2 pp.)
Appendix G-3: Southern District of Ohio—Order for Status Reports (PDF, 1 pp.)
Appendix G-4: Southern District of Ohio—Order Vacating Stay (PDF, 2 pp.)
Appendix G-5: Middle District of Pennsylvania—Order Staying Case Pending Exhaustion in State Court (PDF, 3 pp.)
Appendix G-6: Western District of Texas—Order Granting Motion for Stay and Abeyance (PDF, 11 pp.)

Appendix H: Evidentiary Development

Appendix H-1: Middle District of Alabama—Pretrial Order (PDF, 2 pp.)
Appendix H-2: Central District of California—Scheduling Order for Evidentiary Hearing (PDF, 2 pp.)
Appendix H-3: Eastern District of California—Order Following Joint Status Conference Hearing; Setting Date for Evidentiary Hearing and Prehearing (PDF, 3 pp.)
Appendix H-4: Southern District of Ohio—Notice of Preliminary Pre-Trial Conference (PDF, 1 pp.)
Appendix H-5: Southern District of Ohio—Scheduling Order (PDF, 1 pp.)
Appendix H-6: Northern District of Texas—Order Setting Hearing (PDF, 2 pp.)
Appendix H-7: Northern District of Texas—Order for Petitioner’s Participation at Hearing via Video Teleconference (PDF, 2 pp.)