Opinion · Supreme Court of the United States

Calderon v. Ashmus

Calderon v. Ashmus, 523 U.S. 740 (1998)

Type
Opinion
Court
Supreme Court of the United States
Jurisdiction
Federal
Date
1998-05-26
Topic
general

How later courts describe this case

  • holding that a prisoner may not use a declaratory judgment action to determine the validity of a defense that a State might raise in a future habeas proceeding
  • recognizing that Eleventh Amendment “is not coextensive with the limitations on judicial power in Article III”
  • recognizing that the Eleventh Amendment issue can be raised at any stage of the proceedings
  • holding that a declaratory judgment was not justiciable because it “would not completely resolve [all] challenges but would simply carve out one issue in the dispute for separate adjudication”
  • holding that the case or controversy requirement of Article III was not satisfied where a prisoner sought a declaratory judgment as to the validity of a defense a state was likely to raise in his habeas action
  • concluding that the declaratory judgment sought was not justiciable because the plaintiff’s requested relief “would not completely resolve those challenges, but would simply carve out one issue in the dispute for separate adjudication.”
  • stating that court "must first address" whether action presented Article III case or controversy before addressing Eleventh Amendment issue
  • holding that Rule 15(c) applies to post-AEDPA 2255 petitions

Citator

UpLaw has not yet analyzed Calderon v. Ashmus. The absence of a flag is not a finding that it is good law.

Authority status
pending
Cited by
341 opinions

Headnotes

  1. Federal Courts & Jurisdiction — Declaratory Judgment Act The federal Declaratory Judgment Act validly confers jurisdiction on federal courts to enter declaratory judgments in cases of actual controversy, but only where the controversy would admit of specific relief through a decree of a conclusive character, as distinguished from an opinion advising what the law would be upon a hypothetical state of facts. 523 U.S. at 745-746 (citing Aetna Life Ins. Co. v. Haworth, 300 U.S. 227, 241 (1937))
  2. Federal Courts & Jurisdiction — Case or Controversy An action seeking a declaratory judgment solely to obtain an advance ruling on a defense the State may or may not raise in a future habeas proceeding does not resolve the entire case or controversy but merely determines a collateral legal issue governing certain aspects of pending or future suits, and therefore is not a justiciable case under Article III. 523 U.S. at 746-747
  3. Federal Courts & Jurisdiction — Declaratory Judgment Act The Declaratory Judgment Act may not be used to gain a litigation advantage by obtaining an advance ruling on an affirmative defense; the validity of such a defense properly arises only when the party asserting it relies on it as a defense in a suit that can afford complete and adequate relief. 523 U.S. at 747 (citing Coffman v. Breeze Corps., 323 U.S. 316, 322-324 (1945))
  4. Habeas Corpus — Exhaustion of State Remedies A state prisoner attacking the validity or duration of his confinement must bring his claim under the federal habeas statutes and must exhaust state remedies before bringing the claim to a federal court; permitting a prisoner to obtain a declaratory judgment as to the applicable limitations period in a future habeas action without any showing of exhaustion would improperly circumvent that requirement. 523 U.S. at 747-748 (citing Preiser v. Rodriguez, 411 U.S. 475, 489-491, 500 (1973))
  5. Federal Courts & Jurisdiction — Declaratory Judgment Act A declaratory judgment action that completely resolves a concrete controversy susceptible to conclusive judicial determination falls within the traditional scope of the Declaratory Judgment Act; the Act does not extend to a suit seeking to adjudicate a single collateral issue where the underlying dispute must await another lawsuit for complete resolution, and the ordinary risk associated with resolving an issue in a later proceeding rather than a pre-emptive suit does not establish a case or controversy. 523 U.S. at 748-749 (distinguishing Steffel v. Thompson, 415 U.S. 452 (1974))
CALDERON v. ASHMUS,523 U.S. 740(1998)
118 S.Ct. 1694
ARTHUR CALDERON, WARDEN, ET AL., PETITIONERSv.
TROY A. ASHMUS ETC.
CERTIORARI TO THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT
No. 97-391.
Argued March 24, 1998
Decided May 26, 1998
Chapter 154 of 28 U.S.C. part of the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996, provides, inter alia, an expedited review process — including a 180-day filing period,28 U.S.C. § 2263(a) (1994 ed., Supp II) for federal habeas proceedings in capital cases in States that meet certain conditions. Proceedings against other States are governed by Chapter 153, which has a 1-year filing period, § 2244(d) (1), and lacks expedited procedures. After California officials, including petitioner state attorney general, indicated that they would invoke Chapter 154's protections, respondent, a state capital prisoner, sought declaratory and injunctive relief to resolve whether the chapter applied to a class of capital prisoners whose convictions were affirmed after a particular date. The Federal District Court issued a declaratory judgment, holding that California did not qualify for Chapter 154 and therefore the chapter did not apply to the class, and enjoined petitioners from invoking the chapter in any proceedings involving class members. In affirming, the Ninth Circuit rejected petitioners' claim that the Eleventh Amendment barred respondent's suit; determined that the District Court had authority to issue a declaratory judgment under the federal Declaratory Judgment Act; and rejected petitioners' contention that the injunction violated the First Amendment. Before reaching the Eleventh and First Amendment issues on which certiorari was granted, this Court must address whether the action is the type of "Article III" "case or controversy" to which federal courts are limited. See,e.g.,FW/PBS, Inc. v.Dallas,493 U.S. 215,230-231.Held:This action is not a justiciable case under Article III. The Declaratory Judgment Act validly confers jurisdiction on federal courts to enter declaratory judgments in cases where the controversy would admit "of specific relief through a decree of a conclusive character, as distinguished from an opinion advising what the law would be upon a hypothetical state of facts."Aetna Life Ins. Co. v.Haworth,300 U.S. 227,241. Here, rather than seeking a final or conclusive determination of the underlying controversy — whether respondent is entitled to federal habeas relief — respondent carved out of that claim only the questionPage 741whether, when he sought habeas relief, California's defense would be governed by Chapter 153 or Chapter 154. He would have obtained such a determination in a habeas action itself, but he seeks instead to have an advance ruling on the collateral issue. The Declaratory Judgment Act cannot be used for this purpose. See,e.g., Coffmanv.Breeze Corps.,323 U.S. 316. Such an action's disruptive effects are peculiarly great when the underlying claims must be adjudicated in federal habeas, for it would allow respondent to obtain a declaration as to the applicable limitations period without ever having shown that he has met the exhaustion-of-state-remedies requirement. If class members file habeas petitions and the State asserts Chapter 154, they can litigate California's compliance with the chapter at that time. The risk associated with resolving the issue in habeas rather than in a pre-emptive suit is no different from risks associated with choices that litigants commonly face. Respondent mistakenly relies onSteffelv.Thompson,415 U.S. 452, forSteffelfalls within the traditional scope of declaratory judgment actions: It completely resolved a concrete controversy susceptible to conclusive judicial determination. Pp. 745-749.123 F.3d 1199, reversed and remanded.

REHNQUIST, C.J., delivered the opinion for a unanimous Court. BREYER, J., filed a concurring opinion, in which SOUTER, J., joinedpost, p. 749.
Ronald S. Matthias, Supervising Deputy Attorney General of California, argued the cause for petitioners. With him on the briefs wereDaniel E. Lungren, Attorney General,prose, George Williamson, Chief Assistant Attorney General, andRonald A. BassandDane R. Gillette, Senior Assistant Attorneys General.Michael Laurenceargued the cause for respondent. With him on the brief wereGary D. SowardsandJean R. Sternberg.fn*Page 742
CHIEF JUSTICE REHNQUIST delivered the opinion of the Court.
Chapter 154 of 28 U.S.C. part of the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 (AEDPA),28 U.S.C.A. § 2261et seq. (1994 ed., Supp. II), provides certain procedural advantages to qualifying States in federal habeas proceedings. This case requires us to decide whether state death-row inmates may sue state officials for declaratory and injunctive relief limited to determining whether California qualifies under Chapter 154.

Chapter 154 revises procedural rules for federal habeas proceedings in capital cases. Most notably, it provides for an expedited review process in proceedings brought against qualifying States. It imposes a 180-day limitation period for filing a federal habeas petition. § 2263(a). It treats an untimely petition as a successive petition for purposes of obtaining a stay of execution, § 2262(c), and it allows a prisoner to amend a petition after an answer is filed only where the prisoner meets the requirements for a successive petition, § 2266(b)(3)(B). Chapter 154 also obligates a federal district court to render a final judgment on any petition within 180 days of its filing, and a court of appeals to render a final determination within 120 days of the briefing. §§ 2266(a) and (c).

As a general rule, Chapter 153 — which has a 1-year filing period, § 2244(d)(1), and lacks expedited review procedures —Page 743governs federal habeas proceedings against a State. Chapter 154 will apply in capital cases only if the State meets certain conditions. A State must establish "a mechanism for the appointment, compensation, and payment of reasonable litigation expenses of competent counsel" in state post-conviction proceedings, and "must provide standards of competency for the appointment of such counsel." § 2261(b) (States with separate postconviction review proceedings); § 2265(a) (States with unitary review procedures).1The State must offer counsel to all capital defendants, and the state court must enter an order concerning appointment of counsel. § 2261(b), 2265(b). If a State meets these criteria, then it may invoke Chapter 154.

Various California officials, including petitioner Attorney General Lungren, publicly indicated that they thought California qualified under Chapter 154 and that they intended to invoke the chapter's protections. Respondent Troy Ashmus, a state prisoner sentenced to death, filed a class-action suit against petitioners. The class, which included all capital prisoners in California whose convictions were affirmed on direct appeal after June 6, 1989, sought declaratory and injunctive relief to resolve uncertainty over whether Chapter 154 applied.

The District Court issued a declaratory judgment holding that California does not presently qualify for Chapter 154 and that Chapter 154 therefore does not apply to any class members. It also issued a preliminary injunction enjoining petitioners from "trying or seeking to obtain for the State of California the benefits of the provisions of Chapter 154 . . . in any state or federal proceedings involving any class member."935 F. Supp. 1048,1076(ND Cal. 1996).Page 744

The Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed.123 F.3d 1199(1997). As a threshold matter, the Court of Appeals rejected petitioners' claim that the Eleventh Amendment barred respondent's suit as one against the State. The court concluded that the case falls within theEx parte Youngexception to Eleventh Amendment immunity,Ex parte Young,209 U.S. 123(1908), because respondent sufficiently alleged a continuing violation of federal law.123 F.3d, at 1204-1206. California's announced intention to invoke Chapter 154, without having complied with its requirements, threatened to violate the class members' right to thorough federal review of their first habeas petitions, pursuant to Chapter 153, and their right to assistance of counsel in federal habeas proceedings, pursuant to21 U.S.C. § 848(q). By stating its intention to invoke Chapter 154, the Court of Appeals reasoned, California forced inmates to make an unacceptable choice: filing apro sepetition within 180 days in order to ensure compliance with Chapter 154, which may fail to raise substantial claims, or waiting until counsel is appointed, which may miss the 180-day filing deadline if Chapter 154 applies.123 F.3d, at 1204-1205.

The Court of Appeals also determined that the District Court had authority to issue a declaratory judgment under28 U.S.C. § 2201(a).123 F.3d, at 1206-1207. It noted that a declaratory judgment plaintiff need only demonstrate an independent basis of federal jurisdiction and an actual case or controversy.Id., at 1206. The District Court had federal question jurisdiction under28 U.S.C. § 1331because the case challenged the interpretation of a federal Act. And the case or controversy requirement was satisfied, the court concluded, because "the State's threats to invoke Chapter 154 will significantly affect the plaintiff-class's ability to obtain habeas corpus review by a federal court." 123 F.3d,at 1207.

The Court of Appeals agreed in large part with the District Court's conclusion that California does not qualify, andPage 745therefore found Chapter 154 inapplicable. In affirming the grant of injunctive relief, the Court of Appeals rejected petitioners' contention that enjoining their advocacy of a particular legal position violates the First Amendment. It thought the injunction did not interfere with the state officials' rights since they were free to voice their opinion that the decision was wrong — only not in court in order to invoke the benefits of Chapter 154.Id., at 1207-1209.

Petitioners sought review in this Court. We granted certiorari on both the Eleventh Amendment and the First Amendment issues,522 U.S. 1011(1997), but in keeping with our precedents, have decided that we must first address whether this action for a declaratory judgment is the sort of "Article III" "case or controversy" to which federal courts are limited. See,e.g.,FW/PBS,Inc. v.Dallas,493 U.S. 215,230-231(1990).2

Before the enactment of the federal Declaratory Judgment Act, this Court expressed the view that a "declaratory judgment" was not within that jurisdiction.Willingv.ChicagoAuditorium Assn.,277 U.S. 274,289(1928). But inNashville, C. St. L. R. Co. v.Wallace,288 U.S. 249(1933), the Court held that it did have jurisdiction to review a declaratory judgment granted by a state court. And inAetna Life Ins. Co. v.Haworth,300 U.S. 227(1937), we decided that the federal Declaratory Judgment Act validly conferred jurisdiction on federal courts to issue declaratory judgments in appropriate cases.

That Act provides that "[i]n a case of actual controversy within its jurisdiction, . . . any court of the United States . . . may declare the rights and other legal relations of any interestedPage 746party seeking such declaration, whether or not further relief is or could be sought."28 U.S.C. § 2201. See also Fed. Rule Civ. Proc.57. Thus, inAetna Life Ins., we held that an insurance company could bring a declaratory judgment action to determine the validity of insurance policies. The company and the insured disputed whether the policies had lapsed and how much was currently payable, but the insured had not brought suit to recover benefits.300 U.S., at 239-240. We observed that the controversy would admit "of specific relief through a decree of a conclusive character, as distinguished from an opinion advising what the law would be upon a hypothetical state of facts."Id., at 241. See alsoWallace, supra, at 262. We have thus recognized the potential for declaratory judgment suits to fall outside the constitutional definition of a "case" in Article III: a claim "`brought before the court(s) for determination by such regular proceedings as are established by law or custom for the protection or enforcement of rights, or the prevention, redress, or punishment of wrongs.'"Fairchildv.Hughes,258 U.S. 126,129(1922).

The underlying "controversy" between petitioners and respondent is whether respondent is entitled to federalhabeasrelief setting aside his sentence or conviction obtained in the California courts. But no such final or conclusive determination was sought in this action. Instead, respondent carved out of that claim only the question whether, when he sought habeas relief, California would be governed by Chapter 153 or by Chapter 154 in defending the action. Had he brought a habeas action itself, he undoubtedly would have obtained such a determination, but he seeks to have that question determined in anticipation of seeking habeas so that he will be better able to know, for example, the time limits govern the habeas action.

We think previous decisions of this Court bar the use of the Declaratory Judgment Act for this purpose. InCoffmanv.Breeze Corps.,323 U.S. 316(1945), a patent owner brought suit seeking to have the Royalty Adjustment ActPage 747declared unconstitutional and to enjoin his licensee from paying accrued royalties to the government. The Court held that the action presented no case or controversy. The validity of the Act would properly arise only in a suit by the patent holder to recover the royalties, which could afford complete and adequate relief. In such a suit, if the licensee were to assert compliance with the Act as a defense to an obligation to pay the amounts due, the patent holder's right of recovery would then depend on a determination of the Act's validity.Id., at 322-323. The Court thus concluded that there was no justiciable question "unless and until [the patent owner] seeks recovery of the royalties, and then only if [the licensee] relies on the Act as a defense."Id., at 324. See alsoPublic Serv.Comm'n of Utahv.Wycoff Co.,344 U.S. 237,245-246(1952).

As inCoffman, respondent here seeks a declaratory judgment as to the validity of a defense the State may, or may not, raise in a habeas proceeding. Such a suit does not merely allow the resolution of a "case or controversy" in an alternative format, as inAetna Life Ins., supra, but rather attempts to gain a litigation advantage by obtaining an advance ruling on an affirmative defense, seeCoffman, supra, at 322-324;Wycoff Co., supra, at 245-246. The "case or controversy" actually at stake is the class members' claims in their individual habeas proceedings. Any judgment in this action thus would not resolve the entire case or controversy as to any one of them, but would merely determine a collateral legal issue governing certain aspects of their pending or future suits.

The disruptive effects of an action such as this are peculiarly great when the underlying claim must be adjudicated in a federal habeas proceeding. For we have held that any claim by a prisoner attacking the validity or duration of his confinement must be brought under the habeas sections of Title 28 of the United States Code.Preiserv.Rodriguez,411 U.S. 475,500(1973). As that opinion pointed out, this means that a state prisoner is required to exhaust state remediesPage 748before bringing his claim to a federal court.Id., at 489-491. But if respondent Ashmus is allowed to maintain the present action, he would obtain a declaration as to the applicable statute of limitations in a federal habeas action without ever having shown that he has exhausted state remedies. This aberration illustrates the need, emphasized inCoffmanandWycoff, to prevent federal-court litigants from seeking by declaratory judgment to litigate a single issue in a that dispute must await another lawsuit for complete resolution.

If the class members file habeas petitions, and the State asserts Chapter 154, the members obviously can litigate California's compliance with Chapter 154 at that time.3Any risk associated with resolving the question in habeas, rather than a pre-emptive suit, is no different from risks associated with choices commonly faced by litigants.

When asked at oral argument what authority existed for allowing a declaratory judgment suit on an anticipated defense, respondent replied thatSteffelv.Thompson,415 U.S. 452(1974), allows a declaratory judgment action to prevent interference with federal rights. See also Brief for Respondent 16. Although acknowledging thatSteffelinvolved a continuing threat of arrest in violation of the First Amendment, respondent argued that the Court's decision did not distinguish types of threats. Here, according to respondent, the State's "threat" to assert Chapter 154 in habeas proceedings and the risk that the class members will thereby losePage 749their rights to application of Chapter 153 are sufficient to establish federal court jurisdiction.Steffel, however, falls within the traditional scope of declaratory judgment actions because it completely resolved a concrete controversy susceptible to conclusive judicial determination. InSteffel, protesters had twice been told they would be arrested for handbilling in front of a shopping center, and the plaintiff's companion had in fact been arrested after disregarding instructions to leave.Id., at 455-456. The imminent threat of state criminal prosecution and the consequent deterrence of the plaintiff's exercise of constitutionally protected rights established a case or controversy.Id., at 459. That controversy could have been completely resolved by the declaratory judgment sought by the plaintiff.Id., at 460-462.

The differences between this case andSteffelare several. Here, California's assertions on Chapter 154 have no coercive impact on the legal rights or obligations of either party. It is the members of the class, and not the State, who anticipate filing lawsuits. Those habeas actions would challenge the validity of their state/court convictions and sentences; the State will oppose such challenges. The present declaratory judgment action would not completely resolve those challenges, but would simply carve out one issue in the dispute for separate adjudication.

We conclude that this action for a declaratory judgment and injunctive relief is not a justiciable case within the meaning of Article III. The judgment of the Court of Appeals accordingly is reversed, and the case is remanded with instructions that respondent's complaint be dismissed.It is so ordered.
JUSTICE BREYER, with whom JUSTICE SOUTER joins, concurring.
The Court says that "[respondent] can litigate California's compliance with Chapter 154" when theyPage 750"file habeas petitions."Ante, at 748. In light of the Court of Appeals' concern, echoed by respondent class members, that without declaratory relief, they would be placed in an untenable remedial "dilemma," Brief for Respondent 16-17, 35-37;123 F.3d 1199,1205(CA9 1997), I would add that it should prove possible for at least some habeas petitioners to obtain a relatively expeditious judicial answer to the Chapter 154 compliance question and thereby provide legal guidance for others. That is because, in at least some cases, whether a petitioner can or cannot amend, say, a "bare bones" habeas petition (filed within 180 days) will likely depend upon whether California does, or does not, qualify as an "opt-in" State. Compare28 U.S.C. § 2242(ordinary amendment rules); § 2254 Rule 11 (rules of civil procedure applicable to federal habeas petitions); 1 J. Liebman R. Hertz, Federal Habeas Corpus Practice and Procedure § 17.2 (2d ed. 1994 and Supp. 1997) (Federal Rule of Civil Procedure15's liberal standard for amendment applies to habeas petitions in States not eligible for Chapter 154); with28 U.S.C. § 2266(b)(3)(B) (1994 ed., Supp. II) (setting forth strict standard for amendment applicable where State falls within Chapter 154). And a district court's determination that turned on the legal answer to that question might well qualify for interlocutory appeal. See28 U.S.C. § 1292(b) (permitting certification, and hence interlocutory appeal, of certain district court determinations). With this understanding, I join the Court's opinion.Page 751
  1. A brief ofamici curiaeurging reversal was filed for the State of Maryland et al. byJ. Joseph Curran, Jr., Attorney General of Maryland, andAndrew H. BaidaandDavid P.Kennedy, Assistant Attorneys General, and by the Attorneys General for their respective States as follows:Bill Pryorof Alabama,Grant Woodsof Arizona,Gale A. Nortonof Colorado,John M. Baileyof Connecticut,M. Jane Bradyof Delaware,Thurbert E. Bakerof Georgia,Margery S. Bronsterof Hawaii,Alan G. Lanceof Idaho,James E. Ryanof Illinois,Jeffrey A. Modisettof Indiana,Carla J.Stovallof Kansas,Richard P. Ieyoubof Louisianna,Michael C. Mooreof Mississippi,Jeremiah W. (Jay) Nixonof Missouri,Joseph P. Mazurekof Montana,Robert A. Butterworthof Florida,Don Stenbergof Nebraska,Frankie Sue Del Papaof Nevada,Philip T. McLaughlinof New Hampshire,Dennis C.Vaccoof New York,Michael F. Easleyof North Carolina,Betty D. Montgomeryof Ohio,W.A. Drew Edmondsonof Oklahoma,D. Michael Fisherof Pennsylvania,Charles M.Condonof South Carolina,Mark Barnettof South Dakota,John Knox Walkupof Tennessee,Dan Moralesof Texas,Jan Grahamof Utah,Richard Cullenof Virginia, andTom Udallof New Mexico. ↩
  2. It is undisputed here that California is a unitary review State, which is a State that allows prisoners to raise collateral challenges in the course of direct review of the judgment, such that all claims may be raised in a single state appeal. See28 U.S.C. § 2265(a) (1994 ed., Supp. II). ↩
  3. While the Eleventh Amendment is jurisdictional in the sense that it is a limitation on the federal court's judicial power, and therefore can be raised at any stage of the proceedings, we have recognized that it is not co-extensive with the limitations on judicial power in Article III. SeeIdahov.Coeurd'Alene Tribe of Idaho,521 U.S. 261, 267(1997);Patsyv.Board of Regents of Fla.,457 U.S. 496,515, n. 19 (1982). ↩
  4. Respondent conceded this point in earlier briefings. Brief in Opposition 7. Respondent now contends, however, that habeas proceedings will not provide an effective remedy because the class members still will be put in the file-or-default dilemma and because a decision in one case will not relieve the other members of their continuing uncertainty. Brief for Respondent 35-36. But as explained,supra, at 747, the dilemma the class members face does not establish a case in the constitutional sense. And the inability to bind the government as to the whole class does not affect that determination. ↩