Senate Bill No. 361–Committee on Judiciary
(On Behalf of Attorney General)
March 10, 1999
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Referred to Committee on Judiciary
SUMMARY—Makes various changes concerning writs of habeas corpus. (BDR 3-309)
FISCAL NOTE: Effect on Local Government: No.
Effect on the State or on Industrial Insurance: No.
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EXPLANATION – Matter in
bolded italics is new; matter between brackets
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
1-1
Section 1. NRS 34.430 is hereby amended to read as follows:1-2
34.430 1.1-3
1-4
subsection 1 of NRS 34.745, the respondent shall serve upon the petitioner1-5
and file with the court a return and an answer1-6
the allegations of the petition1-7
the judge or justice.1-8
2. The return must state plainly and unequivocally whether the1-9
respondent has1-10
restraint. If the respondent has the petitioner in his custody or power, or1-11
under his restraint, he shall state the authority and cause of the1-12
imprisonment or restraint, setting forth with specificity the basis for1-13
custody.2-1
3. If the petitioner is detained by virtue of any judgment, writ, warrant2-2
or2-3
annexed to the return.2-4
4. If the respondent has the petitioner in his power or custody or under2-5
his restraint before or after the date of the writ of habeas corpus2-6
transferred custody or restraint to another, the return must state particularly2-7
to whom, at what time and place, for what cause, and by what authority the2-8
transfer took place.2-9
5. The return must be signed by the respondent and, unless the2-10
respondent is a sworn public officer who makes the return in his official2-11
capacity, verified under oath or affirmation.2-12
Sec. 2. NRS 34.570 is hereby amended to read as follows:2-13
34.570 Until judgment is given on2-14
before whom any party may be brought on2-15
petition may:2-16
1. Commit him to the custody of the sheriff of the county2-17
or2-18
2. Place him in such care or under such custody as his age or2-19
circumstances may require.2-20
Sec. 3. NRS 34.738 is hereby amended to read as follows:2-21
34.738 1. A petition that challenges the validity of a conviction or2-22
sentence must be filed with the clerk of the district court for the county in2-23
which the conviction occurred. Any other petition must be filed with the2-24
clerk of the district court for the county in which the petitioner is2-25
incarcerated.2-26
2. A petition that is not filed in the district court for the appropriate2-27
county:2-28
(a) Shall be deemed to be filed on the date it is received by the clerk of2-29
the district court in which the petition is initially lodged; and2-30
(b) Must be transferred by the clerk of that court to the clerk of the2-31
district court for the appropriate county.2-32
3. A petition must not challenge both the validity of a judgment of2-33
conviction or sentence and the computation of time that the petitioner has2-34
served pursuant to that judgment .2-35
2-36
improperly challenges both the validity of a judgment of conviction or2-37
sentence and the computation of time that the petitioner has served2-38
pursuant to that judgment, the district court for the appropriate county shall2-39
resolve that portion of the petition that challenges the validity of the2-40
judgment of conviction or sentence and dismiss the remainder of the2-41
petition without prejudice.3-1
Sec. 4. NRS 34.745 is hereby amended to read as follows:3-2
34.745 1. If a petition challenges the validity of a judgment of3-3
conviction or sentence and is the first petition filed by the petitioner, the3-4
judge or justice shall order the3-5
attorney general, whichever is appropriate, to:3-6
(a) File:3-7
(1) A response or an answer to the petition; and3-8
(2)3-9
34.770, a return,3-10
within 45 days or a longer period fixed by the judge or justice; or3-11
(b) Take3-12
appropriate.3-13
2. If a petition challenges the computation of time that the petitioner3-14
has served pursuant to a judgment of conviction, the judge or justice3-15
shall order the attorney general to:3-16
(a) File:3-17
(1) A response or an answer to the petition; and3-18
(2) A return,3-19
within 45 days or a longer period fixed by the judge or justice.3-20
(b) Take other action that the judge or justice deems appropriate.3-21
3. An order entered pursuant to subsection 1 or 2 must be in3-22
substantially the following form, with appropriate modifications if the order3-23
is entered by a justice of the supreme court:3-24
Case No.3-25
Dept. No.3-26
IN THE .................. JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT OF THE3-28
3-29
Petitioner,3-30
v. ORDER3-31
3-32
Respondent.3-33
Petitioner filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus on ............, 19....3-34
The court has reviewed the petition and has determined that a response3-35
would assist the court in determining whether petitioner is illegally4-1
imprisoned and restrained of his liberty. Respondent shall, within 45 days4-2
after the date of this order, answer or otherwise respond to the petition and4-3
file a return in accordance with the provisions of NRS 34.360 to 34.830,4-4
inclusive.4-5
Dated , 19....4-6
4-7
District Judge4-8
A copy of the order must be served on the petitioner or his counsel, the4-9
respondent, the attorney general and the district attorney of the county in4-10
which the petitioner was convicted.4-11
4-12
validity of a judgment of conviction or sentence4-13
from the face of the petition or an amended petition and4-14
and exhibits that are annexed to it, or from4-15
4-16
grounds set forth in subsection 2 of NRS 34.810, the judge or justice shall4-17
enter an order for its summary dismissal and cause the petitioner to be4-18
notified of the entry of the order.4-19
4-20
entering an order pursuant to this section, those records must be made a4-21
part of the record of the proceeding before entry of the order.4-22
Sec. 5. NRS 209.451 is hereby amended to read as follows:4-23
209.451 1. If an offender:4-24
(a) Commits an assault upon his keeper or a foreman, officer, offender4-25
or other person, or otherwise endangers life;4-26
(b) Is guilty of a flagrant disregard of the regulations of the department4-27
or of the terms and conditions of his residential confinement;4-28
(c) Commits a misdemeanor, gross misdemeanor or felony; or4-29
(d) In a civil action, in state or federal court, is found by the court to4-30
have presented a pleading, written motion or other document in writing to4-31
the court which:4-32
(1) Contains a claim or defense that is included for an improper4-33
purpose, including, without limitation, for the purpose of harassing his4-34
opponent, causing unnecessary delay in the litigation or increasing the cost4-35
of the litigation;4-36
(2) Contains a claim, defense or other argument which is not4-37
warranted by existing law or by a reasonable argument for a change in4-38
existing law or a change in the interpretation of existing law; or5-1
(3) Contains allegations or information presented as fact for which5-2
evidentiary support is not available or is not likely to be discovered after5-3
further investigation,5-4
he forfeits all deductions of time earned by him before the commission of5-5
that offense or act, or forfeits such part of those deductions as the director5-6
considers just.5-7
2. If an offender commits a serious violation of the regulations of the5-8
department or of the terms and conditions of his residential confinement or5-9
if an offender violates subsection 4 of NRS 209.367, he may forfeit all or5-10
part of such deductions, in the discretion of the director.5-11
3. A forfeiture may be made only by the director after proof of the5-12
commission of an act prohibited pursuant to this section and notice to the5-13
offender in the manner prescribed in the regulations of the department. The5-14
decision of the director regarding a forfeiture is final.5-15
4. The director may restore credits forfeited for such reasons as he5-16
considers proper.5-17
5. As used in this section, "civil action" includes a petition for a writ5-18
of habeas corpus filed in state or federal court.5-19
Sec. 6. The amendatory provisions of this act apply to post-conviction5-20
proceedings that are commenced on or after October 1, 1999.~