A petition must be in substantially the following form, with appropriate modifications if the petition is filed in the Court of Appeals or the Supreme Court:
Case No. ...............................
Dept. No. ...............................
IN THE .................. JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT OF THE
STATE OF NEVADA IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF..................
..........................................................
Petitioner,
v. PETITION FOR WRIT
OF HABEAS CORPUS
(POSTCONVICTION)
..........................................................
Respondent.
INSTRUCTIONS:
(1) This petition must be legibly handwritten or typewritten, signed by the petitioner and verified.
(2) Additional pages are not permitted except where noted or with respect to the facts which you rely upon to support your grounds for relief. No citation of authorities need be furnished. If briefs or arguments are submitted, they should be submitted in the form of a separate memorandum.
(3) If you want an attorney appointed, you must complete the Affidavit in Support of Request to Proceed in Forma Pauperis. You must have an authorized officer at the prison complete the certificate as to the amount of money and securities on deposit to your credit in any account in the institution.
(4) You must name as respondent the person by whom you are confined or restrained. If you are in a specific institution of the Department of Corrections, name the warden or head of the institution. If you are not in a specific institution of the Department but within its custody, name the Director of the Department of Corrections.
(5) You must include all grounds or claims for relief which you may have regarding your conviction or sentence. Failure to raise all grounds in this petition may preclude you from filing future petitions challenging your conviction and sentence.
(6) You must allege specific facts supporting the claims in the petition you file seeking relief from any conviction or sentence. Failure to allege specific facts rather than just conclusions may cause your petition to be dismissed. If your petition contains a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel, that claim will operate to waive the attorney-client privilege for the proceeding in which you claim your counsel was ineffective.
(7) When the petition is fully completed, the original and one copy must be filed with the clerk of the state district court for the county in which you were convicted. One copy must be mailed to the respondent, one copy to the Attorney General’s Office, and one copy to the district attorney of the county in which you were convicted or to the original prosecutor if you are challenging your original conviction or sentence. Copies must conform in all particulars to the original submitted for filing.
PETITION
1. Name of institution and county in which you are presently imprisoned or where and how you are presently restrained of your liberty: ..............................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
2. Name and location of court which entered the judgment of conviction under attack:
..........................................................................................................................................
3. Date of judgment of conviction: ..................................................................
4. Case number: ..................................................................................................
5. (a) Length of sentence: ................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
(b) If sentence is death, state any date upon which execution is scheduled:
6. Are you presently serving a sentence for a conviction other than the conviction under attack in this motion? Yes ........ No ........
If "yes," list crime, case number and sentence being served at this time: ..........
..........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
7. Nature of offense involved in conviction being challenged: ..................
..........................................................................................................................................
8. What was your plea? (check one)
(a) Not guilty ........
(b) Guilty ........
(c) Guilty but mentally ill ........
(d) Nolo contendere ........
9. If you entered a plea of guilty or guilty but mentally ill to one count of an indictment or information, and a plea of not guilty to another count of an indictment or information, or if a plea of guilty or guilty but mentally ill was negotiated, give details: ............................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
10. If you were found guilty or guilty but mentally ill after a plea of not guilty, was the finding made by: (check one)
(a) Jury ........
(b) Judge without a jury ........
11. Did you testify at the trial? Yes ........ No ........
12. Did you appeal from the judgment of conviction? Yes ........ No ........
13. If you did appeal, answer the following:
(a) Name of court: ................................................................................................
(b) Case number or citation: ...............................................................................
(c) Result: ...............................................................................................................
(d) Date of result: ..................................................................................................
(Attach copy of order or decision, if available.)
14. If you did not appeal, explain briefly why you did not: ........................
..........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
15. Other than a direct appeal from the judgment of conviction and sentence, have you previously filed any petitions, applications or motions with respect to this judgment in any court, state or federal? Yes ........ No ........
16. If your answer to No. 15 was "yes," give the following information:
(a) (1) Name of court: ..........................................................................................
(2) Nature of proceeding: ..............................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
(3) Grounds raised: ........................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
(4) Did you receive an evidentiary hearing on your petition, application or motion? Yes ........ No ........
(5) Result: ........................................................................................................
(6) Date of result: ...........................................................................................
(7) If known, citations of any written opinion or date of orders entered pursuant to such result:
..........................................................................................................................................
(b) As to any second petition, application or motion, give the same information:
(1) Name of court: ..........................................................................................
(2) Nature of proceeding: ..............................................................................
(3) Grounds raised: ........................................................................................
(4) Did you receive an evidentiary hearing on your petition, application or motion? Yes ........ No ........
(5) Result: ........................................................................................................
(6) Date of result: ...........................................................................................
(7) If known, citations of any written opinion or date of orders entered pursuant to such result:
..........................................................................................................................................
(c) As to any third or subsequent additional applications or motions, give the same information as above, list them on a separate sheet and attach.
(d) Did you appeal to the highest state or federal court having jurisdiction, the result or action taken on any petition, application or motion?
(1) First petition, application or motion? Yes ........ No ........
Citation or date of decision: ....................................................................
(2) Second petition, application or motion? Yes ........ No .........
Citation or date of decision: ....................................................................
(3) Third or subsequent petitions, applications or motions? Yes ........ No ........
Citation or date of decision: ....................................................................
(e) If you did not appeal from the adverse action on any petition, application or motion, explain briefly why you did not. (You must relate specific facts in response to this question. Your response may be included on paper which is 8 1/2 by 11 inches attached to the petition. Your response may not exceed five handwritten or typewritten pages in length.)
..........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
17. Has any ground being raised in this petition been previously presented to this or any other court by way of petition for habeas corpus, motion, application or any other postconviction proceeding? If so, identify:
(a) Which of the grounds is the same: ...............................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
(b) The proceedings in which these grounds were raised: .............................
..........................................................................................................................................
(c) Briefly explain why you are again raising these grounds. (You must relate specific facts in response to this question. Your response may be included on paper which is 8 1/2 by 11 inches attached to the petition. Your response may not exceed five handwritten or typewritten pages in length.) ...................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
18. If any of the grounds listed in Nos. 23(a), (b), (c) and (d), or listed on any additional pages you have attached, were not previously presented in any other court, state or federal, list briefly what grounds were not so presented, and give your reasons for not presenting them. (You must relate specific facts in response to this question. Your response may be included on paper which is 8 1/2 by 11 inches attached to the petition. Your response may not exceed five handwritten or typewritten pages in length.) ............................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
19. Are you filing this petition more than 1 year following the filing of the judgment of conviction or the filing of a decision on direct appeal? If so, state briefly the reasons for the delay. (You must relate specific facts in response to this question. Your response may be included on paper which is 8 1/2 by 11 inches attached to the petition. Your response may not exceed five handwritten or typewritten pages in length.) ......................................
..........................................................................................................................................
20. Do you have any petition or appeal now pending in any court, either state or federal, as to the judgment under attack? Yes ........ No ........
If yes, state what court and the case number: ..........................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
21. Give the name of each attorney who represented you in the proceeding resulting in your conviction and on direct appeal:
..........................................................................................................................................
22. Do you have any future sentences to serve after you complete the sentence imposed by the judgment under attack? Yes ........ No ........
If yes, specify where and when it is to be served, if you know: ...........................
..........................................................................................................................................
23. State concisely every ground on which you claim that you are being held unlawfully. Summarize briefly the facts supporting each ground. If necessary you may attach pages stating additional grounds and facts supporting same.
(a) Ground one: .....................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
Supporting FACTS (Tell your story briefly without citing cases or law.): ........
..........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
(b) Ground two: .....................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
Supporting FACTS (Tell your story briefly without citing cases or law.): ........
..........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
(c) Ground three: ...................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
Supporting FACTS (Tell your story briefly without citing cases or law.): ........
..........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
(d) Ground four: ....................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
Supporting FACTS (Tell your story briefly without citing cases or law.): ........
..........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
WHEREFORE, petitioner prays that the court grant petitioner relief to which petitioner may be entitled in this proceeding.
EXECUTED at ................... on the ....... day of the month of ....... of the year .......
...............................................................
Signature of petitioner
...............................................................
Address
..................................................................
Signature of attorney (if any)
..................................................................
Attorney for petitioner
..................................................................
Address
VERIFICATION
Under penalty of perjury, the undersigned declares that the undersigned is the petitioner named in the foregoing petition and knows the contents thereof; that the pleading is true of the undersigned’s own knowledge, except as to those matters stated on information and belief, and as to such matters the undersigned believes them to be true.
...............................................................
Petitioner
...............................................................
Attorney for petitioner
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE BY MAIL
I, ................................, hereby certify, pursuant to N.R.C.P. 5(b), that on this ........ day of the month of ........ of the year ........, I mailed a true and correct copy of the foregoing PETITION FOR WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS addressed to:
...............................................................................................................
Respondent prison or jail official
...............................................................................................................
Address
...............................................................................................................
Attorney General
Heroes’ Memorial Building
Capitol Complex
Carson City, Nevada 89710
...............................................................................................................
District Attorney of County of Conviction
...............................................................................................................
Address
...............................................................
Signature of Petitioner
(Added to NRS by 1987, 1210; A 1989, 451; 1991, 79; 1993, 243; 1995, 2460; 2001, 21; 2001 Special Session, 207; 2003, 1473; 2007, 1429; 2013, 1736)
Structure Nevada Revised Statutes
Chapter 34 - Writs; Petition to Establish Factual Innocence
NRS 34.010 - Writ of certiorari denominated writ of review.
NRS 34.020 - Writ may be granted by appellate and district courts; when writ may issue.
NRS 34.030 - Application for writ made on affidavit; notice to adverse party may be required.
NRS 34.040 - Writ may be directed to inferior tribunal, board or officer.
NRS 34.050 - Court may order return and hearing at any time.
NRS 34.060 - Contents of writ.
NRS 34.070 - Suspension of proceedings in inferior courts.
NRS 34.090 - Extent of review.
NRS 34.100 - Perfection of defective return; hearing and judgment.
NRS 34.110 - Copy of judgment to be transmitted to inferior tribunal, board or officer.
NRS 34.120 - Judgment roll; appeal from judgment.
NRS 34.130 - Rules of practice in certiorari proceedings.
NRS 34.140 - Procedure in new trials and appeals in certiorari proceedings.
NRS 34.150 - Writ of mandamus denominated writ of mandate.
NRS 34.160 - Writ may be issued by appellate and district courts; when writ may issue.
NRS 34.170 - Writ to issue when no plain, speedy and adequate remedy in law.
NRS 34.180 - Writ may be made returnable; hearing.
NRS 34.190 - Writ must be either alternative or peremptory; substance of writ.
NRS 34.210 - Adverse party may show cause by answer under oath.
NRS 34.220 - If answer raises essential question of fact, court may order jury trial.
NRS 34.230 - Applicant may object to sufficiency of answer or countervail it by proof.
NRS 34.240 - Motion for new trial and new trial.
NRS 34.260 - Court may grant time for reply to answer; hearing by court.
NRS 34.270 - Recovery of damages by applicant; execution may issue to enforce judgment.
NRS 34.290 - Penalties for refusal or neglect to obey writ; state and county officers.
NRS 34.300 - Rules of practice in mandamus proceedings.
NRS 34.310 - Procedure in new trials and appeals in mandamus proceedings.
NRS 34.320 - Writ of prohibition defined.
NRS 34.340 - Writ must be alternative or peremptory; form of writ.
NRS 34.350 - Court may order return and hearing at any time.
NRS 34.360 - Persons who may prosecute writ.
NRS 34.370 - Application for writ; verification required; contents; supporting documents.
NRS 34.390 - Judge to grant writ without delay; exceptions; effect of writ.
NRS 34.400 - Contents of writ.
NRS 34.420 - Proceedings upon disobedience of writ.
NRS 34.430 - Return and answer: Service and filing; contents; signature and verification.
NRS 34.440 - Person served must bring body of person in custody; exceptions.
NRS 34.450 - Sickness or infirmity of party restrained; hearing may proceed or be adjourned.
NRS 34.470 - Answer to return; summary proceeding; attendance of witnesses.
NRS 34.480 - If no legal cause shown, judge shall discharge person from custody.
NRS 34.500 - Grounds for discharge in certain cases.
NRS 34.510 - Defect of form in warrant or commitment not ground for discharge.
NRS 34.530 - Writ for purposes of bail.
NRS 34.540 - Bail in habeas corpus proceedings.
NRS 34.550 - Judge to remand to custody if party not entitled to discharge or is not bailed.
NRS 34.560 - Judge may order change of custody; enforcement of commitment order stayed; appeal.
NRS 34.570 - Pending judgment on proceedings, judge may commit or place in custody.
NRS 34.575 - Appeal from order of district court granting or denying writ.
NRS 34.580 - Defect of form in writ immaterial.
NRS 34.590 - Cases where imprisonment after discharge is permitted.
NRS 34.600 - In certain cases warrant may issue instead of writ.
NRS 34.610 - Judge may include in warrant order for arrest of person charged with illegal detention.
NRS 34.620 - Execution of warrant.
NRS 34.630 - Return, answer and hearing on warrant.
NRS 34.640 - Party may be discharged or remanded.
NRS 34.650 - Writ of process may issue on Sunday or nonjudicial day.
NRS 34.660 - Clerk to issue writs, warrants, processes and subpoenas; when returnable.
NRS 34.670 - Damages recoverable for failure to issue or obey writ.
NRS 34.680 - Penalties for custodian or accessory disobeying or avoiding writ.
NRS 34.700 - Time for filing; waiver and consent of accused respecting date of trial.
NRS 34.710 - Limitations on submission and consideration of pretrial petition.
NRS 34.720 - Scope of provisions.
NRS 34.722 - "Petition" defined.
NRS 34.724 - Persons who may file petition; effect of filing.
NRS 34.726 - Limitations on time to file; stay of sentence.
NRS 34.730 - Petition: Verification; title; service; filing by clerk; prerequisites for hearing.
NRS 34.738 - Petition: Filing in appropriate county; limitation on scope.
NRS 34.740 - Petition: Expeditious judicial examination.
NRS 34.760 - Contents of respondent’s answer; supplemental material.
NRS 34.780 - Applicability of Nevada Rules of Civil Procedure; discovery.
NRS 34.790 - Record of evidentiary hearing after writ is granted; submission of additional material.
NRS 34.800 - Dismissal of petition for delay in filing.
NRS 34.810 - Additional reasons for dismissal of petition.
NRS 34.820 - Procedure in cases where petitioner has been sentenced to death.
NRS 34.830 - Contents and notice of order finally disposing of petition.
NRS 34.910 - "Bona fide issue of factual innocence" defined.
NRS 34.920 - "Factual innocence" defined.
NRS 34.930 - "Newly discovered evidence" defined.
NRS 34.940 - Determination of when evidence is "material."
NRS 34.950 - Claim of factual innocence is separate from state habeas claim.