AMOS L. MAZZANT, District Judge.
The above-entitled and numbered civil actions were referred to United States Magistrate Christine A. Nowak, who issued a Report and Recommendation concluding that the petitions for writ of habeas corpus should be denied and dismissed with prejudice because Petitioner failed to timely file them. The Report notes that four of Petitioner's issues concern conditions imposed in the deferred adjudication proceedings, and one issue concerns the revocation, adjudication of guilt, and sentencing proceedings. The Magistrate Judge concluded that all of Petitioner's claims are barred by the AEDPA one-year statute of limitations. Petitioner, who is represented by counsel, filed objections.
In Petitioner's objections, he reurges the issues he raised initially and argues that a certificate of appealability should be granted. However, the Court does not consider the merits of issues raised when, as in this case, a petitioner fails to meet procedural filing deadlines and fails to meet the burden of showing that some extraordinary circumstance stood in his way that prevented timely filing. See, e.g., Holland v. Florida, 560 U.S. 631 (2010). Furthermore, because the undersigned agrees with the Magistrate Judge that the petitions are time-barred, no certificate of appealability will be granted in these cases. Petitioner also fails to show he is actually innocent or that he exercised reasonable diligence. See McQuiggin v. Perkins, 133 S.Ct. 1924, 1928 (2013). However, the Court will address Petitioner's objections in which he states that a new legal test was announced by the Magistrate Judge and that his petitions should be considered timely filed.
First, Petitioner curiously concludes that the Magistrate Judge created a new legal test when she used the words, "relate to." Specifically, Petitioner refers to the Report where it noted that certain claims "relate to Petitioner's deferred adjudications proceedings. . . ." See Dkt. #35, p. 4. The common usage of "relate to" means associating with something, or having a connection. See
Petitioner also asserts his petitions should be considered timely filed. Even if the Court only considered the latter dates concerning the revocation, adjudication of guilt, and sentencing proceedings, Petitioner's claims are still untimely filed. The record shows Petitioner filed his petitions, at the least, two months beyond the limitations deadline. Petitioner asserts, however, the time during which his motion for rehearing was pending with the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals should have served to toll the AEDPA limitations deadline, which would have resulted in a timely filing.
The Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure do not provide for relief through motions for rehearing or reconsideration of the denial of a state habeas petition. Tex. R. App. P. 79.2(d) ("A motion for rehearing an order that denies habeas corpus relief or dismisses a habeas corpus application under Code of Criminal Procedure, articles 11.07 or 11.071, may not be filed."). But the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals ("TCCA") may, on its own initiative, reconsider the case. Id.; Ex parte Graham, 853 S.W.2d 565 (Tex. Crim. App. 1993). Petitioner was evidently aware of this variance when he filed a motion with the TCCA entitled, "Motion for Rehearing, or alternatively, Suggestion for Rehearing on Court's Own Motion."
The record shows that Petitioner filed the motion for rehearing with the TCCA three days
The Report of the Magistrate Judge, which contains proposed findings of fact and recommendations for the disposition of such actions, has been presented for consideration. Having made a de novo review of the objections raised by Petitioner to the Report, the Court concludes that the findings and conclusions of the Magistrate Judge are correct and Petitioner's objections are without merit. The Court hereby adopts the findings and conclusions of the Magistrate Judge as the findings and conclusions of the Court. It is accordingly