Riley v. State of Utah

THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
DISTRICT OF UTAH
JORDAN CORY RILEY,
Petitioner,
v.
STATE OF UTAH,
Respondent.
MEMORANDUM DECISION
& DISMISSAL ORDER
Case No. 4:25-CV-51-DN
District Judge David Nuffer
Petitioner, Jordan Cory Riley, filed a federal habeas petition under 28 U.S.C.S. § 2254
(2025), in which he attacks his state criminal charges. (ECF No. 1.) Based primarily on the
dismissal of Petitioner's state criminal case challenged here, the Court issued an Order to Show
Cause on October 21, 2025, stating, "Petitioner's claims are frivolous and do not meet the federal
habeas standard for relief: That (under the state criminal case he attacks here) he is currently
imprisoned in violation of the Federal Constitution. This is because he was not convicted and
sentenced in the state criminal case challenged here." (ECF No. 2.) Court thus gave Petitioner
thirty days to show cause why the petition should not therefore be dismissed. (Id.)
Petitioner responded with an argument that the dismissal of his criminal charges entitles
him to money damages. (ECF No. 5.) However, such a federal remedy is available only in a
successful civil-rights case.
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Petitioner's response to the Order to Show Cause does not persuade the Court that this
action is valid. IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that:
(1) The petition is DISMISSED with prejudice.
(2) A certificate of appealability is DENIED.
(3) The Clerk's Office shall mail Plaintiff the Pro Se Litigant Guide with a blank-form
civil-rights complaint which Plaintiff must use if he wishes to pursue a civil-rights action.
DATED this ______ day of December, 2025.
BY THE COURT:
DAVID NUFFER
United States District Judge
3rd
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