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SCOTUS Adopts ‘Look Through’ Methodology for Federal Courts in Determining State Court’s Rationale for Unexplained Habeas Decision
by Richard Resch
On April 17, 2018, the Supreme Court of the United States (“SCOTUS”) issued an opinion in which it instructed that federal courts are required to “look through” an unexplained decision of the last state court to rule on the merits of a state habeas petition to the ...
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More from this issue:
- News in Brief
- 10th Circuit: Observation of Stack of 15 Credit Cards Does Not Provide Police With Probable Cause to Examine Name on Cards for Evidence of a Crime, by Christopher Zoukis
- Idaho Supreme Court Orders Acquittal for Insufficient Identification of Drug, by Matthew Clarke
- $10 Million Award for California Man Wrongfully Imprisoned, by Derek Gilna
- Ninth Circuit: Violations Alleged After Expiration of Supervised Release Term Must be Factually Related to Pre-Expiration Allegation, by Richard Resch
- Delaware Supreme Court Describes What Constitutes ‘Effective’ Counsel at Sentencing, by Dale Chappell
- Golden State Killer Suspect Arrest Opens Floodgates for Law Enforcement Use of DNA Websites, by Steve Horn
- Pennsylvania Supreme Court Holds Any Search of Cellphone Requires Warrant, by Dale Chappell
- Wyoming Supreme Court Adopts ‘Castle Doctrine’ for Cohabitants, by Dale Chappell
- Ninth Circuit Reverses Conviction for Transporting an Illegal Alien Due to Improper Jury Instruction, by Christopher Zoukis
- Eleventh Circuit Clarifies When a Court Must Conduct Resentencing Following § 2255 Relief, by Dale Chappell
- California Court of Appeal Rejects Gang Enhancement Based on Expert Witness’ Case-Specific Hearsay Evidence, by Christopher Zoukis
- Third Circuit Reverses Occupational Restriction in Excess of Statutory Maximum for Supervised Release, by Matthew Clarke
- New Mexico Supreme Court Reverses Convictions Based on Double Jeopardy Violations, by Christopher Zoukis
- Virginia Supreme Court Grants Relief Under Revised Actual Innocence Statute, by Dale Chappell
- Colorado High Court Clarifies Crime-Fraud Exception to Attorney-Client Privilege, by Dale Chappell
- Florida Supreme Court Announces SOL Defense Must be Raised at Trial to Preserve Issue for Direct Appeal, by Richard Resch
- California Supreme Court Vacates Conviction and Death Sentence After Experts Recant Testimony, by Dale Chappell
- Colorado Supreme Court: ‘Entry of Judgment’ for New Trial Motion Means Both Conviction and Imposition of Sentence, by Dale Chappell
- Vermont Supreme Court: Defendant Cannot be Compelled to Submit to Competency Evaluation by State’s Expert, by David Reutter
- Ninth Circuit: California Carjacking Not a Crime of Violence Post-Johnson, by Christopher Zoukis
- Ohio Supreme Court: Prisoner Entitled to Results of Post-Conviction DNA Profile, by Matthew Clarke
- No Increase in Murder Rate for Civilians or Police Following Abolition of Death Penalty, by Matthew Clarke
- Execution Numbers Down in 2017, by Christopher Zoukis
- Minnesota Supreme Court: Prisoner Entitled to Appointed Attorney for One Review of Conviction, Even When It’s Not a Direct Appeal, by Christopher Zoukis
- Web-Based Database Exposes Depth and Breadth of Police Criminality, by Derek Gilna
- Sixth Circuit: Statute of Limitations for § 1983 Claim Accrues When Criminal Proceedings are Terminated, by Christopher Zoukis
- DOJ: Police Shooting Family Dogs has Become ‘Epidemic’, by Dale Chappell
- New Mexico Supreme Court Holds SCOTUS Prohibition Against Warrantless Blood Tests in DWI Cases Applies Retroactively, by Matthew Clarke
- S.C. Supreme Court Rules Counsel’s Failure to Recognize Ex Post Facto Issue in Advising Defendant to Accept Plea Deal Constituted IAC, by Dale Chappell
- Alabama’s Most Populous County Reaches Bail Reform Settlement, But Problems Could Persist, by Steve Horn
- Sixth Circuit Suppresses Evidence Where Triggering Event Specified in Anticipatory Search Warrant Never Occurred, by Richard Resch
- Philly Prosecutor’s ‘Do Not Call’ List Released; Names Cops Not to Call to the Stand, by Christopher Zoukis
- Ohio Supreme Court: Policy of Inventory Search Upon Arrest Does Not Empower Police to Retrieve Property from Area Protected by Fourth Amendment, by Dale Chappell
- Texas Court of Criminal Appeals: Lawyer’s Failure to Advise Client of Opinion Making It Impossible for State to Meet Its Burden of Proof Constitutes Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, by Matthew Clarke
- Do Black Lives Matter in the Supreme Court?, by Michael Avery
- SCOTUS Adopts ‘Look Through’ Methodology for Federal Courts in Determining State Court’s Rationale for Unexplained Habeas Decision, by Richard Resch
- Cell-Site Simulators: Police Use Military Technology to Reach out and Spy on You, by Christopher Zoukis
More from Richard Resch:
- Special Digital Currencies Issue: Bitcoin and CBDCs What Is Bitcoin? The Answer to Government Surveillance and Control Through Money An Essential Introduction, Glossary of Multidisciplinary Terminology, and Colorful History, Aug. 15, 2025
- From the Editor, Aug. 15, 2025
- SCOTUS Announces Sentence ‘Has Not Been Imposed’ for Purposes of First Step Act Retroactivity Upon Resentencing When § 924(c) Offender Sentenced Prior to Act’s Enactment but Sentence Subsequently Vacated, Aug. 1, 2025
- SCOTUS Announces Courts May Not Consider § 3553(a)(2)(A)—Retribution—When Deciding Whether to Revoke a Term of Supervised Release, Aug. 1, 2025
- Understanding Your Constitutional Rights in the ‘100-Mile Border Zone’: A Primer for Non-Citizens in the United States When Confronted by Law Enforcement, July 1, 2025
- South Carolina Supreme Court Announces Traditional Four-Element Standard for When Person Has Right to Use Deadly Force in Self-Defense Not Applicable to Non-Deadly Force Self-Defense Analysis, May 15, 2025
- SCOTUS Announces Only ‘False’ Statements Made to FDIC Are Criminalized Under 18 U.S.C. § 1014, Not Statements That Are ‘Misleading’ but True, May 15, 2025
- From the Editor Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Holdings and Dicta*, March 15, 2025
- From the Editor, Dec. 15, 2024
- New York Court of Appeals Overturns Harvey Weinstein’s Convictions Based on Trial Court Rulings That Admitted Prejudicial ‘Prior Bad Acts’ Into Evidence and Violated His Right to Testify in His Own Defense, June 15, 2024
More from these topics:
- On Remand, Eleventh Circuit Clarifies, Affirms Grant of Habeas Relief to Death Row Prisoner, Aug. 1, 2025. Habeas Corpus, Death Penalty, Death Row.
- Fifth Circuit Announces When Initial § 2255 Petition Not Decided on Merits and Appeals Court Later Recalls Mandate Dismissing Direct Appeal and Affirms Conviction, Subsequent § 2255 Petition Not ‘Second or Successive’ Under AEDPA, Aug. 1, 2025. Habeas Corpus, AEDPA.
- Fourth Circuit Announces Counterman v. Colorado Is New Rule of Constitutional Law That Applies Retroactively to Cases on Collateral Review and Grants Authorization to File Successive § 2255 Motion, July 1, 2025. Rehabilitation/Recidivism, Habeas Corpus, Threats.
- Arguing Successful Federal Habeas Corpus Claims, June 1, 2025. Habeas Corpus, Sixth Amendment, Ineffective Assistance of Counsel.
- Ninth Circuit Grants Stay and Abeyance of Federal Habeas Petition to Allow Petitioner to Exhaust State Remedies, April 15, 2025. Administrative Exhaustion (PLRA), Habeas Corpus, AEDPA, Amendments to Petition.
- Third Circuit Grants Habeas Relief to Prisoner on Confrontation Clause and Ineffective Assistance Claims Based on Trial Court Reading Entire Criminal Information Into the Record of Co-Conspirator Who Pleaded Guilty, Feb. 15, 2025. Habeas Corpus, Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, Exculpatory No Doctrine, Confrontation Clause/Rights, Witnesses - Prior Statements/Testimony, Plea Agreements/Guilty Pleas.
- Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Grants Habeas Relief in ‘Shaken Baby Syndrome’ Case, Feb. 1, 2025. junk science, Habeas Corpus, Forensic Sciences, Child Abuse/Abusers, Evidence - Admissibility.
- California Prisoner Awarded Over $1.26 Million in Suit Challenging Withheld Legal Mail Which Resulted in Habeas Loss, Jan. 15, 2025. Settlements, Habeas Corpus, Mail Regulations, Legal Mail.
- Georgia Supreme Court Grants Habeas Relief Where Both Trial and Appellate Counsel Provided Ineffective Assistance by Failing to Challenge Indictment for Residential Burglary That Failed to Allege Defendant Illegally Entered a ‘Dwelling’, Jan. 15, 2025. Habeas Corpus, Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, Constitutional Challenges/Law.
- Ninth Circuit Holds District Courts Have No Authority Under Rule 4 of Rules Governing § 2254 Cases to Dismiss Habeas Petition on the Merits, Dec. 15, 2024. Habeas Corpus, Dismissal, Authority and Jurisdiction.