Supreme Court Limits Inmate Reviews Based on Ineffective Legal Representation

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In a 6-3 ruling, the Supreme Court held on May 23 that federal courts reviewing inmate cases may not conduct evidentiary hearings to fully examine their ineffective-counsel claims that should have been raised in state court proceedings. The Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees a criminal defendant the right to effective assistance of counsel. The ruling is a victory for the state of Arizona but a defeat for the two death-row inmates who claimed they had compelling claims that their lawyers failed to act on in state court. The decision is expected to make it more difficult for prisoners throughout the United States to argue they received ineffective counsel in state court in post-conviction proceedings....

Source: https://www.theepochtimes.com/supreme-c ... 83552.html