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Habeas Hints: Standard of Review
This column is intended to provide habeas hints for prisoners who are considering or handling habeas corpus petitions as their own attorneys. The focus of the column is habeas corpus practice under the AEDPA, the 1996 habeas corpus law which now governs federal habeas corpus practice throughout the U.S.
STANDARD …
STANDARD …
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More from this issue:
- Georgia Parole Corruption Deepens, by Gary Hunter
- From the Editor, by Paul Wright
- Louisiana Prisoners May Access Savings Funds Exceeding $250
- Suits Against Individual State Employees Available Under ADA
- California Three-Year Lockdown of "Southern Hispanics" Held Unconstitutional, by Marvin Mentor
- Thaddeus-X Standard Retroactive Except for Qualified Immunity Defense, by Bob Williams
- Iowa Guards Fired for Beating Prisoner
- Gender and Incarceration: How Men and Women Experience Life Behind Bars, by Silja JA Talvi
- Criminal Guards and Escaping Prisoners in Texas
- Maryland Pays $700,000 to Settle Suit Over Murder Committed by Parolee in Colorado
- Texas Eliminates Habeas Corpus Following Probation Revocation
- Virginia Law Repeals Phone Rate Ruling
- $2.5 Million Verdict in California Medical Neglect Case, by Marvin Mentor
- Vehicle Forfeited for Smuggling Drugs into Arizona Prison
- Tribal Funds Exempt from Washington LFO Seizures
- Florida's Private Food Service Demonstrates that Profit Overrides Sanitary Practice, by Marvin Mentor
- Habeas Hints: Standard of Review, by Kent Russell
- Drug Addiction Disability Cannot Be Used to Deny Parole
- California Parole Official Demoted
- Disclosure of Transsexual, HIV+ Status States Eighth Amendment Claim
- Class Action Filed on Washington DOC Seizure of Tribal Funds
- Habeas Corpus Sole Remedy for BOP Sentence Reduction
- $90,169 Plus Injunction in California Retaliation Suit
- Hawaii Prison Doctor's Retaliation Judgment Upheld
- Prisoner Phone Recordings not Exempt from FOIA Disclosure
- Veteran's Benefits Deposited to Prisoner Trust Account Cannot Be Attached
- Denial of Reporter's Access to Jail Unconstitutional
- North Carolina DOC Supervisor Implicated in Scandal
- Medical Claim Accrues on Last Date of Treatment Denial
- Court Must Notice Pro Se Prisoner of Resonse Rights Before Granting Summary Judgment
- Punitive Damages Are Prospective Relief Under PLRA, by David Reutter
- New York County Liable for Jail Strip Searches
- Ohio Prison Officials Cannot Alter Jail-Time Credit Award
- Sandin Applied to Wisconsin Sexual Offender Civil Commitment
- Release of Medical Liability May Establish Deliberate Indifference
- New York Jail Strip Search Policy Unconstitutional
- Woman Gang Raped in Back of Jail Van
- Failure to Assert Hearing Officer Bias Administratively Waives Claim on Habeas
- News in Brief
- Home Detainee Has Fourth Amendment Rights
- New York Prisoner Awarded $411,000 in Failure to Protect Suit
- BJS Releases New Recidivism Study
More from Kent Russell:
- Habeas Hints: Discovery on Habeas Corpus, May 15, 2019
- Habeas Hints: SCOTUS Review 2017-18, Jan. 17, 2019
- Habeas Hints: Evaluating and Initiating IAC Claims, Nov. 28, 2018
- Habeas Hints: Ineffective Assistance of Trial Counsel - Hints for 2018: IAC #1, Jan. 19, 2018
- Habeas Hints: SCOTUS Review 2016–17, Nov. 16, 2017
- Habeas Hints, Oct. 26, 2015
- Habeas Hints: Supreme Court Habeas Review 2014, Nov. 8, 2014
- Habeas Hints: Evidentiary Hearings, May 15, 2006
- Habeas Hints: How to Get DNA Testing, Feb. 15, 2006
- Habeas Hints, Sept. 15, 2005
More from these topics:
- Sixth Circuit Announces State-Law Exceptions to Appeal Deadlines Preserve “Pending” Status Under AEDPA, Holding Belated-Appeal Procedures Toll Federal Habeas Limitations Period, April 1, 2026. Limitations, Habeas Corpus, AEDPA, Appealable Issues/Orders, Failure to Address/Advise Defendant.
- SCOTUS Announces Sentencing Reform Act Does Not Authorize Automatic Extension of Supervised Release When Defendant Absconds, Resolving Circuit Split, April 1, 2026. Sentencing, Revocation/Modification of Probation, etc., Statutory Construction/Interpretation, Sentences - Corrections or Modifications of, Probation, Parole & Supervised Release.
- SCOTUS Sides with Federal Prisoner in Habeas Review Case, March 1, 2026. Habeas Corpus, AEDPA, Mandatory Minimum Sentence, Statutory Construction/Interpretation, Predicate Acts/Offenses.
- SCOTUS Announces Federal Prisoners May Seek Certiorari Review of Authorization Denials Under § 2255(h) and Are Not Subject to § 2244(b)(1)’s Bar on Previously Presented Claims, Feb. 1, 2026. Habeas Corpus, AEDPA, Appealable Issues/Orders, Statutory Construction/Interpretation, Authority and Jurisdiction.
- California Court of Appeal: Trial Courts Have Inherent Authority to Correct Unauthorized Sentences at Any Time Without Habeas Petition, Jan. 1, 2026. Habeas Corpus, Possession or Use of Firearms, Sentences - Authorized, Sentences - Corrections or Modifications of, Effect of Vacatur.
- First Circuit Announces Modification of Juvenile’s Life-Without-Parole Sentence to Parole-Eligible Life Term Constitutes “New Judgment” Under AEDPA, Exempting Second-in-Time Habeas Petition From Gatekeeping Requirements, Jan. 1, 2026. Parole, Habeas Corpus, Life without Parole (LWOP), AEDPA, Juvenile Offenses/Offenders.
- Supreme Court of Maryland Announces Division of Correction Must Immediately Apply Time-Served Credit Against Valid Sentences When Convictions Are Vacated and May Not Toll Execution Pending Reprosecution; New Sentences Arising From New Convictions Take, Jan. 1, 2026. Habeas Corpus, Overdetention, Effect of Vacatur, Credits, Concurrent and Consecutive Sentences.
- Alabama Supreme Court Denies DOC’s Improper Venue Objection, Jan. 1, 2026. Defenses, Good Time, Habeas Corpus, Failure to Object, Authority and Jurisdiction.
- DOJ Leaves Louisiana Over-Detention Suit on Life Support, Two Others Granted Class-Action Status, Dec. 1, 2025. Class Certification, Habeas Corpus, Overdetention, Fourteenth Amendment, rights, Unlawful Detention.
- Ex-Wife of Minnesota DOC Commissioner Sentenced for Poisoning Attempt on Son, Dec. 1, 2025. Out of State Transfers, Sentencing, Conspiracies, Attempts, Solicitations, Confessions and Statements of Defendant, Plea Agreements/Guilty Pleas.

