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No. 20-1084October Term 2020Decided Jul 2, 2021Updated Jul 2, 2021

Docket 20-1084October Term 2020 (2020–2021)

Dunn v. Reeves

This case involves a death-row inmate’s claim that his trial lawyers were ineffective at sentencing because they did not present expert evidence about his alleged intellectual disability.

Case status

Decided · July 2, 2021

Read the opinion (PDF)
Current stage
Decided
Latest event
Decision released Jul 2, 2021
Case Accepted
Arguments
Decision ReleasedJul 2, 2021
What it's about

This case involves a death-row inmate’s claim that his trial lawyers were ineffective at sentencing because they did not present expert evidence about his alleged intellectual disability. The Supreme Court was asked whether the Eleventh Circuit gave too little deference to the Alabama court when it treated that court’s reasoning as a blanket rule barring relief whenever a prisoner does not call his trial counsel to testify.

Question presented

Whether the Eleventh Circuit violated § 2254(d) by readily attributing error to the state court.

Case path

United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit / Decision released Jul 2, 2021

Area

Criminal Procedure

Timing

Decided July 2, 2021

The Court released its decision on July 2, 2021 without hearing oral argument.

Activity

Docket activity2
  • Opinion added: opinion

    Jul 2, 2021 | Court records

  • Brief added: Petition

    Feb 5, 2021 | Court records

Grounding

Grounding
Primary-source trail available.
Note
Plain-English explainer. Official filings and opinions remain authoritative.
Checked
Jul 25, 2026
Primary materials5