Alaska v. Wright

The Supreme Court decided that Sean Wright could not use a federal habeas petition to challenge his expired Alaska convictions. His later federal failure-to-register conviction did not mean he was still in custody under the Alaska judgment.

People who have completed a state sentence cannot reopen that conviction through federal habeas review merely because it later affects a separate federal case. For example, a former state prisoner facing federal registration-related consequences cannot use that connection alone to challenge the old state conviction.

The Court has finished this case. Wright cannot proceed with this federal habeas challenge on the basis that his expired Alaska convictions were connected to his federal conviction.

The Court said Wright could not challenge his expired Alaska convictions through a federal habeas petition. His later federal conviction did not make him in custody under the Alaska judgment.

People who have fully served state sentences are affected when those convictions later have federal consequences. That connection alone cannot support this type of federal challenge.

The Supreme Court has completed the case. Wright's federal habeas challenge to the expired Alaska convictions cannot move forward on this basis.