Klein v. Charles Brandon Martin

The Supreme Court reversed the Fourth Circuit and sent the case back. The dispute concerns whether federal courts reviewing state convictions under a federal law called AEDPA should focus on Supreme Court precedents rather than the detail of a state court's written explanation.

The Court ruled 8–1, with Chief Justice Roberts and Justices Kavanaugh, Sotomayor, Alito, Thomas, Kagan, Barrett, and Gorsuch in the majority; Justice Jackson dissented.

The Court reversed and remanded in an 8-1 per curiam decision, meaning the opinion was issued for the Court rather than signed by one justice. The case was decided without oral argument.

Majority

Roberts

Kavanaugh

Sotomayor

Alito

Thomas

Kagan

Barrett

Gorsuch

Dissent

Jackson

““Faithful application of those standards sometimes puts federal district courts and courts of appeals in the disagreeable position of having to deny relief in cases they would have analyzed differently if they had been in the shoes of the relevant state court.””

The decision affects state prisoners seeking federal court review of their convictions and the officials defending those convictions. For example, a prisoner may need to show a conflict with Supreme Court precedent, not simply point to a brief state-court opinion.

The case returns for further proceedings consistent with the Supreme Court's decision. The Supreme Court has finished its action in this docket.

The Court reversed the Fourth Circuit and sent the case back. It acted in an 8-1 decision without oral argument.

State prisoners seeking federal review of convictions and state officials defending those convictions are affected. The case concerns the strict federal limits on such review.

The case returns for further proceedings consistent with the Supreme Court's decision. The Court has completed its action in this docket.