reasonable-jurists
53 cases — ← All topics
| Case | Title | Lower Court | Docketed | Status | Flags | Tags | Question Presented |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25-6335 | Jake Paul Heiney v. Ashley Richardson, Director, Lucas County Adult Probation Department, et al. | Sixth Circuit | 2025-12-10 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | certificate-of-appealability district-court evidentiary-review habeas-corpus reasonable-jurists state-court-record | 1. Whether a district court must review evidence in the state-court record when the habeas petitioner alleges it demonstrates that the state court unr… |
| 25-5876 | William Housman v. Laurel Harry, Secretary, Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, et al. | Third Circuit | 2025-10-14 | Denied | IFP | appellate-procedure certificate-of-appealability federal-constitutional-claim judicial-review reasonable-jurists state-court-decision | Does a state court's divided decision on the merits of a federal constitutional claim demonstrate that reasonable jurists would debate the claim's mer… |
| 25-5760 | Darval Ledet v. Keith Cooley, Warden | Fifth Circuit | 2025-09-30 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | constitutional-right district-court habeas-corpus miller-el reasonable-jurists slack-standard | Whether Ledet made a substantial showing of denial of a constitutional right under Miller-El v. Cockrell, 537 U.S. 322, 327 (2003), such that reasonab… |
| 24-7454 | William Demont White, Jr. v. Lisa Stenseth, Warden | Eighth Circuit | 2025-06-18 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | 28-usc-2253 certificate-of-appealability federal-court habeas-corpus procedural-grounds reasonable-jurists | 1. In deciding whether to issue a certificate of appealability under 28 U.S.C. § 2253, may a federal court find that "reasonable jurists would not dis… |
| 24-7212 | Dequarn Markeyth Bell v. Lisa Stenseth, Warden | Eighth Circuit | 2025-05-15 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | 28-usc-2253 certificate-of-appealability federal-court habeas-corpus reasonable-jurists statutory-interpretation | 1. In deciding whether to issue a certificate of appealability under 28 U.S.C. § 2253, may a federal court find that "reasonable jurists would not dis… |
| 24-939 | Kendall Streb v. United States | Eighth Circuit | 2025-03-03 | Denied | Response Waived | certificate-of-appealability habeas-corpus ineffective-assistance plea-bargaining reasonable-jurists sentencing-guidelines | The "reasonable jurists" test was created only as a threshold to discourage frivolous habeas appeals. It was never intended as a sky-reaching wall o… |
| 23-7558 | Marcus Jones v. United States | Eighth Circuit | 2024-05-24 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | appellate-procedure certificate-of-appealability constitutional-rights district-court-ruling judicial-review merits-denial merits-determination procedural-denial reasonable-jurists | Whether, under this Court's holdings, in Miller-El v. Cockrell , 537 U.S. 322 (2008), and Buck v. Davis, 580 U.S. 100 (2017), it is inadequate for a C… |
| 23-7530 | Deandre Lenier Neal-Hill v. United States | Eighth Circuit | 2024-05-22 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | appeals certificate-of-appealability civil-rights constitutional-right due-process federal-courts habeas-corpus meaningful-review merits-denial procedural-denial reasonable-jurists standing | Whether, under this Court's holdings, in Miller-El v. Cockrell , 537 U.S. 322 (2008), and Buck v. Davis, 580 U.S. 100 (2017), it is inadequate for a C… |
| 22-7589 | Troy G. Saxton v. Jay Forshey, Warden | Sixth Circuit | 2023-05-18 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | 28-usc-2253 brown-v-ohio certificate-of-appealability double-jeopardy drug-possession habeas habeas-corpus reasonable-jurists spatial-units | Whether a habeas petitioner satisfies his burden under 28 U.S.C. §2253(c)(2) for the issuance of a certificate of appealability when he demonstrates t… |
| 22-7052 | Colby Todd Dubose v. United States | Ninth Circuit | 2023-03-21 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | categorical-approach certificate-of-appealability generic-burglary non-permanent-structures oregon-first-degree-burglary overnight-accommodation reasonable-jurists statutory-interpretation stitt-decision stitt-v-united-states | Could reasonable jurists debate whether, after Stitt, Oregon first-degree burglary remains categorically broader than generic burglary because the sta… |
| 22-6667 | Robert Henry Steele v. Dan Redington | Eighth Circuit | 2023-01-31 | Denied | IFP | appellate-procedure certificate-of-appealability due-process eighth-circuit habeas-corpus judicial-review procedural-standard reasonable-jurists standard-of-review summary-reversal | Whether this Court should summarily reverse the Eighth Circuit's denial of a COA where the underlying issues were clearly debatable by jurists of reas… |
| 22-507 | Tyson Martin v. Ricky D. Dixon, Secretary, Florida Department of Corrections | Eleventh Circuit | 2022-11-30 | Denied | Response Waived | 28-usc-2253 certificate-of-appealability due-process federal-procedure habeas-corpus judicial-review miller-el-standard miller-el-v-cockrell reasonabl-jurists-debate reasonable-jurists | Whether the court of appeals improperly denied the Petitioner a certificate of appealability under 28 U.S.C. § 2253(c) on his federal habeas claim (i.… |
| 22-5850 | Justin Michael Fenney v. Tracy Beltz, Warden | Eighth Circuit | 2022-10-18 | Denied | IFP | 2253-statute 28-usc-2253 appellate-relief certificate-of-appealability conviction factual-support federal-court-review habeas-corpus judicial-discretion reasonable-jurists | 1. In deciding whether to issue a certificate of appealability under 28 U.S.C. § about the denial of relief where there remains no factual support for… |
| 22-304 | Frank Oswald v. Nicholas Mauer, et al. | Sixth Circuit | 2022-09-29 | Denied | Response Waived | appellate-procedure certificate-of-appealability constitutional-claims constitutional-rights due-process habeas-corpus judicial-review reasonable-jurists sixth-circuit | Does a Circuit Court's denial of an application for a Certificate of Appealability based on the merits of the appeal, rather than on whether reasonabl… |
| 22-5557 | David Laurence Hodges v. William Bolin, Warden | Eighth Circuit | 2022-09-13 | Denied | IFP | 28-usc-2253 certificate-of-appealability due-process federal-court federal-courts habeas-corpus judicial-discretion reasonable-jurists statutory-interpretation | 1. In deciding whether to issue a certificate of appealability under 28 U.S.C. § 2253, may a federal court find that "reasonable jurists would not dis… |
| 22-5291 | Barton Ray Gaines v. Bobby Lumpkin, Director, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Correctional Institutions Division | Fifth Circuit | 2022-08-04 | Denied | IFP | civil-procedure constitutional-rights due-process federal-courts habeas-corpus judicial-review reasonable-jurists recusal rule-60b-motion standard-of-review substantial-showing | Whether GAINES made "a substantial showing of the denial of a constitutional right." 28 U.S.C. § 2253(c)(2). And whether reasonable jurists could deba… |
| 22-5024 | Jerod Rodriguez v. Ricky D. Dixon, Secretary, Florida Department of Corrections | Eleventh Circuit | 2022-07-05 | Denied | Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (2)IFP | certificate-of-appealability criminal-procedure guilty-verdict ineffective-assistance ineffective-assistance-of-counsel miller-el-v-cockrell mistrial postconviction-relief prejudice-prong reasonable-jurists sixth-amendment strickland-standard | 1. Whether the prejudice prong set forth in Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668 (1984), is established if a petitioner/defendant can demonstrate th… |
| 21-8137 | David Lee Green v. Ricky D. Dixon, Secretary, Florida Department of Corrections | Eleventh Circuit | 2022-06-14 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | 28-usc-2253 certificate-of-appealability criminal-procedure entrapment ineffective-assistance ineffective-assistance-of-counsel miller-el-v-cockrell reasonable-jurists sixth-amendment strategic-decision undercover-operation | 1. Whether the court of appeals improperly denied the Petitioner a certificate of appealability under 28 U.S.C. § 2253(c) on his claim that his ineffe… |
| 21-7995 | Joseph Kurz v. Tim Hooper, Warden | Fifth Circuit | 2022-05-27 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | constitutional-amendments criminal-procedure due-process effective-assistance-of-counsel ex-post-facto fifth-circuit fourteenth-amendment reasonable-jurists sixth-amendment | (1) Whether the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals and United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana properly conclude … |
| 21-7928 | Timothy Lindsey v. United States | Fifth Circuit | 2022-05-20 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | 28-usc-2255 acca-enhanced-sentence acca-enhancement circuit-split gatekeeping-standard generic-burglary johnson-motion johnson-v-united-states reasonable-jurists subject-matter-jurisdiction successive-motion | As required by 28 U.S.C. § 2255(h)(2), Mr. Lindsey secured prefiling authorization from the Fifth Circuit before filing a successive motion to vacate … |
| 21-7297 | Jaime B. Garcia v. Warren L. Montgomery, Warden | Ninth Circuit | 2022-03-07 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | certificate-of-appealability criminal-procedure due-process first-degree-murder habeas-corpus jury-instructions legal-theory prosecutorial-concession reasonable-jurists standard-of-review | Because the appellate court must issue a certificate of appealability ("COA") when the issue is debatable among jurists of reason, should the Ninth Ci… |
| 21-7274 | Kaleb L. Basey v. United States | Ninth Circuit | 2022-03-03 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | 18-usc-2703 digital-privacy electronic-communications email-preservation fourth-amendment probable-cause reasonable-jurists search-and-seizure warrantless-search | Whether reasonable jurists could disagree with the district court's decision that the initial and continuous, nine-month warrantless preservation of B… |
| 21-6520 | Mark J. Zimny v. United States | First Circuit | 2021-12-06 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | appeal appellate-court due-process motion-for-summary-disposition reasonable-jurists substantial-question summary-disposition supreme-court-precedent | Did an appellate court contravene Supreme Court precedent by granting the government's motion for summary disposition when prior decisions of this Cou… |
| 21-6197 | Lance Arnold Kingbird v. Vicki Janssen, Warden | Eighth Circuit | 2021-11-05 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | 28-usc-2253 certificate-of-appealability circuit-split federal-court-procedure federal-courts habeas-corpus judicial-review reasonable-jurists similar-facts statutory-interpretation | 1. In deciding whether to issue a certificate of appealability under 28 U.S.C. § 2253, may a federal court find that "reasonable jurists would not dis… |
| 21-5647 | Adolphus Symonette v. United States | Eleventh Circuit | 2021-09-13 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | 2255-proceeding certificate-of-appealability constitutional-rights district-court-discretion habeas-corpus post-offense-rehabilitation reasonable-jurists resentencing sentencing | Whether reasonable jurists would find the district court's decision to vacate Count 3 of the second superseding indictment while simultaneously denyin… |
| 21-5642 | Terry Dibble v. Deanna Brookhart, Warden | Seventh Circuit | 2021-09-10 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | appellate-review burglary certificate-of-appealability district-court-conclusion due-process habeas-corpus judicial-discretion jury-instructions legal-standard reasonable-jurists residential-burglary | Did Mr. Dibble present a ground for relief as to which reasonable jurists could differ concerning the correctness of the district court's conclusion, … |
| 21-5533 | Marsha A. Springer v. Jeremy Howard, Warden | Sixth Circuit | 2021-08-30 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | certificate-of-appealability civil-rights constitutional-claim due-process habeas-corpus judicial-review reasonable-jurists sixth-circuit | IS THE SIXTH CIRCUIT'S DENIAL OF CERTIFICATE OF APPEALABILITY CONTRARY TO THIS COURT'S PRECEDENT? WHERE ONE JUDGE OF THE MICHIGAN SUPREME COURT DISSEN… |
| 21-5267 | Robert Drawn, IV v. Robert Neuschmid, Warden | Ninth Circuit | 2021-07-30 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | civil-rights constitutional-claims district-court-assessment due-process equal-protection judicial-review legal-standard qualified-immunity reasonable-jurists summary-judgment writ-of-certiorari | DID PETITIONER DEMONSTRATE THAT REASONABLE JURISTS WOULD FIND THE DISTRICT COURT'S ASSESSMENT OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL CLAIMS DEBATABLE OR WRONG ... |
| 21-5019 | Noe Perez v. Renee Baker, Warden, et al. | Ninth Circuit | 2021-07-07 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | appellate-review certificate-of-appealability constitutional-question fifth-circuit judicial-disagreement nevada-supreme-court ninth-circuit reasonable-jurists seventh-circuit | Did the Ninth Circuit clearly err when it denied Mr. Perez's request for a COA even though three reasonable jurists on Nevada's highest court already … |
| 21-5015 | Reginald Franklin v. Robert LeGrand, Warden, et al. | Ninth Circuit | 2021-07-06 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | certificate-of-appealability due-process habeas-corpus ineffective-assistance-of-counsel ninth-circuit post-conviction post-conviction-relief reasonable-jurists trial-counsel | Whether the Ninth Circuit clearly erred in denying Franklin's request for a certificate of appealability because reasonable jurists would find it deba… |
| 20-7807 | Woodrow Andrew Clark v. United States | Eleventh Circuit | 2021-04-20 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | civil-procedure claims-assessment constitutional-law district-court due-process judicial-review legal-standard patent procedural-merit reasonable-jurists standing takings | Whether reasonable jurists would find the District Court's assessment of Claims one and two debatable or wrong? Or that the issues presented are adequ… |
| 20-7544 | Demian Dominguez, aka Demain Dominguez v. Brian E. Williams, et al. | Ninth Circuit | 2021-03-25 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | cause-of-death certificate-of-appealability effective-counsel ninth-circuit prejudice procedural-default reasonable-jurists | Whether the Ninth Circuit's order denying a certificate of appealability was clearly erroneous where reasonable jurists could disagree as to whether D… |
| 20-7295 | Isidro Sauceda v. David Shinn, Director, Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry, et al. | Ninth Circuit | 2021-03-02 | Denied | Response WaivedRelisted (2)IFP | appealability-standard certificate-of-appealability constitutional-rights exculpatory-evidence factual-innocence ineffective-counsel lesser-included-offense ninth-circuit reasonable-jurists willits-instruction | I. Whether Review Is Warranted Because The Ninth Circuit Utilized An Unduly Burdensome Certificate Of Appealability Standard That Contravenes This Cou… |
| 20-6581 | Kimberly Hanzlik v. Joseph Joseph, Superintendent, Bedford Hills Correctional Facility | Second Circuit | 2020-12-09 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | actual-innocence certificate-of-appealability constitutional-rights habeas-corpus ineffective-assistance-of-counsel miller-el-standard reasonable-jurists second-circuit unreasonable-application-of-law | Was the Second Circuit's denial of Petitioner's application for a certificate of appealability unreasonable based on the standards for certificate of … |
| 20-5964 | Marlow Shelton McDonald v. Jeff Titus, Warden | Eighth Circuit | 2020-10-08 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | 28-usc-2253 certificate-of-appealability federal-court federal-courts habeas-corpus procedural-grounds reasonable-jurists statutory-interpretation | 1. In deciding whether to issue a certificate of appealability under 28 U.S.C. § 2253, may a federal court find that "reasonable jurists would not dis… |
| 20-5800 | Robert L. Rose v. Lynn Guyer, Warden, et al. | Ninth Circuit | 2020-09-25 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | abuse-of-discretion appellate-review certificate-of-appealability discretionary-ruling federal-rules-civil-procedure federal-rules-of-civil-procedure habeas-corpus judicial-procedure reasonable-jurists rule-70(a) | In order to appeal a final order in a habeas corpus proceeding, a state prisoner must obtain a certificate of appealability. See, 28 U.S.C. § 2253(c)(… |
| 20-5274 | James S. Harris v. Sherie Korneman, Warden | Eighth Circuit | 2020-08-05 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | certificate-of-appealability district-court equitable-tolling habeas-corpus limitations-period reasonable-jurists | Did Mr. Harris present reasons for why the one-year limitations period should be equitably tolled in his case to which reasonable jurists could differ… |
| 20-5160 | Keith Henderson v. Eddie Miles, Warden | Eighth Circuit | 2020-07-27 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | 28-usc-2253 certificate-of-appealability federal-court federal-courts habeas-corpus procedural-grounds reasonable-jurists statutory-interpretation | 1. In deciding whether to issue a certificate of appealability under 28 U.S.C. § 2253, may a federal court find that "reasonable jurists would not dis… |
| 19-7788 | Ulises Corrales Vega v. Connie Horton, Warden | Sixth Circuit | 2020-02-26 | Denied | IFP | civil-procedure civil-rights constitutional-claim due-process frivolous-claim habeas-corpus in-forma-pauperis judicial-review legal-standard reasonable-jurists split standing summary-dismissal writ-of-certiorari | I. DID THE PETITIONER RAISE A SUBSTANTIAL CONSTITUTIONAL CLAIM THAT WAS NOT SO PATENTLY FALSE OR FRIVOLOUS AS TO WARRANT SUMMARY DISMISSAL? |
| 19-7505 | Lamar James Crump v. Tracy Beltz, Warden | Eighth Circuit | 2020-01-30 | Denied | IFP | 28-usc-2253 certificate-of-appealability federal-court habeas-corpus procedural-grounds reasonable-jurists statutory-interpretation | 1. In deciding whether to issue a certificate of appealability under 28 U.S.C. § 2253, may a federal court find that "reasonable jurists would not dis… |
| 19-7327 | Antonio Macli v. United States | Eleventh Circuit | 2020-01-17 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | certificate-of-appealability claim-by-claim claim-determination constitutional-law criminal-procedure due-process evidentiary-hearing federal-court federal-courts habeas-corpus reasonable-jurists | Does a federal habeas court have to determine the need for an evidentiary hearing on a claim by claim basis? When one court grants a certificate of a… |
| 18-9046 | Richard Shusterman v. United States | Fourth Circuit | 2019-05-01 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | 28-usc-2255 certificate-of-appealability district-court due-process fourth-circuit habeas-corpus ineffective-assistance ineffective-assistance-of-counsel reasonable-jurists standard-of-review | 1. Did the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals err in deny- ing issuance of a Certificate of Appealability of a 28 U.S.C.§ 2255 ruling when the District… |
| 18-8820 | Carman L. Deck v. Richard Jennings, Warden | Eighth Circuit | 2019-04-15 | Denied | Relisted (2)IFP | appellate-procedure appellate-review certificate-of-appealability death-penalty district-court due-process habeas-corpus judicial-discretion procedural-standard reasonable-jurists standard-of-review | Mr. Deck filed a petition for habeas corpus relief from his convictions and death sentences. The district court granted relief as to two grounds, but … |
| 18-8798 | Brent Lynch v. Eddie Miles, Warden | Eighth Circuit | 2019-04-11 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | 28-usc-2253 certificate-of-appealability federal-court habeas-corpus procedural-grounds reasonable-jurists statutory-interpretation | 1. In deciding whether to issue a certificate of appealability under 28 U.S.C. § 2253, may a federal court find that "reasonable jurists would not dis… |
| 18-8695 | Deontray Vershon Tate v. Jeff Titus, Warden | Eighth Circuit | 2019-04-03 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | 28-usc-2253 certificate-of-appealability federal-court habeas-corpus procedural-grounds reasonable-jurists statutory-interpretation | 1. In deciding whether to issue a certificate of appealability under 28 U.S.C. § 2253, may a federal court find that "reasonable jurists would not dis… |
| 18-8112 | Floyd Andrew Brown, Jr. v. United States | Sixth Circuit | 2019-02-22 | Denied | Response WaivedRelisted (2)IFP | appellate-review certificate-of-appealability civil-rights constitutional-issues constitutional-review due-process habeas-corpus judicial-procedure merit-standard reasonable-jurists section-2255 standard-of-review standing | Should the judgment be vacated, and mabe remanded, in light of [ Buck v. Davis, 580 US. _; : 137 S.Ct. 759, 197 L.Ed2d 107 (2017)-]. Where the Court O… |
| 18-7935 | Kahri Smith v. Bonita J. Hoffner, Warden | Sixth Circuit | 2019-02-13 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | certiorari criminal-procedure felony jurisdiction michigan-law reasonable-jurists self-defense sixth-circuit | IS CERTIORARI APPROPRIATE WHERE THE SIXTH CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS DECIDED THE MERITS OF PETITIONER'S SELF DEFENSE CLAIM WITHOUT JURISDICTION AND IS I… |
| 18-7676 | Louis Hill v. Cynthia Link, Superintendent, State Correctional Institution at Graterford, et al. | Third Circuit | 2019-01-30 | Denied | IFP | certificate-of-appealability civil-rights constitutional-law constitutional-rights due-process habeas-corpus legal-error reasonable-jurists standard-of-review standing substantial-showing third-circuit | Does the Third Circuit Court of Appeals denial of a Certificate of Appealability in the instant matter constitute legal error given it is debatable am… |
| 18-7587 | Biven Hudson v. United States | Eleventh Circuit | 2019-01-25 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | 11th-circuit 28-usc-2255 certificate-of-appealability district-court eleventh-circuit magistrate-court mandatory-minimum minimum-mandatory-enhancement reasonable-jurists sentencing-enhancement sentencing-review | Whether the appellate court erred in denying Mr. Hudson's motion for certificate of appealability as to the denial by the district court of his motion… |
| 18-6778 | DeAngelo Horn v. Julie L. Jones, Secretary, Florida Department of Corrections | Eleventh Circuit | 2018-11-21 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | certificate-of-appealability deficient-performance eleventh-circuit habeas-corpus ineffective-assistance-of-counsel prejudice reasonable-jurists standard-of-review statutory-interpretation | In cases such as Rompilla v. Beard, 545 U.S. 374 (2005), and Wiggins v. Smith, 539 U.S. 510 (2003), this Court found deficient performance where trial… |
| 18-6733 | Laura Shauger v. United States | Third Circuit | 2018-11-19 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | 28-usc-2255 aba-standards-for-criminal-justice certificate-of-appealability circuit-courts-of-appeals district-court district-court-ruling ineffective-assistance ineffective-assistance-of-counsel reasonable-jurists section-2255 sentencing-counsel supreme-court-of-idaho third-circuit | This case raises a pressing issue of national importance: In applying for a certificate of appealability (COA) to appeal from the denial of a motion u… |
| 18-524 | Eric D. Gathings v. United States | Eighth Circuit | 2018-10-19 | Denied | Response Waived | appellate-review certificate-of-appealability certificate-of-appealability-coa due-process habeas-corpus judicial-review reasonable-jurists statutory-interpretation suspension-clause | I. Was the appellate court's summary denial of a certificate of appealability (COA) reciting that it had "carefully reviewed the original file of the … |
| 18-6255 | Christopher Earl Oden v. United States | Eleventh Circuit | 2018-10-09 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | appellate-procedure certificate-of-appealability circuit-court-precedent circuit-precedent due-process habeas-corpus judicial-review reasonable-jurists standard-of-review | In Slack v. McDaniel, 529 U.S. 473, 120 S. Ct. 1595 (2000), this Court held that a petitioner may obtain a certificate of appealability by showing tha… |