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Woods v. Etherton

Docket No. Op. Below Argument Opinion Vote Author Term
15-723 6th Cir. Not Argued Apr 4, 2016 n/a Per Curiam OT 2015

Holding: Given the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act, which provides that federal habeas relief is available to a state prisoner only if the state court’s decision was “contrary to, or involved an unreasonable application of, clearly established Federal law,” and requires that a state court’s decision that a habeas claim lacks merit precludes federal habeas relief so long as “fairminded jurists could disagree on the correctness of the state court’s decision,” both Etherton’s appellate counsel and the state habeas court were to be afforded the benefit of the doubt, which the Sixth Circuit failed to give them.

Judgment: Reversed in a per curiam opinion on April 4, 2016.

DateProceedings and Orders (key to color coding)
Dec 1 2015Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due January 4, 2016)
Jan 4 2016Brief of respondent Timothy Etherton in opposition filed.
Jan 19 2016Reply of petitioner Jeffrey Woods, Warden filed.
Jan 20 2016DISTRIBUTED for Conference of February 19, 2016.
Feb 29 2016DISTRIBUTED for Conference of March 4, 2016.
Mar 11 2016Record Requested .
Mar 14 2016DISTRIBUTED for Conference of March 18, 2016.
Mar 15 2016Record received from the U.S.C.A. for the 6th Circuit. The record is electronic.
Mar 15 2016Record received from the U.S.D.C. for the Eastern District of Michigan. The record is electronic.
Mar 21 2016DISTRIBUTED for Conference of March 25, 2016.
Mar 28 2016DISTRIBUTED for Conference of April 1, 2016.
Apr 4 2016Petition GRANTED and Judgment REVERSED. Opinion per curiam. (Detached Opinion)
May 6 2016JUDGMENT ISSUED