Supreme Court Won’t Clarify Habeas Appeals for State Prisoners

The US Supreme Court rejected a request to clarify when state prisoners can appeal the denial of their federal habeas petition, a question that has split the courts of appeals.

The justices on Monday rejected an appeal by Missouri death row inmate Lance Shockley that centers on when a court must issue a certificate of appealability, or COA, which is required for an appeal of a federal habeas petition. Courts should issue a COA whenever a reasonable jurist could disagree with the lower courts.

The question the justices were asked to decide is whether a court must issue a COA ...