No. 18-671

Kurt Robert Smith v. Anna Valentine, Warden

Lower Court: Sixth Circuit
Docketed: 2018-11-26
Status: Denied
Type: Paid
Response Waived
Tags: 28-usc-2254 aedpa federal-law federal-review habeas-corpus ignorance-of-law ineffective-assistance ineffective-assistance-of-counsel legal-ignorance reasonable-counsel strategic-decision
Latest Conference: 2019-01-11
Question Presented (from Petition)

1. Must a court reviewing counsel's failure to investigate first determine whether the basis for the failure was counsel's ignorance of the law, or another non-strategic reason, before it can evaluate whether counsel's stated strategy was "reasonable"?

2. Does a state court who gives deference to counsel's strategic judgments where no deference is owed unreasonably apply clearly established Federal law under 28 U.S.C. § 2254(d)?

Question Presented (AI Summary)

Must a court reviewing counsel's failure to investigate first determine whether the basis for the failure was counsel's ignorance of the law, or another non-strategic reason, before it can evaluate whether counsel's stated strategy was 'reasonable?

Docket Entries

2019-01-14
Petition DENIED.
2018-12-26
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/11/2019.
2018-12-20
Waiver of right of respondent Anna Valentine, Warden, Kentucky State Reformatory to respond filed.
2018-11-21
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due December 26, 2018)
2018-10-03
Application (18A341) granted by Justice Kagan extending the time to file until November 22, 2018.
2018-09-27
Application (18A341) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from October 8, 2018 to November 22, 2018, submitted to Justice Kagan.

Attorneys

Anna Valentine, Warden, Kentucky State Reformatory
Todd Dryden FergusonOffice of the Attorney General, Respondent
Kurt Robert Smith
Timothy G. ArnoldDepartment of Public Advocacy, Petitioner