Quinn Alexander Marez v. Kathleen Allison, Secretary, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
DueProcess FourthAmendment HabeasCorpus JusticiabilityDoctri
May a federal court substitute its own reasons for denying a habeas petition when the state court's reasons were legally in error?
QUESTION PRESENTED (1) May a federal court seeking to determine whether a state court decision was reasonable for purposes of 28 U.S.C. § 2254(d) substitute its own reasons for denying the petition when the state court’s reasons were legally in error? (2) May a federal district court deny a petition for writ of habeas corpus without a hearing after the state court ignored state procedural requirements and denied a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel for failure to investigate a mental state defense in a homicide case, even though the Petitioner provided an expert’s declaration documenting the defendant’s post-traumatic stress disorder resulting from a prior sexual assault by the homicide victim?