No. 25-6388

James W. VanDivner, Jr. v. Laurel R. Harry, Secretary, Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, et al.

Lower Court: Third Circuit
Docketed: 2025-12-16
Status: Denied
Type: IFP
Response WaivedIFP
Tags: certificate-of-appealability habeas-corpus heat-of-passion ineffective-assistance-counsel suppressed-evidence voluntary-manslaughter
Latest Conference: 2026-02-20
Question Presented (from Petition)

Should a certificate of appealability have issued, where the suppressed evidence, considered cumulatively, would have placed a burden on the Commonwealth to disprove heat of passion and would have provided threshold support for trial counsel's voluntary manslaughter instruction request?

Question Presented (AI Summary)

Should a certificate of appealability have issued, where the suppressed evidence, considered cumulatively, would have placed a burden on the Commonwealth to disprove heat of passion and would have provided threshold support for trial counsel's voluntary manslaughter instruction request?

Docket Entries

2026-02-23
Petition DENIED.
2026-01-15
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 2/20/2026.
2026-01-09
Waiver of right of respondent Laurel Harry, et al. to respond filed.
2025-12-12
Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due January 15, 2026)
2025-11-10
Application (25A533) granted by Justice Alito extending the time to file until December 12, 2025.
2025-10-29
Application (25A533) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from November 12, 2025 to January 11, 2026, submitted to Justice Alito.

Attorneys

James VanDivner, Jr.
Kirk James HendersonFederal Public Defender, Petitioner
Laurel Harry, et al.
Susan Elizabeth AffrontiPennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Respondent