Missouri appeals court reverses ruling over flawed abandonment inquiry
The Southern District reverses Dunklin County ruling, finding no proper inquiry into post-conviction counsel abandonment in felony case.
Louisiana death row conviction overturned; man’s lawyers cite faulty forensic analysis
A Louisiana judge overturned a death row conviction after forensic experts called bite mark evidence “junk science” and a jailhouse informant recanted.
Attorney general, circuit attorney argue before Missouri Supreme Court over appeal rights
The Missouri Supreme Court is weighing whether the state has the right to appeal after a St. Louis circuit court vacated a first-degree murder conviction.
Attorney general, circuit attorney argue before Missouri Supreme Court over appeal rights
The Missouri Supreme Court is weighing whether the state has the right to appeal after a St. Louis circuit court vacated a first-degree murder conviction.
Criminal Law: Post-Conviction Relief-Shackled Defendant-Effectiveness of Counsel
Where a defendant argued that the trial court erred in denying her motion for post-conviction relief after an evidentiary hearing due to her appearance at trial shackled in an ankle […]
Criminal Law: Post-Conviction Relief-Timeliness
Where a defendant challenged the denial of his post-conviction relief motion as untimely, the motion court was required to give appointed counsel the opportunity to file the amended motion to […]
Criminal Law: Post-Conviction Relief-Effectiveness of Counsel
Where defendant challenged the denial of post-conviction relief without an evidentiary hearing, the defendant’s claim that counsel was ineffective for failing to prepare for trial was refuted by the record, […]
Criminal Law: Post-Conviction Relief-Timeliness-Abandonment
Where a defendant challenged the denial of post-conviction relief, the amended motion filed by post-conviction counsel was untimely, so the court clearly erred in failing to conduct an abandonment inquiry. […]
Criminal Law: Post-Conviction Relief-Effectiveness of Counsel
Where a defendant challenged the denial of his motion for post-conviction relief without an evidentiary hearing, the trial court did not err because the defendant failed to show that his […]
Criminal Law: Post-Conviction Relief-Escape Rule
Where a defendant challenged the denial of her motion for post-conviction relief, the defendant absconded for more than 20 months, so the appeal is dismissed pursuant to the escape rule. […]
Criminal Law: Post-Conviction Relief-Effectiveness of Counsel-Prejudice
Where a defendant in a first-degree murder case argued that she received ineffective assistance of counsel in rejecting the state’s pre-trial plea offer for a 25-year sentence for second-degree murder […]
Criminal Law: Post-Conviction Relief-Escape Rule
Where a defendant challenged the denial of his motion for post-conviction relief, the defendant absconded from probation, so the escape rule is applied to deny review of the defendant’s first […]
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