Johnson v. Carpenter

Brief of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers as Amicus Curiae in Support of Petitioner (on Petition for Writ of Certiorari).

Brief filed: 04/22/2016

Documents

Johnson v. Carpenter

United States Supreme Court; Case No. 15-1193

Prior Decision

Case below No. 13-5537 (6th Cir. Aug. 10, 2015).

Argument(s)

The circuit split makes Rule 60(b)'s safety valve of relief from judgment in "extraordinary" cases available only to prisoners in certain circuits. Deciding whether Martinez and Trevino can ever for part of the basis for "extraordinary circumstances" justifying Rule 60(b) relief is particularly important in capital cases. Gonzalez held that intervening supreme court decisions are not sufficient for Rule 60(b) relief, but did not hold such decisions could not form part of the basis for such relief.

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Author(s)

David J. Zimmer, Goodwin Procter LLP, San Francisco, CA; William M. Jay, Goodwin Procter LLP, Washington, DC; Jeffrey T. Green, Washington, DC.