Petitions of the week
In New Mexico prison killing, a lingering question over jurisdiction
The Petitions of the Week column highlights a selection of cert petitions recently filed in the Supreme Court. A list of all petitions we’re watching is available here.
Five years ago, the Supreme Court ruled that pleading guilty to a crime does not prevent a defendant from arguing that the law criminalizing their conduct is unconstitutional. This week, we highlight cert petitions that ask the court to consider, among other things, an issue that decision left open: Under what circumstances can someone found guilty at trial, instead of in a plea deal, attack the constitutionality of the law under which they were convicted?
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