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Tyler v. Louisiana

Petition for certiorari denied on December 12, 2016

Docket No. Argument Opinion Vote Author Term
15-8114 N/A N/A N/A N/A OT 2016

Issue: (1) Whether, when counsel fully concedes the client's guilt to all charges over the client's express objection, counsel's performance amounts to a complete failure to subject the prosecution's case to meaningful adversarial testing so that the United States v. Cronic prejudice standard applies (as every other state and federal court to consider the question has held), or whether the Strickland v. Washington prejudice standard applies (as the lower court in this case held); (2) whether the petitioner's 14th Amendment rights under Boykin v. Alabama and Brookhart v. Janis were violated when his counsel entered the "functional equivalent of a guilty plea" to first-degree murder over his objections; (3) whether the petitioner's Sixth Amendment right to self-representation under Faretta v. California was violated when the trial court did not explain that the petitioner had the right to represent himself when he tried unsuccessfully to fire his attorneys; and (4) whether, in a capital case, the defense counsel who concedes guilt after failing to investigate and present a readily available innocence defense against his client's express wishes renders ineffective assistance under Strickland.

DateProceedings and Orders (key to color coding)
02/04/2016Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due March 10, 2016)
03/15/2016Order extending time to file response to petition to and including April 25, 2016.
04/26/2016Order further extending time to file response to petition to and including July 25, 2016.
07/22/2016Order further extending time to file response to petition to and including August 1, 2016.
08/01/2016Brief of respondent Louisiana in opposition filed.
08/12/2016Reply of petitioner James Tyler, III filed.
08/18/2016DISTRIBUTED for Conference of September 26, 2016.
08/25/2016Record Requested .
09/19/2016Record received from Caddo Parish, State of Louisiana (1 envelope). The record is electronic.
10/31/2016Record received from the Supreme Court of Louisiana. The record is electronic.
11/03/2016DISTRIBUTED for Conference of November 22, 2016.
11/28/2016DISTRIBUTED for Conference of December 2, 2016.
12/05/2016DISTRIBUTED for Conference of December 9, 2016.
12/12/2016Petition DENIED.