Wood v. Allen
| Docket No. | Op. Below | Argument | Opinion | Vote | Author | Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 08-9156 | 11th Cir. | Apr 11, 2009 | May 2, 2025 | 7-2 | Sotomayor | OT 2009 |
Holding: The Court upheld a death sentence, rejecting the defendant's claim that his defense attorney had failed to properly investigate or introduce evidence that the defendant's IQ being well below average.
Judgment: Affirmed, 7-2, in an opinion by Justice Sonia Sotomayor on May 2, 2025. Justices Stevens filed a dissenting opinion, joined by Justice Kennedy.
SCOTUSblog Coverage
- Court denies habeas relief without ruling on AEDPA interpretation (Erin Miller, January 22, 2010)
- Struggling to Interpret AEDPA (Anna Christensen, November 6, 2009)
- Application of AEDPA to Review of State Determinations of Fact (Wood v. Allen Argument Preview) (Anna Christensen, October 26, 2009)
Briefs and Documents
Merits Briefs
- Brief for Petitioner Holly Wood
- Brief for Respondent Richard Allen, Commissioner, Alabama Department of Corrections
- Reply Brief for Petitioner Holly Wood
- Joint Appendix Volume I
- Joint Appendix Volume II
Amicus Briefs
- Brief for the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Alabama in Support of Petitioner
- Brief for the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers in Support of Petitioner
- Brief for the Criminal Justice Legal Foundation in Support of Respondent
- Brief for Indiana and 18 Other States in Support of Respondent
Certiorari-stage documents
- Opinion below (11th Circuit)
Merits Briefs
- Brief for Petitioner Holly Wood
- Brief for Respondent Richard Allen, Commissioner, Alabama Department of Corrections
- Reply Brief for Petitioner Holly Wood
- Joint Appendix Volume I
- Joint Appendix Volume II
Amicus Briefs
- Brief for the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Alabama in Support of Petitioner
- Brief for the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers in Support of Petitioner
- Brief for the Criminal Justice Legal Foundation in Support of Respondent
- Brief for Indiana and 18 Other States in Support of Respondent
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