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Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Habeas Corpus Legislation in the 111th Congress


Charles Doyle
Senior Specialist in American Public Law

Federal habeas corpus is the process under which those in official detention may petition a federal court for their release based on an assertion that they are being held in violation of the Constitution or laws of the United States. Major habeas legislative activity in the 111th Congress fell within three areas: proposals to permit state death row inmates to seek habeas relief based on evidence that they are probably innocent (H.R. 3320 and H.R. 3986); proposals to amend federal law in response to the Supreme Court’s determination that the level of judicial review afforded Guantanamo detainees failed to meet constitutional expectations (H.R. 64, H.R. 591, H.R. 630, H.R. 1315, H.R. 3728, and S. 3707); and recommendations for revision of several areas of federal habeas law from witnesses appearing before recent House Judiciary Committee hearings. The 111th Congress adjourned without further action on any of these proposals or recommendations.

Related CRS Reports include CRS Report R41010, Actual Innocence and Habeas Corpus: In re Troy Davis; CRS Report RL33391, Federal Habeas Corpus: A Brief Legal Overview (also available in abbreviated form as CRS Report RS22432, Federal Habeas Corpus: An Abridged Sketch); CRS Report RL33180, Enemy Combatant Detainees: Habeas Corpus Challenges in Federal Court; and CRS Report R40754, Guantanamo Detention Center: Legislative Activity in the 111
th Congress.


Date of Report: December 30, 2010
Number of Pages: 10
Order Number: R41011
Price: $29.95

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