Supreme Court Declines Lance Shockley Appeal, Leaving Circuit Split Unresolved

Justices Sotomayor and Jackson dissent, urging the Court to address disparities in appeal rights for post-conviction cases.

The Supreme Court declined to hear Lance Shockley's appeal, leaving a circuit split on certificates of appealability unresolved.
Shockley, convicted of killing a Missouri police officer in 2005, raised concerns about juror bias and ineffective counsel during his trial.
Justice Sotomayor, joined by Justice Jackson, dissented, emphasizing the need for uniformity in appellate standards across circuits.
The 8th Circuit denied Shockley a certificate of appealability despite one judge voting in favor, a stricter standard than other circuits.
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey argued there is no significant circuit split, while Sotomayor expressed hope the Court will address the issue in the future.