Strickland v. Washington

Holding an "error by counsel" doesn't "warrant setting aside the judgment of a criminal proceeding" where in the context of the whole proceeding the identified error "had no effect on the judgment"

Williams v. Taylor

Holding that counsel's performance was deficient when their investigation failed to uncover "extensive records" filled with mitigation evidence concerning the defendant's family history, education, mental health, and rehabilitation

Apprendi v. New Jersey

Holding that “[o]ther than the fact of a prior conviction, any fact that increases the penalty for a crime beyond the prescribed statutory maximum must be submitted to a jury, and proved beyond a reasonable doubt”

Blakely v. Washington

Holding that “[w]hen a judge inflicts punishment that the jury's verdict alone does not allow, the jury has not found all the facts ‘which the law makes essential to the punishment,’ and the judge exceeds his proper authority”

Estelle v. McGuire

Holding that a federal habeas court may not reexamine state court determinations of state law questions

Estelle v. Gamble

Holding that the government has an obligation to provide medical care to incarcerated persons

Wiggins v. Smith

Holding that counsel's performance was deficient when they failed to expand their investigation into the defendant's life history "after having acquired only rudimentary knowledge of his history from a narrow set of sources," especially when those sources indicated the existence of helpful mitigation evidence

Hudson v. McMillian

Holding that, to determine whether the force used by a prison official amounts to a constitutional violation, "the core judicial inquiry is . . . whether force was applied in a good-faith effort to maintain or restore discipline, or maliciously and sadistically to cause harm"

Ring v. Arizona

Holding that “[i]f a State makes an increase in a defendant's authorized punishment contingent on the finding of a fact, that fact—no matter how the State labels it—must be found by a jury beyond a reasonable doubt”

United States v. Bagley

Holding that there was a Brady violation when federal prosecutors withheld evidence of inducements made to witnesses to encourage them to testify against the defendant

Section Amendment VI - Rights of Accused in Criminal Prosecutions

Granting the accused the right to be tried "by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed."

Section Amendment V - Rights of Persons

Requiring that crimes be prosecuted on a presentment or indictment

Section Amendment XIV - Rights Guaranteed: Privileges and Immunities of Citizenship, Due Process, and Equal Protection

Prohibiting deprivations by “State”

Section 19.02 - Murder

Defining sudden passion

Section 848 - Continuing criminal enterprise

Recognizing the court's authority in certain situations to "impose a sentence, other than death, authorized by law"

Section 15

Affording “the right ... to compel attendance of witnesses in the defendant's behalf”

Section 7

Guaranteeing due process and equal protection

Section 9 - Powers Denied to Congress

Prohibiting Congress

Section 17

Prohibiting cruel or unusual punishment

Section 2929.04 - Death penalty or imprisonment - aggravating and mitigating factors

Stating that the jury is to weigh against the aggravating circumstances, inter alia, "the nature and circumstances of the offense, the history, character, and background of the offender"

Section 3177 - [Operative 7/1/2024] Family Visiting (Overnight)

Section 3349 - Restricted Housing Records