Plain-English summary
Court: Appeal waivers unenforceable if enforcing them would cause a miscarriage of justice
The Court held that plea agreement appeal waivers are unenforceable when enforcing them would produce a miscarriage of justice — i.e., when an egregious legal error would remain uncorrected and undermine confidence in the system. The case was vacated and remanded to the lower court for further proceedings consistent with that standard.
Why this matters
This decision clarifies that defendants cannot be barred from meaningful appellate review in cases where enforcing an appeal waiver would let a serious legal error go uncorrected. It affects how courts interpret plea agreements and protects defendants from unfairly losing appellate rights when the outcome would undermine confidence in sentencing or proceedings.
Who may feel it
- Criminal defendants who signed plea agreements with appeal waivers
- Defense attorneys negotiating plea deals
- Prosecutors who draft or accept plea waivers
- Federal courts and courts of appeals evaluating waived appeals
Key questions
- Are ineffective-assistance claims and statutory-maximum claims the only exceptions to an appeal waiver?