Plain-English summary
Court rules statute of limitations for §1983 DNA-testing claims starts when state postconviction litigation ends
The Court held that when a prisoner pursues state-provided postconviction DNA testing through the state's litigation process, the statute of limitations for a §1983 due-process claim challenging the denial of that testing begins when the state proceedings end. The judgment from the Fifth Circuit was reversed and remanded.
Why this matters
This ruling clarifies when the statute of limitations begins for federal civil-rights suits for DNA testing after a prisoner has pursued that relief in state court. Prisoners and their lawyers now have a clearer rule about how long they have to bring a federal §1983 claim after state postconviction proceedings end, and states cannot claim the federal clock started earlier while state litigation was still ongoing.
Who may feel it
- People in prison who seek DNA testing through state postconviction procedures
- Public defenders and innocence organizations assisting requests for DNA testing
- State courts and prosecutors handling postconviction DNA requests
- Federal courts that hear §1983 civil-rights suits challenging postconviction procedures
Key questions
- When does the statute of limitations begin for a §1983 procedural due-process claim challenging denial of state-provided postconviction DNA testing?