← Legal Glossary
AEDPA (Antiterrorism Effective Death Penalty Act)
Definition
A 1996 federal statute that severely restricted the availability of federal habeas corpus relief for state prisoners by limiting federal review to cases where state courts have decided questions contrary to or unreasonably applied clearly established federal law. It represents one of the most significant limitations on federal review of state convictions.
Examples
- •The Supreme Court's review in Pitchford's case is limited by AEDPA §2254(d) to whether the Mississippi Supreme Court unreasonably applied clearly established law.