Case Status
2 results
WIGGINS, KEVIN v. SMITH, Warden, et al. (34592)
Order dated: 11/18/02Docket number: 02-311
Action:
The petition for a writ of certiorari is granted limited to Question 2 presented by the petition.
WIGGINS, KEVIN v. SMITH, Warden, et al. (34592)
Order dated: 03/03/03Docket number: 02-311
Action:
The motion of the Solicitor General for leave to participate in oral argument as amicus curiae and for divided argument is granted.
A description of the questions presented by the case has been prepared:
Does defense counsel in capital case violate the requirements of Stricland v. Washington by failing to investigate available mitigation evidence that could well have convinced a jury to impose a life sentence, as this Court concluded in Williams v. Taylor and as most Courts of Appeals have concluded, or is defense counsel's decision not to investigate such evidence virtually unchallengeable so long as counsel's decision not to investigate such evidence virtually unchallengeable so long as counsel knows rudimentary facts about the defendant's background, as the Fourth Circuit held in this case.
An opinion has been handed down: